As state and local governments expand digital services, accessibility is becoming an important part of technology planning, procurement and modernization.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Title II final rule requires state and local government web content and mobile applications to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. While compliance timelines have shifted, the direction is clear: accessibility needs to become an ongoing part of digital government.
Beyond Compliance
Regulatory requirements and litigation create urgency, but accessibility is ultimately about ensuring digital services work for the people who depend on them.
Citizens increasingly rely on websites and applications to access government services, while public-sector employees depend on digital tools to do their jobs. NASCIO notes that accessibility-related lawsuits against states generally involve these same groups: citizens accessing digital services and employees who require accessible workplace technology.
For technology leaders, that means accessibility is bigger than meeting a single deadline.
Build Accessibility Into Procurement
One way agencies can reduce future remediation is by considering accessibility earlier in the technology lifecycle.
Organizations can incorporate appropriate accessibility requirements into procurement and evaluation processes rather than addressing them after implementation. For applicable web content and mobile applications, this may include WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements, along with evaluating vendor accessibility documentation and testing practices.
The goal is to shift from remediating for accessibility to planning for accessibility from the beginning. The compliance deadline creates urgency. Making accessibility part of the technology lifecycle creates a more sustainable path forward.
