Accessibility

The design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities

More News and Events on Accessibility

173 posts

Getting the word out about voter registration: Vote.gov’s first social media takeover with USAGov

Last fall, vote.gov and the USAGov program partnered for their first-ever social media takeover on National Voter Registration Day. The campaign, which encouraged the public to register to vote, reached 36,000 people across USAGov’s platforms and generated over 2,000 engagements. The partnership raised awareness for vote.gov, boosted vote.gov’s website traffic, and laid the groundwork for the future collaborations and resource-sharing between the two entities. This collaboration between vote.gov and USAGov offers a model for social media takeovers and partnerships between federal agencies and teams.— via USA.gov

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Feb 06, 2024

Designing with empathy

Discover the transformative power of empathy in design with USAGov’s benefit finder. From simplifying applications to a mobile-first approach, the revamped tool not only functions efficiently in two different languages and cultural contexts, but demonstrates the consideration for users in challenging situations. Explore how empathy turned a government service into a compassionate lifeline, creating a product that genuinely understands and meets people where they are.— via USA.gov

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Jan 25, 2024
This month the Design System team will talk about the development and rollout of their new accessibility tests for components.
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2024

GSA Issues Report to Congress Highlighting Need for Improvement in Federal Government Section 508 Compliance

The report, the FY23 Governmentwide Section 508 Assessment, evaluates reporting entities’ adherence to the criteria established by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in coordination with GSA, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the U.S. Access Board (USAB). It provides a baseline and recommendations for strengthening compliance initiatives and enhancing Section 508 activities across the federal government.— via General Services Administration

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Dec 28, 2023

OMB Releases Digital Accessibility Guidance to Ensure All Americans Have Ability to Access Critical Government Resources

The Biden-Harris Administration is championing inclusivity by requiring federal agencies to prioritize accessibility in the digital space, recognizing the gap in access for the 61 million Americans with disabilities on nearly half of popular federal government websites. The new guidance mandates rigorous testing, inclusion of individuals with disabilities in design processes, and the incorporation of experts in procurement, emphasizing a commitment to universal access. Read more to discover how these measures aim to change the federal digital experience for all Americans.— via The White House

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Dec 21, 2023
Next steps in the U.S. Web Design System’s inclusive usability research

USWDS Monthly Call - November 2023

The USWDS team will continue sharing our progress to improve ongoing research, publishing results and addressing recent findings.
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2023
Conducting user research with people with disabilities

USWDS Monthly Call - October 2023

This month, we’ll share progress and findings from our recent effort to improve our ongoing research practice.
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2023

Celebrating 20 years of USAGov en Español

USAGov en Español is excited to celebrate their 20th anniversary this month! Since 2003, the website has been a trusted guide to government information and services for Spanish speakers. Explore this timeline of USAGov en Español’s milestones, name changes, and accomplishments as they’ve served Spanish speakers and federal partners over the past two decades.— via USA.gov

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Oct 16, 2023

Why the American People Deserve a Digital Government

OMB released new policy guidance for government that includes a variety of actions and standards to help federal agencies design, develop, and deliver modern websites and digital services. Memo M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience, will make it seamless for the public to obtain government information and services online, and help agencies fully implement the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA).— via The White House

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Sep 22, 2023

How a Small Team Modernized a Federal Website to Improve CX

The recent redesign of the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) website stands as an example for agencies seeking to enhance their online platforms. ONRR’s Open Data, Design, and Development (ODDD) team played a pivotal role in this website transformation by embracing open data, user-centered design, accessibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement.— via Performance.gov

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Jul 11, 2023
Developing and evaluating content for manual accessibility and user experience (UX) tests
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2023