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Speaker 1: The Mass Digital Content Lab team has created this video series about accessible practices.
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This information is for anyone authoring web content.
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Government services must be accessible to everyone in Massachusetts.
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As a web author for the state, you should be aware of who is using your content and what they want to learn or do when they access it.
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Your audiences should be able to perceive, understand, and interact with your content without barriers.
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It might help to think of the web accessibility initiative slogan Accessibility, Essential for some, useful for all.
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For example, when you include captions with videos, you increase access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and you also make it possible for someone to watch a video if they're in a noisy location.
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Making content accessible is about removing barriers so more people can access information and services.
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It means thinking about your constituents and their needs.
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According to the CDC, about 26% of people in Massachusetts have some type of disability.
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There are 4 main categories of disabilities to consider when building digital products and services.
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Visual, hearing, mobility, and cognitive.
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Each of these can be permanent, temporary, or situational.
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This means disability is something most people will experience at least some of the time.
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Also, web accessibility is the law.
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The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title Two, Final Rule published in April 2024, includes all services, programs, and activities provided by state and local governments.
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This includes the services, programs, and activities that state and local governments offer online and through mobile apps.
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April 24th, 2026
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Is the deadline for ensuring your web content is accessible.
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What does this mean for you as a web author?
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This video series will show you content practices you can adopt in your regular web authoring to increase accessibility.
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They address things like using headings correctly, writing good link and alt text, and creating accessible tables.
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The more you adopt these practices and think about accessibility now, the less you'll have to remediate later.
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You also have resources to assist you as you work on making your content accessible.
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You can use Editoria11y as you work in the CMS to catch accessibility issues and fix them.
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Editoria11y won't catch everything, but it's a good place to start, and the Mass Digital Access team offers helpful resources on Mass.gov.
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You can attend one of their trainings or sign up to meet with them during weekly office hours.
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Adopting an accessibility first mindset will take time and practice.
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Working together, we can make Massachusetts a model in providing web content that is accessible and welcoming to all.