Overview

February 26
10AM PT, 1PM ET

Register

The updated ADA Title II requirements make web accessibility an ongoing legal obligation for state and local governments. Agencies must ensure that digital services remain accessible over time, which requires reliable ways to evaluate how their websites perform. Testing plays a critical role in that evaluation. While automated testing helps surface certain technical issues, manual testing is required to assess real user journeys, confirm access to services, and identify barriers that automated tools cannot detect, making it a necessary component of ADA Title II compliance.

Join Government Technology and Siteimprove for a live webinar that explains what ADA Title II requires, why manual testing is necessary to evaluate accessibility, and how agencies can manage compliance across large, complex web environments. The session will feature Alameda County, California, an early leader in public-sector digital accessibility that began this work nearly nine years ago and has since established a centralized, programmatic approach across more than 70 public-facing websites. Alameda County will share how long-term planning, governance, and consistent testing practices have enabled the county to operationalize accessibility at scale.

Attendees will learn:

· How ADA Title II requirements apply in practice: What is required initially, what must be sustained over time, and how agencies plan for both.
· Ways to assess and prioritize large web environments: How agencies inventory sites, identify high-impact pages, and sequence automated and manual testing.
· Why manual testing is a necessity: Why real user journeys reveal barriers automated tools miss and how those findings inform decisions and mitigate risk.
· What supports long-term compliance: How training, procurement practices, and shared ownership contribute to a program that holds up over time.

Speakers

Mike Dobbins headshot

Mike Dobbins

Technical Services Director, Alameda County

Mike is a Technical Services Director for Alameda County.  A veteran developer/designer of over 20 years, he manages the County's Web Team, which is responsible for over 70 County websites of all sizes spanning nearly all Departments/Agencies, as well managing and maintaining the primary social media channels for the County.  Mike is also the central IT account manager for the Alameda County Fire Department and the Alameda County Child Support Services Agency.

 

Tess Dessereaux

Web Designer, Digital Strategies and Services, Alameda County

Theresa Desseaux is a Web Designer with Alameda County’s Digital Strategies and Services team and a specialist in digital accessibility. She leads accessibility auditing, remediation, and training efforts across County agencies and departments, supporting WCAG 2.1 AA compliance through hands-on testing, developer guidance, and large-scale remediation projects.

 

Katie VanDixhorn

Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist, Siteimprove

Katie brings nearly a decade of experience at Siteimprove helping enterprise organizations meet accessibility requirements. She leads the definition and implementation of accessibility testing plans, using manual testing to support Title II compliance and to enable teams to build accessible content long term.

Curtis M. Wood headshot

Curtis M. Wood — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Govnerment

Curtis M. Wood is a distinguished professional renowned for his exceptional leadership and innovative approach in the field of technology and public administration. With a career span of over four decades, he has made significant contributions to the development and implementation of cutting-edge solutions that have transformed organizations and improved service delivery.