How Rogers, AR Replaced Manual Remediation for Thousands of PDFs with Automated PDF Accessibility
Keys to Project:
Simplifying PDF accessibility while preparing for federal ADA compliance requirements
City:
Rogers, ARPopulation:
75,000Challenge:
Rogers needed to prepare thousands of website PDFs for upcoming ADA accessibility requirements while managing rapid city growth and limited staff capacity.
Solution:
The city implemented DocAccess to automatically transform PDFs into accessible HTML versions while reducing manual remediation for every document.
Result:
Rogers reduced the pressure of department-by-department PDF remediation training and created a faster, more scalable path toward accessibility compliance.
Preparing for Accessibility Compliance Across a Growing City
As Rogers, Arkansas continued to grow, so did the volume of digital content managed across city departments. The city’s website had evolved organically over many years, with departments independently uploading documents, schedules, maps, forms, and reports to support residents and daily operations.
For Peter Masonis, public relations manager for the City of Rogers, managing the city’s website and digital communications became increasingly tied to accessibility compliance. In addition to overseeing social media, media relations, and website content, Masonis also leads the city’s broader web accessibility efforts.
When new federal accessibility requirements established an imminent compliance deadline for municipalities of Rogers’ size, the urgency increased significantly.
I was doing ADA-related work and staff training for a while. Then it got serious when the federal government said, ‘Hey, you’re going to have to be accessible by a certain date.
Peter Masonis
Public Relations Manager, City of Rogers, AR
A Faster, Simpler Way to Make PDFs Accessible
While evaluating multiple accessibility vendors and remediation strategies, the City of Rogers discovered CivicPlus® DocAccess. The platform stood out because it addressed one of the city’s biggest operational challenges: making large numbers of PDFs accessible without requiring staff to manually remediate every file.
DocAccess automatically converts PDFs into accessible HTML transcripts directly from the city’s website. Residents can view documents in accessible formats, translate content into different languages, and request live assistance navigating complex documents when needed.
For Masonis, implementing DocAccess was smoother than anticipated.
Implementing DocAccess was more seamless than I expected.
Peter Masonis
Public Relations Manager, City of Rogers, AR
Masonis tested DocAccess using highly complex documents, including future land-use maps and planning materials. He was impressed with how effectively the platform translated complicated visual information into usable descriptions and accessible experiences.
It’s the instant, seamless transformation of every document on your website into an accessible format. That’s obviously the main value.
Peter Masonis
Public Relations Manager, City of Rogers, AR
For the City of Rogers, DocAccess delivered immediate value by automatically converting website documents into accessible formats, reducing the workload on city staff while accelerating progress toward accessibility goals.
The platform also improved accessibility for residents interacting with complex documents online. Features such as accessible HTML transcripts, language translation capabilities, and live navigation support expanded access to information without requiring residents to download or navigate inaccessible PDFs.
Reducing Staff Burden While Expanding Accessibility
Before implementation, Masonis was personally coordinating PDF remediation training, troubleshooting PDFs, and attempting to standardize accessibility practices across departments. With DocAccess in place, the city gained breathing room to continue improving accessibility strategically instead of trying to manually remediate thousands of files under a tight deadline.
Because of DocAccess, I no longer feel like I need to train every single staff member who puts content on our website.
Peter Masonis
Public Relations Manager, City of Rogers, AR
Masonis believes technology will continue making accessibility easier for local governments: Solutions like DocAccess are already helping cities bridge the gap between compliance requirements and limited internal resources.
Building a Sustainable Accessibility Strategy
The City of Rogers views accessibility as an ongoing process rather than a one-time project. It continues investing in staff education, governance policies, and long-term accessibility improvements across its digital services.
At the same time, DocAccess provided an immediate and scalable solution that helped the city move forward confidently ahead of federal deadlines.
For municipalities facing similar challenges, Masonis says the platform offers a practical path forward.
It’s a great solution, and it implements quickly. It was easy to do, and it delivers awesome results.
Peter Masonis
Public Relations Manager, City of Rogers, AR
Ready to Simplify PDF Accessibility?
DocAccess helps local governments improve PDF accessibility and avoid overwhelming internal teams with manual remediation work. By automatically transforming documents into accessible HTML transcripts, municipalities can reduce staff burden, improve resident access, and move faster toward compliance goals.
Learn how CivicPlus can help support your accessibility strategy with DocAccess.