Making Your Site Accessible to All: Why it’s Critical for Local Government

Nearly 60 million Americans live with some type of disability.  Inaccessible websites potentially exclude 20% of your citizens from accessing online information or services.  While most local governments are aware of the importance of making their city hall or facilities accessible, most local governments have not kept pace with accessibility standards for their web presence.

Now, in an increasing trend, local governments across the country are being sued by citizens alleging their websites violate disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to a recent study, more than 1,000 such suits were filed in the first half of 2018, a 30 percent increase from 2017. This trend underscores that it’s more urgent than ever to address your website’s accessibility for disabled citizens.

The first step toward website accessibility is instituting the new standard for website design, Responsive Web Design (RWD). Responsive websites automatically resize to fit all screen sizes - from desktop PCs to tablets to smartphones - ensuring a positive user experience on any device.

Once your website has a responsive design, the GovOffice CMS is designed to enable you to implement the ADA best practices recommendations we outlined in this previous post.

Most local governments, of course, want to provide equitable access to all citizens. Making your website ADA compliant isn’t a one-time project; it’s an ongoing process, as technology changes, standards evolve and websites are updated.  That’s why we’re committed to continue providing resources and work with your team to support your accessibility goals. 

Ready to upgrade your website to RWD and get on the path to accessibility compliance? Have questions about your website and ADA? Let us know!