IDAHO — The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in July 1990 to make community spaces accessible for everyone. 36 years later, governments are now facing new requirements aimed at making digital spaces accessible as well.
“I am blind, and I use a screen reader called JAWS,” Dianna Willis said.
Willis uses her keyboard and audio prompts to move through websites and find information online.
“Everything is online anymore, and so it is really essential that it is designed to be accessible for people with disabilities,” Willis said.
WATCH | Hear from Dianna about how she navigates the web using a screen reader
“When it is accessible, it’s really incredible because I feel like I can be very efficient,” Willis said.
But some websites are not designed with screen readers like Willis' and other accessibility tools in mind.
“Websites are really like buildings. When a building has steps to the entrance and that’s the only way to get in, many people with disabilities can’t get in the building and websites are actually built like that sometimes still,” Katie Warden, Director of the Northwest ADA Center, said.
ALSO READ | Idahoans join hands around the Capitol to celebrate 35 years of the ADA
Warden said Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act outlines requirements for state and local governments to ensure websites, social media accounts and mobile apps are accessible.
“The reason we have the rule now is because so much of our lives are now lived online,” Warden said.
Cities like Boise are now working to update digital content so it can be accessed by screen readers and meet other standards, including color contrast requirements.
“I would say we’re greater than 70% of the way,” said Megan Fox with the City of Boise.
Fox said the city’s work involves far more than updating webpages.
“The trickiest bit is just the sheer scope of what we’re talking about, so it’s easy to say, 'Oh, they’re just updating a website', when really we're rebuilding websites from the ground up and there’s so many different elements that are included there too,” Fox said.
Forms, documents, social media posts and videos all must meet the updated accessibility guidelines.
“It can seem overwhelming and complex and in my view, it’s progress — not perfect perfection,” Willis said.
Large cities such as Boise have until April 2027 to comply with the Title II requirements. Smaller communities, including Kuna, have until April 2028 to update their digital platforms.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
