15 Jul Achieving Digital Inclusion: How to Make Local Government Platforms Accessible
Digital inclusion is crucial for creating equitable access to online resources. For local governments, ensuring digital accessibility can not only sometimes be a requirement, but also a commitment to serving all citizens effectively. This article explores critical strategies to make municipal government platforms more accessible and in line with Section 508 and WCAG standards.
Understanding Section 508 and WCAG:
Section 508 is an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which was the first U.S. law to address disability rights. The amendment ensures that persons with disabilities are given the opportunity to access federal digital resources at the same level as everyone else. Similar to Section 508, WCAG is a set of web content accessibility guidelines created to guarantee the inclusion of users with disabilities in digital spaces worldwide.
Touching on the importance of inputting inclusive features like image descriptions on presented images and transcripts or captions on promoted videos, both Section 508 and WCAG have become guidelines for those wishing to establish an all-encompassing digital profile.
Strategies for Enhancing Digital Accessibility:
Strategy #1: Ensure Compatibility with Screen Readers
Screen readers are software programs that allow those with low vision or blindness to access and engage with digital profiles. One way you can enhance the digital accessibility of your local government platforms is by ensuring they are compatible with screen readers.
As millions worldwide rely on screen readers to aid them in navigating online content, securing suitable platforms can broaden local government outreach and create an equal and inclusive environment for all potential visitors. A great way to assess whether your local government platforms are compatible with screen readers is by using an accessibility tester. By examining the suitability of platforms for popular screen readers like NVDA and JAWS, testers like Assistiv Labs allow you to see through the lens of over 96 percent of screen reader users.
Strategy #2: Enable Keyboard Navigation
Keyboard navigation is vital for those with motor impairments and low vision. With the convenience of tapping on a tab key to navigate forward and a spacebar to check and uncheck virtual boxes, it is evident that having the option of navigation through keyboards can improve the efficiency and inclusivity of your local government platforms.
So, how can you ensure that your municipal government platforms are navigable through keyboards? Good news! Keyboard accessibility is easy to assess. Anyone with the internet and a keyboard can do it! By placing your cursor on the address bar of a browser and tapping on your tab key, you can start assessing your platform’s keyboard navigation ability and more.
Strategy #3: Insert Image Descriptions on Displayed Images
Image descriptions, or alt text, are written words describing an image’s content to assist those who use screen readers. In order for your local government to truly produce an all-inclusive platform, it is essential to ensure that image descriptions are a part of it. It can be used on an array of articles, from digital documents to websites, and fully detailed descriptions of displayed images allow a large part of the population to experience the content presented to them the best they can.
When writing image descriptions for your local government platforms, it is crucial to keep several things in mind. One of which is that the descriptions should be clear and concise. It is important to paint enough of a picture so that an understanding of the overall image can be secured. An example of this could be describing a person’s facial expression in an image. Simply detailing a person’s presence and facial expression in an image can give the part of the audience who may rely on it a clue about the overall happenings of the image, creating a more inclusive space.
Strategy #4: Secure Captions on Presented Videos
Captions are synchronized texts that represent audio information. Created to assist those who are hearing impaired, the texts can provide a clear understanding of content in various mediums, from presented videos to audio recordings. However, not only those who are hard of hearing enjoy captions.
With more than 50 percent of Americans using them, captions have become a popular method of ensuring clarity when actively listening to audio. So, if you want your local government platforms to be all-encompassing, providing captions is one way to go! A great way to do that is by hiring an accomplished editor. Websites like Fiverr and Upwork offer a multitude of options when looking for freelance video editors who can make your videos more accessible and up to date.
Strategy #5: Keep an Eye on the Contrast of the Colors Used
So, what is color contrast? And why should you keep an eye on it? Color contrast is the ability of one color to stand out when put up against another. For those with visual impairments, viewing low-contrast colors can sometimes be challenging. To fully improve the accessibility of your local government platforms, it is vital to ensure that the colors used have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
One way you can assess the contrast of the colors used on your local government platforms is by using a color contrast checker. Contrast checkers like Web AIM and Accessible Web are significant tools that aid people in identifying whether their choice of colors is inclusive and accessible to all.
As we move forward, it becomes evident that digital inclusion is something that all forms of government should consider when creating their public platforms. Promoting accessibility not only helps those with disabilities overcome barriers but also improves the experience of platform users and reflects on our values as a union. After all, Stevie Wonder once said, “We need to make every single thing accessible to every single person with a disability.”
Ensure your government platforms meet all the accessibility tips and tricks mentioned above with ease! Communications and media agencies like PivotPath are here to help.
Renowned for delivering exceptional service to government clients, PivotPath can make your platforms more inclusive in no time.
For any inquiries, visit pivotpathdigital.com.
Written by Niema Hussain 2024
