With a federal accessibility deadline approaching, the Beeck Center convened government leaders to turn compliance pressure into lasting digital inclusion.
More than 700 attendees nationwide convened at a first-of-its-kind virtual Accessibility Jam—referred to as A11yJam—on April 15. Convened by the Digital Government Network at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University, the daylong event brought together local and state government practitioners, technologists, and advocates to prepare for an approaching federal mandate to make digital products accessible.
The convening comes before a major U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) deadline requires state and local governments to make websites, mobile applications, and social media content comply with accessibility standards under the Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For many agencies, the deadline has turned what was once a best practice into an urgent operational priority.
“The deadline is a forcing function, but it’s also an opportunity,” said Lynn Overmann, executive director at the Beeck Center, during opening remarks. “If we do this right, we won’t just meet a requirement, we’ll deliver better government for more people.”
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