Abstract
Users increasingly expect to be able to do virtually everything on a mobile device that they can do on a laptop (if not more). The initial decision point for any mobile development program would appear to be between native apps and the mobile web, though some contend that this debate represents a false choice—that it’s not an either/or proposition. Regardless, access is vital—either everyone must have the same device, or the apps must work on all supported devices. Although controlling—or even knowing—exactly how mobile apps use, store, and transmit data is increasingly difficult, integration with enterprise systems is a step that most mobile initiatives will have to take sooner or later. The mobile landscape fundamentally changes the role institutional IT plays in app development, and policies and culture will determine how the growing, fluid ecosystem of mobile apps works together (or does not), which ones will be institutionally supported (centrally or otherwise), and how much integration is feasible. At many institutions accessibility has become an elephant in the room. With mobile apps, colleges and universities have an opportunity to ensure that accessibility standards are included in the upfront design.