Enhancing digital government services for persons with disabilities
In a Deloitte survey, 42% of all individuals with disabilities reported struggling to navigate government websites, casting doubt on the promise of truly inclusive digital services.
An estimated 3,000 cases were filed in the United States federal courts in 2022 claiming that websites, public or private, were not accessible to persons with disabilities—a number that has only grown over the years.1
And it’s not just the United States. Access to digital services has remained difficult for persons with disabilities all over the world. Deloitte’s Digital Citizen Survey, conducted in November–December 2022, asked citizens globally about their use and expectation of digital services, specifically those provided by the government.2 About 23% of the sample comprised persons with disabilities. Forty-two percent of those found it difficult to navigate government websites—about 5% more than those without disabilities.
This percentage is a reason for concern considering that just a few years back, in the midst of the pandemic, digital was the primary way of accessing various government services. During the pandemic, citizens turned to the federal/central government for health benefits and relied on state and local governments to access critical services, such as housing and social security, all through digital channels and websites. However, according to our survey results, persons with disabilities continue to face accessibility issues across all levels of government. The use of government websites in particular was found to be lower for persons with disabilities as compared to those without disabilities (figure 1).
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Accessibility issues seem to span beyond websites. Survey results also show that only 28% of those with disabilities often or always interact with government through any of its digital channels, like websites, chatbot, and mobile apps. Dissatisfaction in this cohort also is spread across various government services. Figure 2 shows the top five government services that have the highest percentage of persons with disabilities dissatisfied with the service.
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Moving the needle on digital accessibility
In Europe, the 2016 Web Accessibility Directive looked to provide better access to public service websites and mobile apps. In 2022, the European Commission undertook a review of the directive and found that “there is still much practical progress to be made for all public sector websites and mobile applications to be fully accessible to persons with disabilities, regardless of the nature of the disability.”3
Similarly, in the United States, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the rights of those with disabilities in areas of government services. The act, however, does not explicitly mention digital services. In July 2023, the Department of Justice announced that a notice to amend title II of the ADA to improve digital accessibility of state and local websites and apps is underway and will soon be available for public comment.4
As directives to improve digital accessibility are underway, there are some examples of innovative practices around the world on how accessibility issues are being addressed on the ground:
- Singapore: In 2021, SG Enable, the government agency responsible for disability and inclusion, started engaging with public and private sector stakeholders to raise awareness on digital accessibility and built processes that will help individuals with disabilities to seamlessly audit websites and mobile apps. Additionally, Singapore’s Enabling Masterplan 2030 has set a target that by 2030, 100% of government high-traffic websites will be accessible to all.5
- United States: Some states in the US have passed their own laws to improve digital accessibility. In Colorado, an app called Aira connects those with low vision to agents who can help them navigate devices free of cost. In Maryland, the Nonvisual Access Clause requires that all technology upgrades have equivalent access through both visual and nonvisual means.6 New York has appointed a chief disability officer to complement the focus on technology with the organization and governance needed to sustain change.7
- New Zealand: Similar efforts in New Zealand include a “Web Accessibility Guidance project,” where web practitioners can get guidance on accessibility, and “Web Standards Clinic,” where people across public and private sectors can meet fortnightly to discuss concerns and questions around accessibility.8
As these examples show, there are numerous ways in which governments can approach accessibility issues. Governments can establish auditing processes to maintain compliance, create guidance and knowledge repositories to communicate accessibility goals, and organize leadership and governance to solidify commitment to accessibility. Finally, accessibility should be embedded into the design of digital services. By doing this, governments can ensure digital services are inclusive for all.