For state and local governments, enhancing user experience (UX) is paramount for more effectively serving their constituents. An important part of that involves improving accessibility for all constituents to use government websites and other digital properties. The April 2024 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines mandate that public entities conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA by 2026 or 2027 depending on their population size. Adobe can help agencies meet WCAG standards through the Digital Government Index (DGI) for US States, which analyzes state government progress on digital transformation and makes recommendations to improve. This annual report from Adobe found that while agencies are making progress in some accessibility measures, they are still falling behind in others.

Importance to constituents.

Aside from government mandates, accessibility measures are critical for serving populations of constituents with accessibility barriers. Accessibility barriers in a digital world can take many forms — including visual, auditory, cognitive, technological, or physical. These barriers not only affect how governments serve and inform constituents but also how constituents participate in society and democracy at large. More than 1 in 4 adults in the US have some type of disability. Alarmingly, 42% of individuals with disabilities reported struggling to navigate government websites, casting doubt on the promise of truly inclusive digital services. Moreover, only a third or fewer of federal agencies’ most viewed technologies are fully aligned with Section 508 standards meant to ensure accessibility. This demonstrates that state and local governments must fill a considerable gap between consumer expectations of accessibility standards and the digital capabilities governments provide.

Ensuring government websites meet the needs of many demographics enables seamless service delivery and builds trust. According to the 2023 Qualtrics Government Trends Report, only 62% of consumers trusted their government agency, and just 57% were likely to recommend it to others. Access and service delivery issues can erode confidence and lead to operational inefficiencies. When a process that can be completed digitally has to be done manually, the cost per transaction can increase between $5 to $40 per page depending on complexity (based on 0.5 to 8 hours spent on document remediation anecdotally from Adobe customers).

Recent trends in digital accessibility.

Adobe developed the Digital Government Index for US States to analyze how state governments are progressing in their digital services transformations and recommend what they can do to deliver higher quality experiences. The index’s goal is to help states benchmark their performance and identify strategies to advance. By breaking down the user journey into various touchpoints — like web visits, email engagement, account creation, and customer support calls — we can pinpoint the most crucial metrics. The DGI monitors key metrics that influence experiences, ranging from site speed and search functionality to personalized recommendations and language translations.

Accessibility is a key metric in the DGI digital equity score. For government agencies, digital accessibility improved significantly in 2024:

• There was an average of 13 critical or serious accessibility issues across all state homepages — down from 14 in 2023.
• In 2024, 34% of US states had more than 10 accessibility issues compared to 46% in 2023.
• In 2024, 42% of US states offered no on-site language translation options, compared to 50% in 2022 and 2023.

We expect this improvement to continue, as it’s critical for government agencies to build up accessibility capabilities to better serve constituents.

Success story: State of Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) was measured as part of our Digital Government Index for US states and has been recognized for its accessibility improvements. Illinois used Adobe Experience Cloud and Adobe Document Cloud to modernize digital experiences for residents, ensuring equitable access to state services.

More than 35 Illinois state web properties use Adobe Experience Cloud to optimize websites and mobile applications, delivering reliable and secure experiences that provide Illinoisans equal access to state services and information. This digital transformation has led to significant improvements, with newly onboarded agencies increasing website traffic by an average of 25% and initial agency sites reporting up to 63% increases in accessibility.

Illinois has been proactive in addressing accessibility issues, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state partnered with disability advocacy groups to improve the accessibility of its key information systems and technologies. DoIT established the Office of Information Accessibility and hired a chief information accessibility officer to ensure ongoing improvements in accessibility. These efforts were recognized with a 2022 NASCIO State IT Recognition Award for improved digital accessibility for residents and agency staff with disabilities.

How governments can improve accessibility.

• Conduct a DGI assessment with Adobe to evaluate current accessibility levels and identify areas for improvement. Contact Amita Prabhu for more information.
• Develop and implement an accessibility action plan based on assessment results.
• Invest in accessibility training for staff on best practices and compliance standards.
• Use accessible design principles and tools when building or updating websites and mobile applications.
• Engage with the community to gather feedback and ensure services meet the needs of people with disabilities.

By prioritizing accessibility and efficiency, state and local governments can enable stronger service delivery, which can lead to better outcomes. Governments are encouraged to use data and trends to inform their decisions and reference Adobe’s Digital Government Index assessment to enhance their accessibility capabilities.

Amita Prabhu is an engagement manager in the digital strategy group public sector practice for Adobe, where she provides data-driven recommendations to help state and local government customers transform their digital experience, organization, and operations. Amita has developed strategies and implemented initiatives across customer experience, talent, and digital strategy, which have made meaningful impact with her clients. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.