Digital Accessibility Planning

Starter Kit

This planning kit was designed by the N.C. Department of Information Technology to help state agencies take actionable steps and start working toward compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regulatory ruling Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities. 

The kit outlines steps, resources and best practices for digital accessibility, to help ensure that government websites and digital services are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. 

Achieving compliance requires a collaborative effort. It is essential to involve teams such as communications, IT and others responsible for public-facing digital content. Accessibility considerations extend beyond websites and applications to include digital assets such as online documents and other shared materials.

Develop a Digital Accessibility Plan in Four Phases

  • 1

    Preparation & Initial Assessment

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    Awareness & Team Development 

    • Raise awareness and educate agency stakeholders about the importance of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the regulatory rule requirements in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Accessibility Rule with a compliance start date of April 24, 2026.  

    • Form a core team focused on digital accessibility.

    Strategies

    • Conduct awareness sessions and workshops for all stakeholders on ADA Title II and web accessibility basics. 
      • How can you effectively communicate the importance of web accessibility to all stakeholders? 
    • Distribute informational materials through various (e.g., emails, newsletters). 
      • What are the best platforms or mediums to reach our diverse community? 

    Baseline Accessibility Inventory & Audit

    • Perform a baseline inventory and audit of current web content and mobile apps. 

    • Review roles and responsibilities for information sharing.

    • Choose tools and methodologies for the audit, considering both automated tools and manual testing. 

    Strategies

    • Choose a combination of automated tools and manual testing methods for the audit. 
    • Compile an inventory of current digital assets to be audited. 
      • Which web pages, applications, and content are most critical and should be prioritized in the audit? 
      • How will we ensure the audit is thorough and accounts for various types of disabilities? 
    • Review roles and responsibilities for information sharing. 
      • Who is responsible for creating and sharing digital content on behalf of the agency?
      • What processes and procedures are in place for information governance? 
    • Perform the audit and document findings. 
  • 2

    Planning & Resource Allocation

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    • Based on the audit findings, develop a detailed plan for achieving WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance, including prioritizing the most critical web content and applications. Use web analytics to help determine the most critical web content. (Those on the Digital Commons platform should review their GA4 analytics, including their site’s Looker Studio dashboard.)

    • Identify training needs for staff and plan for acquiring or accessing necessary technology and expertise. Training resources include:

    • Allocate resources for implementing the compliance plan.

    • Begin/continue training on digital accessibility strategies and WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements. 

  • 3

    Implementation & Remediation

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    Remediation & Development

    • Start the remediation of existing web content and mobile apps to address identified accessibility barriers.

    • Develop and implement procurement and content development processes to ensure that any newly purchased or developed web content or applications are compliant. 

    Usability Testing & Continued Remediation

    • Perform ongoing testing of web content and mobile apps for compliance, using both automated tools and user testing with individuals with disabilities.
    • Continue the remediation efforts, focusing on less critical content identified in the initial audit. 
  • 4

    Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

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    Comprehensive Review

    • Conduct a comprehensive re-evaluation of web content and mobile apps to ensure all content meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. 

    Sustainability & Continuous Improvement

    • Develop or update policies and procedures to maintain ongoing ADA web compliance, including regular training and audits.

    • Continue to provide training for new staff and refresher training for existing staff.