In April 2024 the Department of Justice released a New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments. Public offices are making great efforts to be compliant with these new rules and provide resources for faculty and staff to create Accessible content.

What's in the rule?

This new rule establishes a deadline of April 2026 for public agencies to be compliant. It provides deadlines and specific guidance for Accessibility guidelines that were already in place, specifically regarding web content and mobile apps. It codifies Web Content Accessibility Guidelines AA 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) as the official standard to which public entities must comply and provides some guidelines around when and where exceptions may be appropriate.

WCAG 2.1 AA

Web Content

Mobile Apps

Exceptions

In limited situations, some kinds of web content and content in mobile apps do not have to meet WCAG 2.1 standards.

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Most experts recommend relying heavily on these exceptions. They are intended to be applied in very limited situations. When in doubt: your public content must be compliant.

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Exception 1: Archived Web Content

Exception 2: Preexisting Conventional Electronic Documents

Exception 3: Content posted by a third party where the third party is not posting due to contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with a public entity