Success Stories
Government

Dutchess County Government

Located approximately 60 miles north of New York City, Dutchess County Government is responsible for providing service, support, and information about the County to visitors and its nearly 300,000 residents.

Dutchess County offers a range of services including legislative policy-making, public service coordination, emergency management, and initiatives in economic development, community outreach, and land preservation.

Our Brief

With a diverse population, Dutchess County wanted to improve access for residents, so they could read and understand online information with ease. In 2015, the County launched ‘ThinkDIFFERENTLY’ as part of its efforts to create a supporting and welcoming environment for those living with special needs.

To take inclusion and accessibility a step further, the Dutchess County Government sought a solution to make accessing their website even easier for all users. In 2022, the County’s Office of Central and Information Services (OCIS) received a Government Experience Award for its commitment to accessibility with the implementation of the Recite Me Toolbar.

Our Solution

By implementing the Recite Me assistive toolbar across its platform, Dutchess County can provide screen reading options, styling and customization tools, reading aids, and an online translator in over 130 languages, including 65 text-to-speech voices.

To launch the tools on the Dutchess County website, you can simply click the ‘Language & Accessibility Options’ button on the top right of the page.

For individuals or families with special needs looking for resources and services available to them, head over to the ThinkDIFFERENTLY website for more information.

“Every resident of every ability deserves a voice in their community and the opportunity to easily interact with the local government that serves them. Whether it’s changing the font size and color to make the text easier to read, or having text on the screen read to the user, Recite Me offers visitors to our site numerous enhancements to ensure a more accessible experience.”