A resident tried to renew their license, apply for benefits, or register to vote. They found the page—but the form wouldn’t load properly. The labels were missing, the buttons didn’t work with their keyboard, or the error messages didn’t make sense. After a few tries, they gave up. Frustrated, unheard, and now one step further from the help they needed.
It’s not a rare story.
When digital government services don’t work for everyone—especially for people using assistive technology—the problem cuts deeper than bad UX. It means someone in your community got left out of a public service. Maybe they missed a deadline. Maybe they called your office, overwhelmed and confused. Or maybe they didn’t say a word, just silently lost faith that their government sees them.
ADA compliance isn’t a nice-to-have or a compliance checkbox. It’s how public agencies build trust, deliver on their mission, and make sure no one gets shut out. And while it can feel like one more thing on a very long list—it’s not out of reach. Even with tight budgets, limited time, and a small team, meaningful progress is possible.
Start at the Foundation: Build In, Don’t Bolt On
Your website is probably the front door to half your services. License renewals, benefit applications, emergency alerts—it all lives online now. So when that door doesn’t open for someone using a screen reader or navigating with a keyboard, the message is clear: this wasn’t built for you.
And that kind of message doesn’t just frustrate users—it breaks down trust. It also creates extra work for your staff, drives up support requests, and opens the door to compliance issues. It’s a lose-lose.
The good news? You don’t need a blank slate or a full redesign to make things better. Start where you are, work with what you’ve got, and shift the mindset from “we’ll fix it later” to “let’s make this part of how we work.”
What the Law Actually Says (And Why It’s Not Just About Lawsuits)
Let’s clear up the legal side. Yes, digital accessibility is required—and yes, those requirements have recently gotten more specific.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act now includes digital services. As of April 2024, the DOJ’s final rule requires public sector websites and digital tools to follow WCAG 2.1, Level A and AA. That gives you a defined standard—and frankly, a clearer path forward.
Then there’s Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which applies to any public service receiving federal funds. If your agency touches education, healthcare, or housing, this rule probably applies to you too.
And don’t forget the state-level picture. States like California, Colorado, Minnesota, and Illinois have passed their own accessibility laws, some of which go further than federal standards.
Still, accessibility isn’t just about avoiding legal trouble. It’s about showing residents that your agency is committed to fair access—online, offline, everywhere. Compliance is important. But inclusion is what makes the effort worthwhile.
WCAG Sounds Complex—But It Boils Down to Four Core Ideas
You don’t have to memorize the entire Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to start improving accessibility. At its core, WCAG is built on four principles—think of them as your north star:
- Perceivable: Can people see or hear the content?
- Operable: Can they interact with it using a keyboard, screen reader, or voice commands?
- Understandable: Is the information clear, consistent, and logical?
- Robust: Does the site work across different browsers, assistive tech, and platforms?
When you keep these in mind while building or updating a digital tool, you’re already making smarter choices.
Okay, But How Do You Start with ADA Compliance?
Let’s say you don’t have a dedicated accessibility specialist. Maybe your web team is small. Maybe you wear six hats and accessibility feels like a seventh. Here’s how to make headway anyway:
Use tools that do the first pass for you.
Platforms like WAVE, axe, and Google Lighthouse can scan your site for issues like missing alt text, poor color contrast, and unlabeled form fields. These won’t catch everything, but they’ll give you a solid to-do list—especially for easy wins that make a big difference.
Triage by Traffic
Start with the digital spaces that matter most: your homepage, your most-used forms, and any system residents rely on during an emergency. These are the areas where accessibility problems cause the biggest real-world consequences—and where fixes bring the biggest impact.
Teach What Matters To The People Who Touch the Work.
ADA compliance isn’t just an IT concern. Content editors need to know how to structure text. Designers need to understand color contrast and readable fonts. Even procurement officers should be including accessibility language in contracts. A little role-specific training goes a long way.
Make It Routine, Not A One-time Fix
Build ADA compliance into your processes—not just your projects. Add it to your publishing checklist. Review older content during updates. Make it part of procurement, design reviews, and form testing. When it becomes second nature, you avoid the scramble later.
The Payoff Isn’t Just ADA Compliance—It’s Better Public Service
ADA compliance improves your service delivery across the board. It helps more people use your tools the way they were intended—without needing to call, email, or show up in person. It also reduces the burden on your staff and helps build public trust.
And yes, there are cost benefits. When you design with accessibility from the beginning, you avoid expensive rework and reduce your legal exposure. But even more than that, you create digital spaces that feel fair, usable, and modern—qualities your community notices.
You Don’t Have to Do It All Today—Just Take the First Step
If you’re still thinking, “We’re not ready,” that’s okay. You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. ADA compliance is a journey—and the first steps are often the most impactful.
Start with what you can. Get curious about what’s working (and what’s not). Loop in the people who use your site. And if you need help? Ask for it.
At 216digital, we offer ADA briefings, a simple, no-pressure way to understand your obligations, identify risks, and plan your next steps.Because digital inclusion isn’t just a standard to meet—it’s a way to serve your community better.
