The Long-Term Benefits of Digital Accessibility for Local Government
Expectations for accessible digital services are continuing to rise. The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) latest ruling on website accessibility, announced on April 24, 2024, sets new standards for state and local governments. The mandate requires these agencies to adopt specific technical standards for making websites, digital documents, and mobile applications accessible to residents with disabilities.
CivicPlus® conducted a resident survey of 1,000 U.S. adults to gauge public sentiment on digital accessibility in public and private sectors – and the results show that residents want equitable access to digital content. Similarly, 77% of respondents agree that improving web accessibility for state and local government websites would benefit the entire community.
The DOJ’s ruling spotlights accessibility beyond government websites and brings the issue to the attention of the nation at large. In the short term, this ruling ensures people with disabilities have equitable access to state and local government websites and services. In the long term, this ruling may result in three major changes: closing the digital accessibility divide, increased resident engagement with local governments, and reduced operating costs on a long-term scale.
Closing the Digital Equity Gap: The digital divide broadly refers to the gap between those who have reliable access to the internet and those who don’t. Additional aspects include affordability and quality of access, which are often influenced by income, education, and location. Consider, for example, how this gap affects something like digital literacy, which is the ability to use digital technologies to access information, communicate, and participate in everyday life. In today’s digital landscape, a lack of digital literacy poses a significant barrier to success in education, employment, civic participation, and economic opportunity.
For certain communities, enabling access to modern internet infrastructure is not necessarily enough to close that gap. Those without the skills or abilities to use modern technologies are at a disadvantage in many aspects of life – like not being able to book their own appointments, use advanced or complex online services, and more. Even with access to internet infrastructure, those with disabilities are often hampered in performing digital tasks themselves without proper accessibility. For governments to make strides in closing the digital equity divide, the focus must go beyond enabling access to internet infrastructure and include equitable access to digital content for all residents, regardless of their visual, auditory, physical and cognitive abilities.
The DOJ’s final ruling is crucial to ensuring that state and local governments prioritize investments that provide equitable access to the information and services all residents need. The increased focus on accessibility improvements is especially important, as 41% of respondents to CivicPlus’ latest consumer survey have a disability or know someone who has a disability. According to this same survey, nearly a fifth of respondents (19%) use a state or local government website or mobile application weekly – highlighting just how important it is to open these communication channels up to all residents, which include those that have may disabilities.
The DOJ’s ruling underscores the importance of designing digital platforms that are inclusive and user-friendly for all, which is essential for closing the digital equity divide.
Increasing Local Government Engagement with Residents
Embracing digital accessibility can strengthen trust and transparency between local governments and residents. CivicPlus’ recent consumer survey found that 59% of respondents reported preferring to access state and local services through a website, and 29% used a mobile application. While improved resident engagement correlates with local governments adopting technology, disabled residents may be unable to increase their participation if their local government hasn’t implemented accessible digital services and engagement opportunities.
Accessible services provide opportunities to attract and engage new residents while boosting community participation of current residents. According to the CivicPlus Trust and Transparency Report, residents in communities with digital self-service options are more satisfied with their local government than those relying on analog interactions. Residents with disabilities who historically have had to rely on others to complete digital interactions with their local government should be able to self-serve their needs online because of the new accessibility mandate.
Not only is equitable access to online government services a moral imperative, but it also empowers increased resident engagement and enhances trust and satisfaction with local governments.
Reduced Contact Time and Operating Costs
The DOJ acknowledges that upfront, the investment to comply with these standards will be substantial for governments of all sizes. For state governments, the DOJ estimates that it will cost $275 million just to establish compliance alone. One year after implementation, the average annual cost for states is estimated to decrease to $22.6 million.
These investments will save time for state and local government agencies in the long term. Those who once accessed government services by visiting in person, calling, or using the mail will now be able to leverage digital services to fulfill their needs. The DOJ estimates time savings for small governments will amount to $192.6 million per year once implementation is complete.
While a big plus, the benefit of this new ruling extends beyond cost savings. With more residents able to self-service their needs online, even understaffed departments will save time on manual efforts, enabling staff to address resident needs and concerns faster. The result is streamlined service delivery and more efficient government operations, leading to greater team and community satisfaction.
Accessible Experiences for All
Every resident in every community wants and deserves equitable access to digital experiences and services from their local government. The DOJ’s ruling is a significant step toward meeting the needs of all residents while driving significant benefits for agencies and residents alike.
If you’d like to see how your current website performs in the areas of accessibility compliance, content quality, broken links, and other usability issues – get a free web accessibility scan here.
Watch for the full CivicPlus report on local government accessibility for deeper insights into this critical issue.
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