Digital Accessibility
The City of Los Angeles Department on Disability is committed to ensuring that the city web environment is accessible to the community. As City employees, we have a shared responsibility to ensure the digital content we create and maintain is accessible and usable anywhere and anytime by everyone including individuals who rely on assistive technology (AT) in their daily lives. An Assistive Technology refers to any item, piece of equipment, or product system, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Examples include a large print keyboard, an eye-tracking device, a refreshable Braille display, a screen reader, a screen magnification, or a speech to text recognition. Digital content applies to Web applications, Web pages, and all attached files on the intranet, as well as, internet.
It is the policy of the City of Los Angeles that all materials are to be developed with inclusionary messaging, meaning that our documents should be provided in accessible formats and integrate the needs of persons with disabilities. In addition, the City must arrange for auxiliary aids and services to provide effective communication to persons with disabilities. The ADA Guidance: Inclusionary, Accessible Messaging and Effective Communication (.docx 102KB) is a general baseline for departments.
Accessibility Software Companies
Implementation Goals
In collaboration with Information Technology Agency (ITA), our goals is to:
Provide quality multi-tier Digital Accessibility training options for City departments to enhance their Section 508 Information & Communications Technology (ICT) knowledge and skills.
To assist you all to have your digital content that can be used by the widest population possible.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, “was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.”
Implementation Approach
The Department on Disability (DoD) and ITA recognizes that City Departments may face unique challenges when creating and maintaining accessible digital content. To increase citywide awareness of accessibility as well as the utilization of available services and resources, the following multi-tier training options along with step by step guides with screenshots as well as checklists will be provided:
Basic training to create and maintain accessible documents in common formats such as Word, PDF or PowerPoint; and
In-Depth and cutting-edge training series designed to meet the needs of content developers, webmasters, and others responsible for maintaining web content.
All City employees will have access to resources and training materials at any point to keep their knowledge and resources fresh.