Web Accessibility in Local Government: Priorities, Progress, and Barriers
About CivicPulse
CivicPulse is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to enhancing local and state government in the US by conducting representative surveys of public officials, producing actionable research, and facilitating practitioner-researcher dialogue.
About CivicPlus
Thousands of high-performing civic leaders rely on CivicPlus® as their trusted partner for Impact-Led Government. With CivicPlus, leaders can finally overcome the perpetual tradeoff between the demand for better services and the realities of operational resources, leveraging the unique Civic Impact Platform to deliver both unmatched end-to-end automated efficiency and truly unified, delightful resident experiences.
Executive Summary
The move toward online services in government poses both opportunities and challenges.
Nowhere is this more true than when considering the consequences for residents with disabilities. Some residents have disabilities for which the move toward online services is enormously beneficial, while others have disabilities for which greater focus on online government services presents unique difficulties.
Consequently, there is a growing recognition of the need to design and operate the growing use of government websites and online tools with universal accessibility in mind. This is no easy feat, however, given the enormous variability in the technological landscape that different local governments—and different departments—face.
Drawing on findings from a nationally representative survey of 1,004 local elected, appointed, and departmental leaders serving municipalities, townships, and counties of 1,000 residents or more across the United States, this report highlights key benchmarks in web use and web accessibility in local government.
Web Use in Local Government
1. Web use among local governments is nearly universal but website functionality varies. Nearly all local government officials (98%) reported having either a department website or government-wide website. Among those with a website, a vast majority reported providing department contact details (98%) and agendas/event calendars (89%). Least common are real-time emergency alerts (40%) and service request technologies (32%).
2. There is variation across department types in terms of having a department-specific website vs. relying on a government-wide website. Economic development and communications departments are most likely to have dedicated department websites (64%), while law enforcement and public works departments are least likely (51% and 49%, respectively).
The State of Web Accessibility
3. Local government leaders recognize that web accessibility is a fundamental component of good governance. An overwhelming majority of respondents agreed that web accessibility is important for fostering trust in government (84%) and that ensuring accessible web content is the government’s responsibility (83%).
4. Web accessibility is a priority but falls below other pressing needs. 75% of local officials viewed web accessibility as a ‘very high’ or ‘somewhat high’ priority. However, this is below other website improvement priorities, including improving existing content for residents (83%), improving the general user experience for residents (80%), and creating new content and information for residents (78%).
5. Awareness and understanding of accessibility requirements are relatively low. Only 13% of local officials said they feel very familiar with a Department of Justice (DOJ) update that requires local and state websites to become Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, while 38% said they are unaware of the decision altogether.
6. Knowledge of accessibility compliance varies widely across departments. 49% of officials from communications departments and 35% of officials from parks departments expressed confidence in their knowledge of compliance with the ADA updates. Officials from law enforcement departments (19%) and public works departments (12%) were the least confident in their knowledge of accessibility compliance requirements.
7. Accessibility policy adoption is low, especially among small communities. 29% of officials from large communities (over 50,000 residents), 28% from mid-sized communities (10,000-50,000 residents), and 18% from small communities (less than 10,000 residents) reported having established accessibility policies for digital platforms.
8. There is wide variation in how proactively local governments are pursuing accessibility. Less than 30% of officials reported that their department has implemented at least one of six accessibility action items. However, if current intentions are executed in the next year, the proportion of governments taking action on web accessibility could reach 50-67%.
Barriers to Web Accessibility
9. Lack of staff time is the most significant barrier when it comes to accessibility compliance. 42% of officials reported a lack of staff time as a significant barrier to web accessibility efforts. They also indicated that financial resources are a barrier (35%) as well as a lack of staff training and awareness (32%).
I. Introduction
As Americans have transitioned to the digital age, some have come to expect local government resources, like registering to vote or paying parking tickets, to be available online (Eggers et al. 2023; Rainie and Larsen 2002; Smith 2010). Yet as the wider American public embraces digitalization, the overall extent to which local governments are able to follow suit remains relatively unknown. Existing scholarship on e-government adoption is focused primarily on municipalities or specific departments (CivicPulse 2021; Connolly et al. 2018; Epstein 2022; Yavuz and Welch 2014).
To address these gaps in knowledge, CivicPulse, in partnership with CivicPlus, conducted a national survey of local government leaders to benchmark web use and web accessibility. The survey was fielded to 1,004 local elected, appointed, and department leaders serving municipalities, townships, and counties of 1,000 residents or more across the United States.
The report—which is built around the findings of this survey—covers a range of topics. The key sections are previewed below:
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Section II documents web use in local governments, including the services offered and variation across department types in terms of the presence of department-specific websites.
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Section III assesses the state of web accessibility in local governments, including how highly it is prioritized relative to other website improvements and knowledge of the updated Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
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Section IV explores the barriers to website accessibility.
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Section V offers a conclusion to the report.
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Lastly, the Appendix includes information about our survey methodology, sample composition, sample representativeness, and questionnaire.
II. Web Use in Local Government
How is the web used in local government?
Finding 1: Web use is nearly universal, but website functionality varies.
Web accessibility is pertinent to most communities in the United States. The vast majority of local government leaders (98%) reported having a department-specific or government-wide website, while only 2% of local leaders reported providing no digital services to their residents.
Among local governments that have a web presence, website functionality varies. Figure 1 shows that nearly all local government leaders (98%) said their local government website provides basic contact information for departments. Agendas and/or calendars of events were the second most common service provided (89%).
Local Government Website Services
Figure 1. The percent of local government leaders who indicated that their website provides each type of service listed. Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
Most local governments also use the web for applications, permits, and licenses (82%) and job postings (79%). This indicates that many local governments have made strides in digitalizing some of their core administrative functions. In addition, 69% of local government websites provide resident resources and how-tos.
Adoption of web-based payment options is more uneven, with just over half of local leaders (59%) who reported their local government website offers this service. Fewer than half of local governments provide public records access (45%). 40% of local leaders indicated their local government website offers real-time emergency alerts, a feature that could enhance public safety and resident trust in the event of a crisis. Even fewer local government websites offer service request technologies (32%).
Taken together, the results presented in Figure 1 provide an understanding of the various use-cases across different communities. Ultimately, the scope of services provided, and thus the amount of content that still may need to meet accessibility standards, varies across communities.
Which departments have their own websites?
Finding 2: There is variation across department types in terms of having a department-specific website or relying on a government-wide website.
Knowing which departments have their own websites and which rely on government-wide websites indicates how distributed the system is and who will need to be involved in ensuring web content is accessible to all residents.
Economic development and communications departments were among those most likely to have their own department-specific websites: Figure 2 shows that 64% of local leaders who work in in these departments reported the presence of a department-specific website or webpage.
Presence of Department-specific Website, by Department
Figure 2. The proportion of department heads who answered "my department has its own website/webpage" in response to the question "which of the following best describes the web presence of your department?" segmented by department type. Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
Similarly, 61% of parks departments and 60% of clerk’s departments reported having their own department-specific websites. They are followed by buildings departments, with 57% of heads from such departments who said they had their own department-specific website. Just over half of human resources departments (54%) and law enforcement departments (51%) reported having their own department-specific website.
Public works departments are the least likely to have their own department websites. Slightly less than half of heads from these departments (49%) reported having their own department website.
III. The State of Web Accessibility
How high of a priority is web accessibility?
Finding 3: Local leaders recognize that web accessibility is not just a technical requirement but a fundamental component of good governance.
Accessibility can help foster a positive relationship between government and residents. When residents can access the information they need, they are more likely to feel their government is transparent and responsive (Tolbert and Mossberger 2006; Welch et al. 2004).
Our results indicate that local leaders agree with past research on the importance of accessible web content. An overwhelming majority of local leaders said that web accessibility is important for fostering trust in government (84%) and that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure web content is accessible (83%).
Finding 4: Web accessibility is a priority but falls below other pressing needs.
While local leaders recognized the importance of web accessibility, other website improvement needs take precedence. Figure 3 shows that improving existing content was the highest priority for local leaders, with 83% of leaders who rated it as a “very high” or “somewhat high” priority. This was followed closely by improving the general user experience for residents (80%) and creating new content or information for residents (78%).
Though it falls slightly short of the previously mentioned website improvements, the need for accessible content is still a concern for local leaders. Three-quarters of leaders (75%) viewed improving the experience for users with disabilities as a high priority.
Below accessibility was improving existing online tools, which include applications and payments (73%). Improving existing online tools was followed by creating new online tools (e.g., applications, payments), with 63% of respondents saying this was a high priority.
Website Update Priorities
Figure 3. Proportion of local leaders who indicated that updating the website for this purpose is a "very high priority" or a "somewhat high priority." Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
How knowledgeable are local leaders about ADA requirements?
Finding 5: Awareness and understanding of accessibility requirements are low.
Understanding the importance of web accessibility is only part of the equation. Translating that commitment into action requires an awareness and understanding of the specific requirements. In April 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a formal rule updating Title II of the ADA. The rule sets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for web and mobile accessibility (Department of Justice 2024, World Wide Web Consortium 2023). Under the new rule, state and local governments must meet these standards by April 2026 or April 2027, depending on population size.
CivicPulse’s survey results indicate that awareness and understanding of the April 2024 decision by the DOJ to update Title II of the ADA are low. Table 1 shows that 38% of local leaders had not heard of the decision at all, while another 11% of local leaders said they had heard of the update but did not know what it was. In other words, nearly half of local leaders were missing key information about the April 2024 DOJ update.
Have you heard about the recent decision by the Department of Justice updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
Response Options | Percent of Respondents |
|---|---|
Yes, I am very familiar with it | 13% |
Yes, I am somewhat familiar with it | 38% |
Yes, but I don’t know what it is | 11% |
No, I have not heard of it | 38% |
Table 1. Distribution of responses to the question “have you heard about the recent decision by the Department of Justice updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?” Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
The remaining half of local leaders expressed some familiarity with the update to Title II of the ADA. Most of these leaders expressing familiarity (38%) had heard of the DOJ decision but had minimal understanding of it. Only 13% of local leaders felt very familiar with the update.
The findings presented here are reflected in open-ended responses. Local leaders often cited a lack of knowledge and awareness as a challenge they face when trying to address web accessibility. For instance, a county clerk from a large Georgia county reported that one of the greatest challenges to web accessibility was “knowledge of updates.” One economic development director from a small city in Texas stated plainly, “simply being made aware would be a huge help.”
Finding 6: Knowledge of accessibility compliance varies widely across departments.
We also asked local leaders to assess how strongly they agree or disagree with the statement “I am confident about my knowledge of ADA compliance.” In general, the results suggest that confidence is low, and confidence levels vary across different departments.
Figure 4 illustrates that heads of communications departments had the highest confidence in their ADA compliance knowledge. Nearly half of leaders (49%) from these departments reported that they strongly agree or somewhat agree with the statement “I am confident about my knowledge of ADA compliance.”
Roughly one-third of respondents from the following five departments strongly or somewhat agreed they were confident in their ADA compliance knowledge: parks (35%), economic development (33%), human resources (32%), buildings (32%), and clerk’s (29%). Heads of law enforcement and public works departments were among the least likely to agree that they felt confident about their knowledge of ADA compliance (19% and 12%, respectively).
Confidence in ADA Compliance Knowledge, by Department
Figure 4. The percent of department heads who answered “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” in response to the statement “I am confident about my knowledge of ADA compliance,” by department type. Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
When compared with the breakdown of department-specific websites (Figure 2), it appears that leaders from departments with higher likelihood of having standalone websites also tended to agree that they felt confident in their ADA compliance knowledge. For example, communications departments, which have the highest proportion of department-specific websites (64%), also have the largest proportion of department leaders who agree they feel confident in their ADA compliance knowledge.
Ultimately, despite comparatively high levels of ADA compliance knowledge confidence in communications departments, more than half of department leaders did not agree that they felt confident about their knowledge of ADA compliance, suggesting high levels of uncertainty among local government leaders.
Where is accessibility policy adoption now?
Finding 7: Accessibility policy adoption is low, especially for small communities.
To assess the current state of local government web accessibility, we examined whether local governments have adopted policies around web accessibility. The data indicate that local governments are still in the early stages of adopting comprehensive accessibility policies. The rate of adoption also varies across communities of different sizes.
Figure 5 shows that even in the communities most likely to have the resources necessary to address web accessibility challenges, policy adoption is relatively uncommon. Only 29% of local leaders from large communities reported they had adopted policies ensuring accessible web and/or mobile content. Similarly, 28% of leaders from medium-sized communities reported they had adopted policies ensuring accessible web and/or mobile content.
Adoption Rate of Accessibility Policies, by Population Size
Figure 5. Proportion of local leaders who indicated their department or government has already adopted policies to ensure web accessibility, by population size. Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
Even so, the rate of adoption in small communities is still lower. Only 18% of leaders from small communities reported they already adopted policies to ensure web accessibility.
Some local governments may exhibit slower adoption of web accessibility policies due to historically slow uptake of technological advances. For example, a survey respondent serving as secretary and treasurer for their small township in Pennsylvania explained, “it is my 20th year with retirement pending in a few months. When I took over, I replaced a lady who used a manual typewriter only. My replacement will likely get a website started for the township.”
How is accessibility changing?
Finding 8: There is wide variation in how proactively local governments are pursuing accessibility.
To assess how proactively local governments are pursuing web accessibility, we asked local leaders to tell us whether they have already taken action, are currently taking action, or plan to take action on six items that collectively address different aspects of web accessibility. The results in Figure 6 indicate that only a small proportion of communities have already addressed web accessibility on any dimension. However, many are in the process of addressing web accessibility or intend to in the next year.
Local governments have been most proactive when it comes to creating processes for residents to make accessibility requests and to report accessibility issues. Figure 6 shows that 28% of local leaders reported they have created such processes, while another 39% said they are in the process of doing so or plan to do so in the next year.
Web accessibility policy adoption is still in the early stages: fewer than 1/3 of local leaders (23%) indicated their department or government had already adopted policies to ensure web content and/or mobile apps are accessible. However, nearly a quarter of local leaders shared that policy adoption was currently in the works (24%) or planned within the next year (20%).
Plans to Take Action on Web Accessibility
Figure 6. The percent of local leaders who indicated they have acted, are currently acting, plan to act in the next year, or plan to act eventually for each accessibility action item. Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
As of October 2024, 20% of local leaders reported that they have completed an assessment of their websites according to WCAG’s technical standards, while another 26% were in the process of doing so. Only 12% have completed a DOJ-specific compliance assessment, though nearly one-third of leaders (31%) reported they were in the process of doing so. Local governments do appear to be looking ahead though: roughly 1/5th of government leaders reported that a WCAG compliance assessment and a DOJ compliance assessment are planned within the next year (23% and 21%, respectively).
Embedding accessibility into procurement practices, such as adding technical standards to requests for proposals (RFPs) for digital services and technology, remains low, as only 18% of leaders reported they had added such a standard. However, local leaders do show an interest in formalizing standards in their requests for proposals: 18% of leaders reported such a process was currently in the works and 17% reported it was planned for the next year.
A related challenge is preparing staff with accessibility training to ensure documents produced are compliant with accessibility policies. Only 14% of government leaders reported having provided such accessibility training for staff. However, nearly half indicated that such training was either in the works (21%) or planned for the next year (22%).
Overall, the results suggest that while key areas like accessibility request processes, web policy adoption, and compliance assessments are already on some local governments’ agendas, fewer than 30% of local government leaders indicated they had implemented any of the action items in Figure 6. However, if current intentions are actively pursued and plans are executed in the next year, the proportion of local governments taking action on accessibility could reach 50-67%.
IV. Barriers to Accessibility
What challenges do local leaders face in approaching web accessibility?
Finding 9: Lack of staff time is the biggest barrier when it comes to accessibility compliance.
To better understand the challenges local government leaders face in approaching web accessibility, we asked them to assess the extent to which a lack of staff capacity and awareness, financial and technological resources, and resident demand act as barriers to web accessibility efforts. The results are presented in Figure 7.
Barriers to Achieving Web Accessibility
Figure 7. The percent of local government leaders who indicated that each item is a significant barrier, somewhat of a barrier, or not a barrier to approaching web accessibility. Data come from a CivicPulse survey of local government leaders in communities of 1,000 or more (n=1,004).
Limited staff time was most frequently cited by local leaders as a significant barrier to web accessibility compliance (42%). This finding comports with anecdotes from open-ended responses in the survey, where local leaders mentioned the challenge of juggling multiple responsibilities at once. As one city clerk from a small city in Michigan stated: “me, myself and I will not have the time to fix anything on the web since all three of us ran elections also.”
Along with limited staff time, financial constraints also pose a challenge to web accessibility compliance. 35% of local leaders reported lack of financial resources as a significant barrier to web accessibility. Without the requisite funds, many local governments find themselves unable to develop compliant resources. Case in point: an economic development coordinator from a small county in North Dakota shared that hiring a web designer to develop a site compliant with federal standards was cost prohibitive even though “it is not our wish to not be in compliance.”
32% of local government leaders identified a lack of staff training and awareness as a significant barrier to web accessibility efforts. Without training and expertise among staff members, local leaders often have to rely on ambiguous guidelines, leading to uncertainty about what actions to take. As one communications director from a mid-sized city in Iowa bluntly stated, “the federal government is terrible at putting out information, and when it does it is vague and overcomplicated. No one knows exactly what we are being required to do.”
In addition to challenges with staff time, funding, and training, local governments also face technical barriers to web accessibility. One-quarter of local leaders (25%) cited the absence of appropriate software for web accessibility as a significant barrier. If departments lack access to compliance-friendly tools, their ability to effectively deliver accessible online content is limited.
Beyond internal and technical challenges, external factors like resident demand also influence web accessibility efforts, though to a lesser degree. Compared to the other barriers presented in Figure 7, lack of demand from residents appears to pose a comparatively smaller challenge to web accessibility efforts, with 19% of leaders who viewed it as a significant barrier. However, 43% identified lack of resident demand as somewhat of a barrier. This indicates that while lack of resident demand may not be a significant issue for most local governments and departments, it still presents some challenges for accessibility efforts.
V. Conclusion
The promise of the internet is universal access to information and communication, but achievement of this promise requires addressing the specific challenges residents with disabilities face when navigating online services.
Local governments are on the frontlines of navigating these challenges. Although the rate of technological adoption varies, especially by community size and by functional area, nearly all local government departments and agencies have entered the digital arena in some way. And ensuring universal access is especially critical for the services they provide.
However, as this report shows, web accessibility in local government is not being achieved in many communities. Local government leaders largely recognize the importance of online accessibility, but many rank this below other competing priorities in a budget-constrained environment. And others lack the requisite knowledge for what to do about it. This is further complicated by uncertainty around expectations of compliance enforcement, which is both influenced by national politics as well as the political dynamics of individual states.
Nonetheless, this report also shows that there is a clear trend in the direction of improving web accessibility in local government. Leaders in different departments and different communities are taking actions to both improve their platforms and mainstream these concerns within their organizations. These efforts present opportunities for local governments to learn from each other across the country in terms of identifying the best strategies and approaches to achieving universal online accessibility.
References
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CivicPulse. 2021. “2021 Software Adoption Trends in Local Government.” CivicPulse. https://www.civicpulse.org/2021-software-adoption-trends-in-local-government (October 24, 2024).
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Connolly, Jennifer M., Leticia Bode, and Ben Epstein. 2018. “Explaining the Varying Levels of Adoption of E-Government Services in American Municipal Government.” State and Local Government Review 50 (3): 150–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/0160323X18808561.
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Department of Justice. 2024. “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities.” Department of Justice. https://www.ada.gov/assets/pdfs/web-rule.pdf (November 12, 2024).
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Eggers, William D., Michele Causey, David Noone, Pankaj Kishnani, and Mahesh Kelkar. 2023. “The Digital Citizen: US Survey of How People Perceive Government Digital Services.” Deloitte Center for Government Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/articles/in176014_cgi_digital-citizen-survey/DI_Digital-citizen-us.pdf.
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Epstein, Ben. 2022. “Two Decades of E-Government Diffusion among Local Governments in the United States.” Government Information Quarterly 39 (2): 15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101665.
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Rainie, Lee and Elena Larsen. 2002. “Part 1: Who Visits Government Web Sites and What They Do.” Pew Research Center [blog]. April 3, 2002. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2002/04/03/part-1-who-visits-government-web-sites-and-what-they-do/ (November 12, 2024).
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Smith, Aaron. 2010. “Government Online.” Pew Research Center [blog]. April 27, 2010. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2010/04/27/government-online/ (November 12, 2024).
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Tolbert, Caroline J., and Karen Mossberger. 2006. “The Effects of E-Government on Trust and Confidence in Government.” Public Administration Review 66(3): 354-369. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00594.x.
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World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). 2023. “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.” World Wide Web Consortium. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ (November 11, 2024).
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Welch, Eric W., Charles C. Hinnant, and M. Jae Moon. 2005. “Linking Citizen Satisfaction with E-Government and Trust in Government.” Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 15 (3): 371–91. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mui021.
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Yavuz, Nilay, and Eric W. Welch. 2014. “Factors Affecting Openness of Local Government Websites: Examining the Differences across Planning, Finance and Police Departments.” Government Information Quarterly 31 (4): 574–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2014.07.004.
Appendix
Survey Methodology
The officials invited to participate in the survey were drawn randomly from a dynamically updated comprehensive list of local government leaders serving townships, municipalities, and counties with populations of 1,000 or more. The sample was broadly representative of US local governments in terms of type, size, and region. The survey was fielded from September to October 2024 with a total of 1,004 responses.
We selected ten local government leadership roles to focus on for this survey. Below is a list of these roles, along with a description of responsibilities for each that could be fulfilled, in part, through a web platform.
Policymaker (e.g., Mayor, Councilmember)
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Provides leadership, sets the community’s vision, and makes decisions in line with the community’s best interests
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Oversees government operations, manages budgets and resources, and ensures efficient delivery of public services
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Enacts ordinances and resolutions that establish local laws and regulations
Top Appointed Executive (e.g., City Manager, County Executive)
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Runs the day-to-day operations of the government
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Manages budgets and personnel
Head of Buildings
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Issues building permits
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Inspects buildings to ensure and enforce compliance with building codes
Head Clerk
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Manages the government’s official records
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Publishes the government’s code and legal notices
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Responds to public records requests
Head of Communications
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Drafts and publishes press releases and engages with the media
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Manages the content of the local government’s website and/or social media
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Informs residents about events or changes in the local government
Head of Economic Development
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Plans or implements actions that create economic growth
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Plans or implements actions that improve the standard of living
Head of Human Resources
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Recruits and arranges training for new employees
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Develops and administers employment policies
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Ensures safe working conditions for employees
Head of Law Enforcement
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Develops and implements strategies to address crime and public safety issues
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Coordinates with prosecutors, courts, and other law enforcement entities to ensure the effective administration of justice
Head of Parks and Recreation
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Manages budget, maintenance, and development of parks and other recreational facilities
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Oversees recreational programming
Head of Public Works
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Oversees management of public infrastructure
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Ensures public works projects are completed in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and meet the needs of the community
Sample Composition
Table A1: Distribution of respondents by type of government.
Type of Government | Count of Respondents |
|---|---|
County | 156 |
Municipality | 640 |
Township | 208 |
Total | 1,004 |
Table A2: Distribution of respondents by role type.
Role | Count of Respondents |
|---|---|
Policymaker | 52 |
Top Appointed Executive | 88 |
Head of Buildings | 128 |
Head Clerk | 223 |
Head of Communications | 87 |
Head of Economic Development | 112 |
Head of Human Resources | 98 |
Head of Law Enforcement | 48 |
Head of Parks & Recreation | 76 |
Head of Public Works | 92 |
Total | 1,004 |
Sample Representativeness
Table A3: Median community demographic characteristics of sampling frame versus survey sample.
Type | Median Population Size | Median Proportion College-educated | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|---|
Sampling Frame | 7,630 | 17% | 67,250 |
Sample | 8,920 | 18% | 69,520 |
Questionnaire
1. Which of the following best describes the web presence of your department?
Response options: Our department has its own website/webpage; Our department does not have its own website/webpage, but we have a government wide website; We have no department nor government-wide website
2. Is your department’s website/webpage managed by your own department or by another department?
Response options: Managed by our own department; Managed by another department; I’m not sure; Other (please specify)
3. Does the website offer any of the following services? Select all that apply.
Response options: Department contact information; Web-based payments; Service request technologies; Agendas/calendar of events; Real-time emergency alerts; Resident resources and how-to's; Applications/permits/licenses; Public records access; Jobs and hiring
4. To the best of your knowledge, how high or low of a priority is updating the website for the purpose of...
Response options: Very high priority; Somewhat high priority; Somewhat low priority; Very low priority; Not applicable
Grid rows:
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Improving general user experience for residents
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Improving user experience for residents with disabilities
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Improving existing online tools. (e.g., applications, payments)
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Creating new online tools (e.g., applications, payments)
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Improving existing content or information for residents
5. If you have anything you’d like to add or elaborate on, please do so here. Otherwise, feel free to move on to the next page.
6. Have you heard about the recent decision by the Department of Justice updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
Response options: Yes I am very familiar with it; Yes I am somewhat familiar with it; Yes but I don’t know what it is; No I have not heard of it
7. If you have heard about the recent decision by the Department of Justice, how did you find out? Check all that apply.
Response options: Newsletter or mailing list; Another colleague; Legal department; Professional conference or event; Resident(s); Other (please specify)
8. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements...
Response options: Strongly agree; Somewhat agree; Neither agree nor disagree; Somewhat disagree; Strongly disagree
Grid rows:
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The government has a responsibility to provide a website that is accessible to residents with disabilities.
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Web accessibility is important for fostering trust in local government.
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I am confident in my knowledge about ADA compliance.
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New federal regulations and guidelines for web accessibility are always coming out and none of them seem to be enforced.
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I am concerned about my government’s capacity to comply with the latest decision by the Department of Justice updating its ADA regulations.
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In light of the challenges local governments face, demonstrating a good faith effort to comply with federal regulations for web accessibility should be viewed as sufficient effort rather than being fully compliant.
9. Has your department/government done, or plan to do, any of the following...
Response options: Already done; Currently in the works; Plan to do in the next year; Plan to do eventually; Don’t plan to do; Don’t know
Grid rows:
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Adopted policies that ensure our web content and/or mobile apps are accessible.
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Created processes for people to make accessibility requests and to report accessibility issues.
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Provided training for staff, elected, or appointed officials to produce documents that are compliant with accessibility standards.
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Completed an assessment of website compliance with the technical standards outlined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
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Completed an assessment of website compliance with the new DOJ standard.
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Added the technical standard in our RFP requirements for new websites and/or mobile apps.
10. Did you make updates based on the results of the compliance assessment?
Response options: Yes; No
11. Feel free to tell us about some of those updates.
12. Regardless of your above responses, how would you know if your department or government were “successful” in improving website accessibility?
13. To the best of your knowledge, to what extent are the following items a barrier in approaching web accessibility?
Response options: A significant barrier; Somewhat of a barrier; Not a barrier; Don’t know
Grid rows:
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Lack of staff training and awareness
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Lack of appropriate software
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Lack of financial resources
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Lack of staff time
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Lack of demand from residents
14. Are there any other challenges or barriers to accessibility that you’d like to share with us?
Resources
Local government leaders can use the tools, screen readers, and ADA centers listed below to better understand and improve the accessibility of their own government’s website.
Tools
The resources in this section can be used to check the accessibility of websites and web content, like PDFs.
You can also use web browser, Adobe, and Microsoft tools. For a more complete list, check out W3C’s web accessibility evaluation tools list.
Screen Readers
Testing a website using a screen reader can better show how information is presented to users of such assistive technologies. Below are a couple options:
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JAWS: Job Access with Speech from Freedom Scientific (paid, most commonly used)
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NV Access (free)
ADA Centers
There are 10 regional ADA Centers that can provide local assistance for ADA compliance. Information regarding regions, including contact information, is available on the ADA National Network website.
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For replication data or questions about our methodology, please email info@civicpulse.org.