The new federal digital accessibility rule, outlined by the Department of Justice on March 8, 2024, focuses on ensuring that state and local governments, also known as public entities, make their websites and mobile apps accessible to people with disabilities.
This rule is issued under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and applies to a wide range of digital content and services provided by these entities.
Websites
All websites run by state and local governments must comply with accessibility standards to ensure people with disabilities can access content and services.
Mobile Applications
Any mobile apps provided by these public entities are included under this rule, requiring them to meet accessibility guidelines.
Electronic Documents
PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets and other digital files hosted on public websites or apps must be accessible. This includes ensuring proper formatting for screen readers, appropriate heading structures and alternative text for images embedded in documents.
Cloud Services
Cloud-based platforms and services used by public entities for collaboration, data storage or service delivery must also meet accessibility standards. This includes ensuring that any user-facing interfaces, such as dashboards, forms or interactive tools, are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Third-Party Content
The rule applies to both content created by the public entities and content that these entities host or control, such as third-party content (with certain conditions, depending on how much control the entity has over the content).
Social Media
Public entities are responsible for making their social media content accessible. This includes adding alt text for images, ensuring video content is captioned, and providing clear, accessible language in posts and comments.
The Standard UWM Follows
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA is the adopted technical standard for ensuring compliance. This includes requirements for text alternatives, keyboard navigation, contrast ratios and more.
While the rule applies broadly, there are some exemptions and flexibilities provided. For example, archived web content that is no longer in use, or certain emergency information delivered in real-time, might have more relaxed requirements.