Accessibility Compliance for E-Government Websites: Laws, Standards, and Evaluation Technology

Abstract

Barriers to web accessibility exist that deny the rights of people with disabilities to access content on public sector websites even though equal access is mandatory on e-government websites in most countries. In order to achieve web accessibility, specific standards and technology are essential for ensuring compliance with accessibility laws. In order to support the implementation of accessibility standards facilitating compliance with laws and methodological approaches exist which can play an important role in making e-government websites more accessible. The purpose of this article is to present the regulatory framework regarding accessibility, a survey of the technology and a proposal of good practices concerning technology which evaluates accessibility as a support resource. Recently, standards have been updated which make compliance with accessibility standards mandatory in the upcoming years. Faced with this situation, this work provides support resources to this new regulatory framework such as approaches to accessibility monitoring and evaluation technology.