Engaged residents tend to be vocal — they’re not shy about letting agencies know when something is amiss. But what does it mean when there’s just…silence?
The answer might not be as reassuring as leaders think. Receiving no complaints does not necessarily mean that everyone is happy. Instead, that information is most likely being presented to them in a way they cannot access.
When Accessibility Barriers Cause Disengagement
We often see increased disengagement for residents that are visually impaired or blind. Technologies like screen readers have trouble deciphering PDFs, scanned board packets or poorly structured online documents. Lack of access to civic information can make even basic resident participation frustrating or impossible.
And yet, instead of filing a complaint, many of these residents will simply suffer in silence. When faced repeatedly with accessibility barriers, they will simply choose to not bother. After all, who wants to deal with an experience that’s difficult, frustrating or futile?
This kind of quiet disengagement should concern local agencies. Governments are continually striving to provide their constituents with increased trust and transparency. These are the two values that residents expect most from their local leaders. In fact, recent research found that web accessibility is tied to resident satisfaction, with 63% rating accessibility as highly important and 59% rating it as a priority.
An inability or unwillingness to provide information in a manner that’s accessible and equitable to everyone undermines the trust between residents and their local governments. Residents’ silence is a signal that instead of drawing them closer, barriers preventing civic participation are driving them away.
Accessibility Starts With Proactivity
Equitable experiences have long been ingrained into the law with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990. Additionally, with the Department of Justice’s recent updates to ADA Title II, which address the challenges residents face when it comes to accessing inaccessible services, many state and federal regulations now have more teeth for those who do not comply. However, agencies should not wait for impending deadlines to make changes. Every day that residents are unable to easily access important information is a lost opportunity for engagement and another step toward eroding public trust. Fortunately, local governments do not need to solve everything overnight to make meaningful progress.
A strong first step is simply understanding where accessibility barriers exist. Agencies should begin by auditing their websites and digital documents including board packets, emergency notifications, permit applications, agendas, utility information, and public meeting records.
A majority of the time, PDFs are created without accessibility in mind. While PDFs remain the preferred document format, they are often incompatible with assistive technology, difficult to navigate on mobile devices, and frustrating for residents to interact with. Modern accessibility and document conversion tools can help agencies share content that is compatible with screen readers, mobile devices, translation services, and search technologies.
From there, local governments should establish clear internal ownership of accessibility efforts. The DOJ’s Title II guidance encourages designating an accessibility coordinator or point of contact, creating a public accessibility statement, and providing residents with clear ways to request accommodations or report barriers.
Accessibility Is a Governance Issue
Most importantly, local governments should stop viewing silence as proof that their residents are engaged. When public information is inaccessible, residents are more likely to disengage from civic life whether by participating in meetings, applying for services or engaging with local programs. As a result, these barriers often go unnoticed, ultimately leading to a loss of trust in the institutions meant to serve them.
That’s not a sign of healthy governance. Ensuring that information is accessible and equitable for everyone is.
Mac Clemmens is the CivicPlus® Senior Vice President of Product Strategy and Innovation and the Co-Founder of DocAccess and Streamline. He is a proud advocate of website accessibility and local government, having presented on the subject at conferences nationwide. He received the prestigious “Vision Award” from Disability Rights California — the nation’s largest disability rights advocacy organization — in recognition of his commitment to creating accessible website experiences for all users. Mac is passionate about helping local governments tell their stories and engage with their communities, ensuring that the fear of ADA noncompliance doesn’t stand in the way.
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