In today’s digital-first world, ensuring that websites, documents, online services, social media posts, and other digital media are accessible is both a public responsibility and a strategic advantage. For government agencies, accessibility is essential to meeting legal requirements, serving all residents equitably, and building trust through inclusive public service.
When procuring digital products, organizations should consider the business’s dedication to ensuring what they provide meets digital accessibility requirements.
By embedding digital accessibility into your organizational strategy, you not only reduce compliance risks but also improve usability for everyone, enhance efficiency, and position your organization as a leader in inclusive innovation.
Learning Outcomes
- Know the 2024 DOJ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Rule compliance requirements
- Realize the organizational benefits resulting from creating accessible digital content
- Write and convey your organization’s accessibility policies internally and externally
- Make it easy for users to report accessibility and content issues
- Incorporate digital accessibility training into employee professional development plans
Resources
Dept. of Justice 2024 ADA Rule about Digital Accessibility
A 2024 Department of Justice (DOJ) Rule clarified that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) includes digital accessibility compliance. The offical Rule, and resources explaining its implications are included on this DOJ Rulepage.
The Business Case for Digital Accessibility
(W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI))
Organizations that embrace and create accessible content experience benefits such as increased innovation and problem-solving, brand enhancement, increased audience reach, and minimized legal risk. View this business case to learn why your organization should start placing a focus on digital accessibility.
Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility
(W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WebAIM))
Creating organizational accessibility policies and external accessibility statements can seem difficult if you don’t know where to start. This is a great reference with examples to help you get started.
Web Accessibility Framework
(Pope Tech)
Pope Tech developed a Web Accessibility Framework to help organizations implement a strategy to identify and address accessibility issues and concerns. There are three parts to it: Core, Tiers, and Profiles. For more organizations, I recommend creating a simple plan by only focusing on the Core part of the framework. These resources will help you design and implement a strategic digital accessibility plan within your organization.