Accessibility of Web Information and Services Policy

Purpose 

The City of Ames is committed to ensuring that all residents, visitors, and employees, including individuals with disabilities, have equitable access to the City’s digital services, information, and technologies. This policy establishes requirements and responsibilities for accessible digital content, interfaces, services, and communications in alignment with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and WCAG 2.1 AA. 

Scope 

This policy applies to digital assets produced, maintained, or procured by the City of Ames that are intended for use or consumption by the public, including but not limited to: 

  • Web applications, online forms, digital documents, and PDFs 

  • Mobile applications and platforms 

  • Social media content and communications 

  • Digital signage, kiosks, and public digital service systems 

  • Videos, livestreams, and multimedia content 

  • Third-party tools, links, software, and hosted services that are contracted or licensed by the City 

Policy Statement 

All City digital assets that are intended for use or consumption by the public must be designed, developed, procured, and maintained in a manner that ensures accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The City of Ames adopts the following standards and principles:  

Accessibility Standard 

Digital content and online services shall conform to: 

  • WCAG 2.1 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) or the most current standard adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice 

  • Accessible technology requirements under ADA Title II 

Universal Design 

Digital services shall follow principles of universal design to enhance usability for all residents, regardless of ability, age, or device. City digital content must use plain language, clear formatting, and accessible document structures. 

Responsibilities 

City Manager’s Office

  • Oversees implementation and ensures City-wide compliance 

  • Allocates resources and authority necessary for accessible digital services 

Communications and Outreach 

  • Ensures accessible public communications, including web content, videos, images, and social media 

  • Reviews digital content for accessibility before publication 

Finance Department-Information Technology  

  • Ensures digital platforms, CMS systems, and hosted services support accessibility 

  • Establishes accessibility testing procedures 

  • Maintains accessibility tools and reporting systems 

Finance Department-Purchasing 

  • Establishes and oversees City contracts, ensuring they contain accessibility requirements for vendors 

All City Departments 

  • Create accessible documents, forms, and content 

  • Follow procurement requirements for accessible digital technologies 

  • Respond to accessibility concerns in a timely manner 

  • New employees must complete the Digital ADA Fundamentals Training 

Vendors and Contractors 

All digital products or services procured by the City must: 

  • Meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements 

  • Provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) or equivalent documentation 

  • When vendors/contractors cannot meet digital accessibility standards: 

  • They must provide a detailed, time-bound “remediation roadmap” that specifies when and how the vendor will achieve full compliance 

  • If they claim that meeting standards is impossible due to cost or technical limitations, the COA must receive in writing the reason(s) for the “undue burden” 

Digital Accessibility Requirements 

Website and Web Applications 

  • All pages must meet WCAG 2.1 AA  

  • Navigation must be keyboard accessible 

  • Images must include meaningful alternative text 

  • Color contrast ratios must meet accessibility requirements 

  • Forms must include programmatically associated labels and clear error messages 

  • PDFs and digital documents must be tagged and accessible 

  • Content must be screen-reader accessible 

Multimedia (Video, Audio, Livestreams) 

City multimedia content must include: 

  • Accurate captions for all prerecorded and live videos 

  • Transcripts for audio-only media 

  • Audio descriptions for video content with essential visual information 

Social Media 

Official City social media posts must include: 

  • Easy to read text, and information that is organized in a logical order 

  • Content is broken into short, scannable sections 

  • Alternative text for images 

  • Captioned video content 

  • Color contrast ratios must meet accessibility requirements  

Digital Documents 

All documents posted online must: 

  • Be screen-reader accessible 

  • Use heading structures, alt text, and proper reading order 

  • Avoid scanned-image PDFs unless accompanied by an accessible version 

  • Avoid placing text over images 

Software and System Procurement 

Any new software, web platform, or digital tool must: 

  • Pass an accessibility review 

  • Include accessibility requirements in contracts 

  • Provide remediation plans for identified issues 

Training and Capacity Building 

The City of Ames will provide ongoing training programs for staff, including: 

  • Digital ADA Fundamentals 

  • Accessible document creation (Word, PDF, Excel) 

  • Accessible social media practices 

  • Procurement processes that include accessibility requirements 

  • Tools for evaluating accessibility (e.g., screen reader basics, automated checkers) 

Compliance Monitoring 

  • Quarterly scanning of City websites by the Digital ADA Task Force 

Remediation Timelines 

Digital content that fails to meet accessibility standards will be remediated according to the following timelines: 

  • Critical barriers (e.g., inaccessible forms): within 30 days 

  • Moderate issues: within 90 days 

  • Low-impact issues: within 6 months 

  • Legacy content: evaluate and remediate based on public need and strategic priority 

Policy Review and Updates 

This policy will be reviewed at least every two years or earlier if ADA regulations or WCAG standards change. Revisions must be approved by the City Council. 

Definitions 

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

  • WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) 

  • Alt Text: Descriptive text added to images for screen-reader use 

  • VPAT: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is a template used by product manufacturers, vendors, or developers explaining a product’s accessibility compliance 

  • ACR: Accessibility Conformance Report is the name given to the VPAT once it is filled out 

Reporting, Feedback, and Complaint Process 

Residents can report digital accessibility issues or complaints by contacting the ADA Coordinator: 

  • The COA website contains an accessibility statement and a link that routes users to the ADA Coordinator’s contact information 

  • The City will respond to inquiries and complaints within a week and include applicable departments, if any 

 

Effective as of April 2026  

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