Web Accessibility &
It is essential that the web provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with diverse disabilities. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes access to the Web, as a basic human right.
In today’s digital world, accessibility compliance reaches far beyond physical modifications to buildings and curbs. Ensuring site visitors who have visual disabilities, difficulty reading and problems browsing with a mouse can fully access government websites is vital to providing accessible services to the community.
To help promote the creation and maintenance of compliant websites, we’ve built several key features into the our web design process and platform including:
- Mouse-free navigation
- Print friendly interior page layouts
- Text zooming for all interior pages
- Required alt-tags for all images
- Form field labels
While implementing a compliant design is an important step, government organizations who prioritize accessibility must also know how to create and maintain compliant content. Our curriculum-based accessibility training courses and other services are designed to empower your staff.
Details and background on accessibility
With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, combined with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, local government organizations are required to provide equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination with regard to government services, public accommodations, facilities and transportation. The introduction to the revisions of Section 508 to 2017 applies to eliminating technology barriers for people with disabilities.
How does this impact local government?
Section 508 applies to any federal government website and the site of any organization doing business with the federal government or accepting federal funds. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 extends this requirement to all state and local government agencies, thus you’re legally required to comply with Section 508. In addition, some courts have stated that a website is considered a public place of accommodation. In this case it can be seen as discrimination if your website ignores these guidelines.
What standard should we reference?
Section 508 applies to the U.S. only and was a dated standard that was updated to recognize the international standard, WCAG 2.0 in March 2017. As an industry leader we reference WCAG 2.0 AA when building sites.