HomeMy WebLinkAboutA031 - Resolution approving Accessibility of Web Information and Services PolicyITEM #:35
DATE:04-14-26
DEPT:ADMIN
SUBJECT:ACCESSIBILITY OF WEB INFORMATION AND SERVICES POLICY
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a new rule revising the regulation implementing
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to establish specific requirements,
including the adoption of specific technical standards for making accessible the services,
programs, and activities offered by State and local government entities to the public through
the web and mobile applications. A public entity with a total population of 50,000 or more
shall begin complying with this rule on April 24, 2026.
Over the past few months, City staff has taken several proactive steps to learn about the
requirements and to implement new practices to ensure web and digital accessibility. A best
practice and an important step towards compliance is creating an Accessibility of Web
Information and Services Policy (Attachment A). This policy will establish organizational
requirements and responsibilities for accessible digital content, interfaces, services, and
communication in alignment with the ADA and WCAG 2.1, AA .
The attached PowerPoint presentation (Attachment B) outlines actions taken to date and the
proposed timeline for moving forward.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the attached Accessibility of Web Information and Services Policy.
2. Do not approve the Accessibility of Web Information and Services Policy.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The City is required to comply with Title II ADA regulations, including the new DOJ rule
on digital accessibility. This new rule will ensure the City's public information is
accessible to everyone in the community. A key component of meeting compliance is
creating and adopting an Accessibility of Web Information and Services Policy.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve
Alternative #1 as listed above.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Accessibility of Web Information and Services Policy (Attachment A).pdf
Digital Accessibility Timeline (Attachment B).pptx
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Accessibility of Web Information and Services Policy
Purpose
The City of Ames is committed to ensuring that all residents, visitors, and employees,
including individuals with disabilities, have equitable access to the City’s digital services,
information, and technologies. This policy establishes requirements and responsibilities
for accessible digital content, interfaces, services, and communications in alignment
with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and WCAG 2.1 AA.
Scope
This policy applies to digital assets produced, maintained, or procured by the City of
Ames that are intended for use or consumption by the public , including but not limited
to:
• Public-facing websites (e.g., City of Ames website, department websites)
• Web applications, online forms, digital documents, and PDFs
• Mobile applications and platforms
• Social media content and communications
• Digital signage, kiosks, and public digital service systems
• Videos, livestreams, and multimedia content
• Third-party tools, links, software, and hosted services that are contracted or
licensed by the City
Policy Statement
All City digital assets that are intended for use or consumption by the public must be
designed, developed, procured, and maintained in a manner that ensures accessibility
for individuals with disabilities. The City of Ames adopts the following standards and
principles:
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Accessibility Standard
Digital content and online services shall conform to:
• WCAG 2.1 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) or the most current
standard adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice
• Accessible technology requirements under ADA Title II
Universal Design
Digital services shall follow principles of universal design to enhance usability for all
residents, regardless of ability, age, or device. City digital content must use plain
language, clear formatting, and accessible document structures.
Responsibilities
City Manager’s Office
• Oversees implementation and ensures City-wide compliance
• Allocates resources and authority necessary for accessible digital services
Communications and Outreach
• Ensures accessible public communications, including web content, videos,
images, and social media
• Reviews digital content for accessibility before publication
Finance Department-Information Technology
• Ensures digital platforms, CMS systems, and hosted services support
accessibility
• Establishes accessibility testing procedures
• Maintains accessibility tools and reporting systems
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Finance Department-Purchasing
• Establishes and oversees City contracts, ensuring they contain accessibility
requirements for vendors
All City Departments
• Create accessible documents, forms, and content
• Follow procurement requirements for accessible digital technologies
• Respond to accessibility concerns in a timely manner
• New employees must complete the Digital ADA Fundamentals Training
Vendors and Contractors
All digital products or services procured by the City must:
• Meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
• Provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) or equivalent
documentation
• When vendors/contractors cannot meet digital accessibility standards:
o They must provide a detailed, time-bound “remediation roadmap” that
specifies when and how the vendor will achieve full compliance
o If they claim that meeting standards is impossible due to cost or technical
limitations, the COA must receive in writing the reason(s) for the “undue
burden”
Digital Accessibility Requirements
Website and Web Applications
• All pages must meet WCAG 2.1 AA
• Navigation must be keyboard accessible
• Images must include meaningful alternative text
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• Color contrast ratios must meet accessibility requirements
• Forms must include programmatically associated labels and clear error
messages
• PDFs and digital documents must be tagged and accessible
• Content must be screen-reader accessible
Multimedia (Video, Audio, Livestreams)
City multimedia content must include:
• Accurate captions for all prerecorded and live videos
• Transcripts for audio-only media
• Audio descriptions for video content with essential visual information
Social Media
Official City social media posts must include:
• Easy to read text, and information that is organized in a logical order
• Content is broken into short, scannable sections
• Alternative text for images
• Captioned video content
• Color contrast ratios must meet accessibility requirements
Digital Documents
All documents posted online must:
• Be screen-reader accessible
• Use heading structures, alternative text, and proper reading order
• Avoid scanned-image PDFs unless accompanied by an accessible version
• Avoid placing text over images
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Software and System Procurement
Any new software, web platform, or digital tool must:
• Pass an accessibility review
• Include accessibility requirements in contracts
• Provide remediation plans for identified issues
Training and Capacity Building
The City of Ames will provide ongoing training programs for staff, including:
• Digital ADA Fundamentals
• Accessible document creation (Word, PDF, Excel)
• Accessible social media practices
• Procurement processes that include accessibility requirements
• Tools for evaluating accessibility (e.g., screen reader basics, automated
checkers)
Compliance Monitoring
• Quarterly scanning of City websites by the Digital ADA Task Force
Remediation Timelines
Digital content that fails to meet accessibility standards will be remediated according to
the following timelines:
• Critical barriers (e.g., inaccessible forms): within 30 days
• Moderate issues: within 90 days
• Low-impact issues: within 6 months
• Legacy content: evaluate and remediate based on public need and strategic
priority
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Policy Review and Updates
This policy will be reviewed at least every two years or earlier if ADA regulations or
WCAG standards change. Revisions must be approved by the City Council.
Definitions
• Accessibility: The design of products, devices, services, or environments for
people with disabilities
• WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines set by the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C)
• Alt Text: Descriptive text added to images for screen-reader use
• VPAT: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is a template used by product
manufacturers, vendors, or developers explaining a product’s accessibility
compliance
• ACR: Accessibility Conformance Report is the name given to the VPAT once it is
filled out
Reporting, Feedback, and Complaint Process
Residents can report digital accessibility issues or complaints by contacting the ADA
Coordinator:
• The COA website contains an accessibility statement and a link that routes users
to the ADA Coordinator’s contact information
• The City will respond to inquiries and complaints within a week and include
applicable departments, if any
• Contact information: Casandra Eames, Engagement and ADA Coordinator,
casandra.eames@cityofames.org, 515-239-5219
Effective as of April 2026
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DIGITAL
ACCESSIBILITY
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EARLY ACTIONS - FALL 2025
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• Staff evaluated new DOJ ADA rules to define organizational
requirements
• Staff created a digital accessibility fundamentals training for the
organization
• Created a cross-departmental Digital Task Force that began meeting
monthly to ensure progress is being made on meeting the new
requirements
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EARLY ACTIONS - WINTER 2025/26
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• Collaborated with departmental staff to identify and document
accessibility barriers within core software systems
• Start drafting a Digital ADA Policy
• Staff conducted the digital fundamentals training for 92 formal
leaders (45% of supervisors/leaders have completed training)
• Started drafting a digital ADA Transition Plan
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FUNDAMENTALS OF DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY
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BEFORE AND AFTER (1)
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BEFORE AND AFTER (2)
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ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
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"The City of Ames is committed to providing electronic communication
that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of
technology or ability. We are actively working to increase the
accessibility and usability of our website. We seek to conform to level
AA of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) WCAG. Our
conformance with these guidelines will help make our public electronic
information more user-friendly. "
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CURRENT ACTIONS - 2026
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• Focusing on specialized training sessions for staff
• Created and presented a digital social media training for 13 staff who
create content
• Great Plains ADA Liaison presenting specific training on:
• Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and a Q&A session
•Digital accessibility training is available to staff via video
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VIDEO RECORDING PRACTICES
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• Closed captions on all programs
• Audio descriptions (Separate from closed captions, this
information explains visual elements and provides
context.)
• Reduced the number of meetings being recorded
o Reduction based on usage data
o Minutes available
• Focus on Core Meetings
o 1 hour of meeting requires 4 hours of program
preparation for web posting
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MOVING FORWARD (1)
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•The Digital Task Force will meet monthly until June to continue
assessing accessibility after the April deadline
•After June, the task force members will evaluate their
department's pages quarterly
•Finalize the digital ADA transition plan
•The Accessibility of Web Information and Services
Policy will be included in the transition plan
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MOVING FORWARD (2)
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• Verify third-party compliance for all links on the COA website
• Establish and incorporate WCAG AA language into contracts
• Respond to accessibility inquiries from community members
• Coordinate biannual training with HR
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QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU!
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