Digital Accessibility Project
The City of Madison values inclusion and equal opportunity for all. The Digital Accessibility Project is our roadmap for ensuring everyone, including those with disabilities, can access and understand our digital content. It's also critical to ensuring that people with disabilities can participate in City programs and services.
What is Digital Content?
Digital content includes:
Image credit: Marvin Meyer
- Website content
- Documents (except archived documents)
- New social media posts (created after April 2026)
- Maps and data visualizations
- Audio and video
- Third-party systems the City uses to provide services
Accessible digital content benefits everyone. For example, closed captioning was developed for d/Deaf and hard of hearing users, but it's also useful for watching videos in a loud environment. High-contrast screen settings, created for people with low or no vision, are useful for smartphones in bright sunlight.
When we create accessible digital content, it can adapt to the needs of our users. Designing for diverse needs is good design for everyone.
ADA Updates
The federal government released a rule that sets new standards for digital accessibility. This rule says that the City's publicly available digital content and services must be accessible by April 2026.
As part of the broader ADA Transition Plan, our goal is also to make sure our internal (staff-only) digital content is accessible by 2031.
The Digital Accessibility Project is our work to help the City comply with federal requirements and strengthen our commitment to digital access for all.
Project Plan
Information Technology is leading the Digital Accessibility Project with support from the Attorney’s Office and Civil Rights. This is a complex project with many moving parts. We've partnered with Allyant to support these efforts.
All departments will have a role in updating their digital content. Making some minor changes to the way we author and save content goes a long way in making it more accessible. Staff who create digital content (including digital documents, maps, data visualizations, and more) must ensure it is accessible moving forward.
Timeline
We're currently working to make publicly available content accessible by the federal deadline. This work includes:
- Webpages, March 2025 – December 2025
Review and update webpages for accessibility. - Documents, September 2025 – April 2026
Review and update documents for accessibility. - Archiving, September 2025 – April 2026
Guidance for when and how to archive content. Archive or review news releases, blog posts, etc. - Maps and data, late 2025 – early 2026
Review and update maps and data visualizations for accessibility. - Social media, late 2025 – early 2026
Guidance for creating accessible social media posts. - Audio and video, January 2026 – March 2026
Archive old audio and videos. Add captions and transcripts for newer media.
The efforts to ensure accessibility for staff-only digital content will follow the same process, with an extended timeline of May 2026 to December 2031.
Trainings
These are trainings the City currently offers, or that we are planning to offer in the next year.
Documents
- Document Accessibility Basics
- Accessibility for Acrobat Pro & PDFs coming soon
- Accessibility for Excel coming soon
Communication & Plain Language
- ADA & Effective Communication
- Plain Language & Effective Communication
- Plain Language Workshop
- Hosting Accessible Meetings coming soon
Other
- Accessibility for Maps & Data Visualizations coming soon
- Accessibility for Social Media Content Editors coming soon
Website
For web content editors. Please contact the Web Team if you'd like to attend or refresh yourself on any of these trainings and presentations.