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US Public Sector

Website Accessibility for US Government Organizations

Public sector organizations in the US must ensure their websites and digital content are accessible to everyone. This is mandated through various legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Recite Me works with local county, state, and federal agencies to help build more accessible and inclusive digital environments.

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Regulatory Framework

US Accessibility Regulations for Government Agencies

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all US public sector organizations and requires websites and digital content to comply with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Specifically, government agencies must:

 

Meet WCAG 2.2 AA Standards

All websites and mobile applications must comply with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. This is an internationally recognized benchmark for digital accessibility.

Identify and Address Non-Compliant Content

Organizations must actively find and remediate inaccessible content, with accessible alternatives provided where full compliance isn’t immediately achievable.

Publish an Accessibility Statement

An accurate, up-to-date accessibility statement must be published and maintained. It should reflect what was tested, what was found, and what remains outstanding.

Monitor Accessibility Continuously

ADA compliance is not a one-off project. Organizations must operate a structured programme for ongoing accessibility monitoring, improvement, and documentation.

GDS Audits and Demand Notices

The Department of Justice (DOJ) enforcement team actively audits public sector websites. Flagged organizations can receive formal demand letters requiring remediation plans.

Provide Reasonable Adjustments in Digital Services

Where certain content cannot be made fully accessible immediately, organizations must ensure alternative ways of accessing information or completing tasks are available.

How We Help

Accessibility Challenges for Government Agencies that Recite Me can Resolve

For government agencies, in particular, several challenges must be addressed. Here’s how Recite Me solutions can help:

Most government websites serve people with visual impairments, dyslexia, cognitive disabilities, and residents whose first language is not English. Without the proper tools, these individuals may find it difficult to access government services. The Recite Me Assistive Toolbar provides inclusion tools such as screen readers, translations, and styling customizations to support these users.

With WCAG 2.2 Level AA a requirement for compliance with the ADA, it can be difficult to know where to start. The Recite Me Website Accessibility Checker performs an automated scan of your entire website to identify violations and provide recommendations for fixes. Our team of accessibility experts can also assist with manual audits and internal reviews.

The DOJ accessibility team is now actively auditing public sector websites against WCAG standards. If your organization is flagged, you could receive a demand letter or notice. Recite Me can help respond to these enquiries and formulate a plan to remediate existing accessibility issues.

Government websites often publish large volumes of PDFs and documents, but many of them are often inaccessible. The Recite Me PDF Accessibility Checker and Remediation Tool can be used to help address compliance issues at scale.

An accessibility statement should be published and updated regularly to reflect what was tested, what was found, what has been fixed and what remains outstanding. The suite of tools at Recite Me, including the web accessibility checker, consultancy services, and accessibility statement template, can help ensure this ADA requirement is met.

Across Your Organization

Key Roles Recite Me Supports Across Government

Accessibility is not owned by one team. Instead, it’s delivered by combining efforts from multiple teams across government agencies. Recite Me supports the teams who are responsible for different parts of that work.

Digital, IT and Web

Recite Me powers technology experts with the tools they need to implement accessibility across digital landscapes. Features such as structured scanning, prioritized fixes, progress tracking, and long-term accessibility monitoring are all available.

Compliance & Governance

Recite Me helps align government organizations with accessibility standards and legislation like WCAG and ADA. The programme can be documented to support internal governance and external audits.

Marketing & Communications

Recite Me supports public sector marketing teams with tools to create and share content in accessible formats, including translation, document support, and more.

Our Solutions

Recite Me Accessibility Solutions for the Public Sector

Recite Me is a digital accessibility platform offering a range of solutions that help government agencies make digital services more inclusive and accessible. Key solutions include:

INCLUSION

Assistive Toolbar

  • Text-to-speech with over 65 voices
  • Translation software with over 100 languages
  • Styling changes for colors and fonts
  • Focus tools, such as rulers and screen masks
  • Reading aids, such as dictionaries, page summarizers, and magnifiers

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COMPLIANCE

Web Accessibility Checker

  • Full site scanning for WCAG 2.2 violations
  • Prioritized list of accessibility fixes
  • AI-powered autofixes, code suggestions, and image alt text generation
  • Schedule future audits for long-term compliance
  • Integration with project management tools like Jira and Azure DevOps

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DOCUMENTS

PDF Accessibility Checker

  • Full website scanning to identify inaccessible documents
  • Implement AI-powered autofixes to resolve accessibility issues
  • Remediate PDF files at scale
  • Track progress and schedule future scans
  • Compliance with accessibility standards like ADA & ACA

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Customers

Organizations We Work With

Recite Me works with public sector organizations across the US, helping them achieve ADA and accessibility compliance.

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  • Michelle Peal
  • Communications Director, Communications, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters

Download the Government Accessibility Guide

Learn more about how to make your US government website accessible for residents.

Resolving digital barriers

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How Recite Me helps

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Government Accessibility FAQs

US public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Yes. Public-facing PDFs and documents must be accessible unless they fall under specific exemptions.

No. Accessibility statements must accurately reflect the current accessibility status of a website and be maintained over time.

No. Accessibility tools can support improvements, but organizations must still identify and remediate structural accessibility issues.

Accessibility should be monitored continuously, particularly when websites or content are updated.

Yes, the Americans with Disabilities Act is mandatory for the public sector. Organizations need to comply with ADA requirements as soon as possible.

The accessibility of public sector websites is monitored and enforced by the Department of Justice.