The increasing shift towards communicating with governments through websites means that public-facing digital content should be considered an extension of an organization’s physical presence. While assistive technologies meet the needs of those with certain disabilities, close to 40% of the population still has difficulty consuming digital content due to common impairments.
12% of the population experiences visual impairments, including low vision and color blindness
20% of the population has learning disabilities, including dyslexia, ADHD, and autism
14% of the population has low literacy skills
15% of the population are non-native speakers of a second language
15% of the population are seniors, often with low digital literacy
With these groups in mind, it’s crucial that government websites, which are tasked with providing services and real-time information online in a variety of digital formats, lessen the digital divide in the way their information is displayed. After all, the ways in which governments model inclusivity online will lead to further adoption of inclusive methods by the private sector in their own digital spaces.
ReadSpeaker supports digital equality through text to speech, partnering with local, state, and federal governments as well as public sector organizations worldwide. With ReadSpeaker solutions, they have the power to ensure their materials are presented in a simple, convenient, user-friendly way that also feels personal and inclusive to their constituents on any device.
