Web & Mobile Accessibility

ADA Web & Mobile Accessibility Compliance Implementation Guide

The Compliance Implementation Guide is provided as a tool to assist Departments and Offices with starting the process of bringing their websites and mobile apps into compliance. It is not inclusive of all possible actions necessary to achieve compliance. 

Using this Implementation Guide and the resources and tools within it is at the discretion of each Department; Departments and Offices may implement different processes and/or work with contractors to facilitate the process to come into compliance by the deadline and maintain compliance thereafter.

Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Regulations

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA

Web and Mobile Accessibility Fact Sheet

Model Department Policies & Procedures - ADA Web & Mobile Accessibility

These Model Department Policies & Procedures are provided as a tool to assist City Departments and Offices with complying with the ADA Web and Mobile Accessibility Regulations. Departments and Offices should tailor their ADA Web & Mobile Accessibility Policies & Procedures to meet their operational needs. Departments that already have policies and procedures for managing public information on websites or mobile applications may incorporate ADA Web and Mobile Accessibility requirements into their existing policies and procedures.

Introduction to ADA Requirements for Web and Mobile Accessibility

Archived Training Resources: Watch the Recorded Video | Download the Slide Deck PDF

This training session provides an introduction to the Department of Justice's Final Rule on Web and Mobile Accessibility under ADA Title II. It covers the newly established technical standards, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level A and AA, and the responsibilities of public entities to ensure their web content and mobile apps are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the rule’s requirements, the compliance timeline, and the implications of non-compliance.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how the rule ensures accessibility for people with disabilities by setting clear standards for web content and mobile apps provided by state and local governments.

• Understand the compliance dates for different government sizes and what ongoing obligations public entities have leading up to these deadlines.

• Identify the five key exceptions to compliance and understand how they provide flexibility while maintaining essential accessibility obligations.

Recommended Attendees

• Staff who create content that is posted to the web or mobile apps.

• Department level lead staff responsible for coordinating compliance with the ADA requirements for web and mobile accessibility.

• Technical staff responsible for understanding WCAG 2.1 and fixing compliance issues.

• Contract compliance staff responsible for ensuring vendors comply with WCAG 2.1.

Best Practices for Creating Accessible Documents

Archived Training Resources: Watch the Recorded Video | Download the Slide Deck PDF

This training highlights key best practices of creating accessible documents that comply with web and mobile accessibility requirements and are accessible  to people of all abilities, including those who use assistive technology to access digital content.

Learning Objectives

• • Use built-in headings and styles to make documents easier to navigate

  • Add alternative text descriptions to visuals and tables

  • Create accessible hyperlinks, text, and tables

  • Use built in Accessibility Checkers to identify and fix potential accessibility issues

  • Save files as an accessible PDF document

Recommended Attendees

• Staff who create word processing, presentation, PDF, or spreadsheet files that are posted to the web or mobile apps

• Lead staff responsible for coordinating compliance with ADA web and mobile accessibility requirements

• Technical staff responsible for understanding WCAG 2.1 and fixing compliance issues

Social Media Accessibility

Archived Training Resources: Watch the Recorded Video | Download the Slide Deck PDF

This training session focuses on best practices for making social media content accessible to individuals with disabilities. Participants will learn how to create and share content that meets accessibility requirements, ensuring that all users can engage with social media posts.

Learning Objectives

• Learn why accessibility is critical for social media and how it impacts users with disabilities.

• Discover practical tips and techniques for creating accessible social media posts, including the use of alternative text, captions, and proper color contrast.

• Become familiar with accessibility tools and settings available on popular social media platforms.

• Understand how to align social media content with the ADA web and mobile accessibility requirements and WCAG 2.1 standards, ensuring your posts are compliant.

Recommended Attendees

• Public Information Officers

• Staff who create content for social media

• Staff who manage and post on City social media accounts

• Lead staff responsible for coordinating compliance with the ADA requirements for web and mobile accessibility

Third Party On-Demand Trainings

This list is not exhaustive of all available on-demand trainings.

• WebAIM Online Document Accessibility Course 

  • This independent-study online training covers principles and processes for creating and evaluating accessible content in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, and using Adobe Acrobat to optimize the accessibility of PDFs exported from accessible Word and Powerpoint files. 

• Section508.gov Training and Resources 

  • Section508.gov offers comprehensive resources and training materials on Section 508 compliance. This includes webinars, toolkits, and guides for ensuring federal websites and digital content meet accessibility standards.

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

  • The W3C offers a range of tutorials on how to meet WCAG 2.1 standards. These tutorials are detailed and cover various topics, including page structure, text alternatives, multimedia, and more.

• ADA National Network

  • The ADA National Network offers various training sessions, webinars, and resources on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including topics related to digital accessibility and compliance with WCAG 2.1 and Section 508.

• Great Lakes ADA Center

  • AccessibilityOnline represents a collaborative training program between the ADA National Network and the US Access Board. The AccessibilityOnline Webinar Series is free and offers real-time captioning in all sessions. Sessions are held on a monthly basis and cover a variety of topics concerning accessibility to the built environment, information and communication technologies, and transportation.

• WebAIM

  • WebAIM offers both live and recorded training sessions on WCAG 2.1, Section 508, and general web accessibility principles. Their trainings are designed to be practical and easy to understand.

• Pope Tech

  • Pope Tech offers training resources focused on using their web accessibility platform to ensure WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance. Their training includes webinars, video tutorials, and hands-on guides for making websites accessible.

• IAAP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals)

  • IAAP offers on-demand training on various aspects of digital accessibility, including WCAG 2.1 and Section 508. Their courses are designed to help professionals achieve certifications like CPACC, WAS, and CPWA.

• Accessible.org

  • Section 508 Compliance Training: Accessible.org provides on-demand courses focused on Section 508 compliance and WCAG 2.1. Their training is designed for different audiences, from content creators to IT professionals.

• Accessible Social 

  • Accessible Social provides resources and best practices specifically for creating accessible social media content. Their training includes tips, guidelines, and tools to ensure that social media posts are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

• Microsoft Accessibility Training and Resources

  • Focuses on filling gaps in accessibility knowledge with the goal of bringing awareness, increasing discoverability, and helping to build a more accessible workplace across the globe. 

• Google - Web Accessibility for Web Developers

  • Offers free resources and training tailored specifically for web developers, focusing on building accessible websites and applications using Google technologies.

Staff interested in becoming certified in digital accessibility may enroll in one of the following third party provided on-demand certification programs:

• EdX W3C Introduction to Web Accessibility - FREE

  • Get a strong foundation in digital accessibility to make your websites and apps work well for people with disabilities, meet international standards, and provide a better user experience for everyone.

• Texas Digital Learning Association – Digital Accessibility Certificate Program - Low Cost

  • Through expert-led training, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of legal requirements, court rulings, Universal Design for Learning principles, and proven techniques for creating truly accessible digital materials.

• IAAP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals) - Low Cost

  • IAAP offers certifications on various aspects of digital accessibility, including WCAG 2.1 and Section 508. Their courses are designed to help professionals achieve certifications like CPACC, WAS, and CPWA.

The Department on Disability provides in-house document remediation services. We will take your existing files such as JPGs, PNGs, Word, PDF, PowerPoint, or Excel and re-format, repair, and/or re-tag them as needed to make them compliant with accessibility standards. In most this does not result in any visible changes to the document.

Requests for document remediation must be submitted using the Document Remediation Request Form. 

If the Department on Disability team is unable to remediate your document in house due to the document complexity, length, or turnaround time, we will refer you to document remediation vendors.

Please visit the ITA webpage for information about ITA web and mobile accessibility resources. 

ITA Trainings

• Accessible Websites and Inclusive Content, Informational Training in conjunction with City of Los Angeles Information Technology Agency (Presentation Slides)

• Introduction to Acrobat Pro Accessibility, Informational Training in conjunction with Adobe (Presentation Slides)