Digital Accessibility Transition Plan
Introduction & Review
The City of Edinburg is committed to fostering an accessible digital environment that ensures equitable access to services, programs, activities, and civic participation for all residents, employees, and visitors, including individuals with disabilities. This Digital Accessibility Transition Plan ("DATP") formalizes this commitment in alignment with the Accessibility Standards set forth below. The City team developed this DATP to reinforce Edinburg’s vision to provide reliable and accessible technology systems.
This DATP builds upon Edinburg's broader Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") Program and existing ADA Transition plan, which focuses primarily on the physical accessibility of Edinburg’s built infrastructure. While the ADA Transition Plan is updated on a five-year basis and driven by ongoing planning, this DATP represents a dynamic and evolving operational strategy designed to respond to rapidly changing technologies and a growing digital asset portfolio.
Scope
This DATP applies to all of Edinburg’s digital assets as required by the Accessibility Standards set forth below. This DATP applies to all digital assets provided by or on behalf of the City of Edinburg, including but not limited to websites, web applications, mobile applications, online forms, service portals, digital documents (such as PDFs and word processor files), and other information and communication technologies. Improve internal and external accessibility to information, programs, systems, and services. More specifically, this DATP supports the following elements of Edinburg:
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility principles embedded in city services
- Innovation and technology modernization that reduces barriers and improves the resident experience
- Fiscal stewardship and risk management by proactively addressing accessibility compliance to avoid future liabilities
- Transparent and inclusive government operations
Accessibility Standards
The City of Edinburg’s ongoing digital accessibility efforts rely on the following technical standards:
- Texas Government Code, Chapter 2054, Subchapter M
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA or higher with the City striving to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA where feasible.
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Chapter 4
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 28 CFR 35.200 - Requirements for web and mobile accessibility (applicable April 26, 2027)
Accessibility Roadmap
| Date | Stage | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Integrate | Continue strengthening the citywide accessibility framework and training programs. |
| 2026 | Strengthen | Expand accessibility reviews and integrate accessibility into procurement and development. |
| Future | Optimize | Accessibility is embedded into all technology processes and continuously improved. |
How Edinburg is Implementing Digital Accessibility
The City is committed to advancing the accessibility of its digital assets. In support of this commitment, some of the measures the City is taking include:
- Evaluating and updating the City’s procurement process to incorporate digital accessibility
- Creating and implementing digital accessibility training for City employees
- Developing a system to prioritize, test, and address accessibility issues based on the public or internal-facing nature of the asset, the severity of the issue in light of the Accessibility Standards, and impact on the user of the asset. Assets are tested and issues addressed in the following order:
- Public-facing assets with critical and high level severity issues
- Public-facing assets with moderate severity issues and internal-facing assets with critical and high issues
- Public-facing assets with low severity issues and internal-facing assets with moderate issues
- Internal - facing assets with low severity issues
- Ongoing review of newly procured assets and regular audits of the most widely accessed assets
- Publishing a City of Edinburg Technology Accessibility Statement
- Updating City policy to incorporate digital accessibility
- Providing regular progress updates to the community, the City Council, and City leadership
- Coordinating the work under this DATP with work performed under the ADA Transition Plan
- Monitoring the Accessibility Standards and adjusting this DATP as-needed
- Engaging with consultants as necessary to support the City team
Compliance Timeline
The City of Edinburg will work toward achieving conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA for applicable digital assets in accordance with the compliance deadlines established under Title II of the ADA.
The City will prioritize high-impact public-facing services and continuously remediate accessibility barriers in accordance with the implementation strategy outlined in this plan.
Public Feedback
The City encourages members of the public to report accessibility barriers or request accessible formats. Feedback will be reviewed and addressed in accordance with the City’s ADA grievance and accommodation procedures.
Digital Accessibility Governance
The City of Edinburg recognizes that digital accessibility is a shared responsibility across departments and functions. To ensure effective implementation of this Digital Accessibility Transition Plan (DATP), the City has established a governance structure that supports coordination, oversight, and continuous improvement.
ADA Coordinator
The City’s designated ADA Coordinator provides oversight for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and serves as a central point of contact for accessibility-related concerns. The ADA Coordinator works collaboratively with City departments to ensure accessibility requirements are addressed in City services, programs, and activities.
Information Technology Department
The Information Technology Department supports the technical implementation of digital accessibility initiatives. Responsibilities include:
- Supporting accessibility testing and remediation efforts for websites, applications, and digital documents
- Evaluating technology solutions for compliance with applicable accessibility standards
- Incorporating accessibility considerations into technology planning and modernization initiatives
- Assisting departments with tools and guidance related to accessible digital content
Departmental Responsibilities
Each City department is responsible for ensuring that the digital content it publishes or manages aligns with the Accessibility Standards identified in this DATP. Departments will work with the Information Technology Department and ADA Coordinator to address accessibility barriers and improve access to digital services.
Procurement and Vendor Oversight
City procurement processes will incorporate accessibility requirements for technology products and digital services to support compliance with accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and applicable requirements under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Vendors may be required to provide documentation demonstrating accessibility conformance.
Coordination and Review
City leadership will periodically review progress under this DATP. Departments will collaborate to identify accessibility improvements, share best practices, and support continuous advancement of the City’s digital accessibility program.
Digital Asset Inventory & Risk Prioritization
To support effective implementation of this Digital Accessibility Transition Plan (DATP), the City of Edinburg maintains and continually improves an inventory of its digital assets. This inventory helps the City identify, evaluate, and prioritize accessibility improvements across websites, applications, and digital documents.
Digital Asset Inventory
The City will identify and maintain a working inventory of major digital assets used to provide services, programs, and information to the public and City employees. Digital assets may include, but are not limited to:
- Public-facing websites and webpages
- Web-based applications and service portals
- Mobile applications
- Online forms and interactive services
- Digital documents such as PDFs, spreadsheets, presentations, and reports
- Third-party hosted platforms used to deliver City services
This inventory will be updated periodically to reflect new technologies, systems, and digital services adopted by the City.
Risk-Based Prioritization
Because the City manages a large and evolving portfolio of digital assets, accessibility improvements will be prioritized using a risk-based approach. The City evaluates assets based on several factors, including:
- Whether the asset is public-facing or internal-facing
- The frequency of use by residents, employees, or visitors
- The importance of the service or program supported by the asset
- The severity of accessibility barriers identified during testing
- The availability of accessible alternatives
City leadership will periodically review progress under this DATP. Departments will collaborate to identify accessibility improvements, share best practices, and support continuous advancement of the City’s digital accessibility program.
Accessibility Testing and Monitoring
Digital assets included in the inventory may be evaluated using automated accessibility testing tools, manual accessibility testing, and user feedback to assess alignment with recognized standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Findings from these evaluations help guide remediation efforts and inform future improvements.
Continuous Improvement
The Digital Asset Inventory and prioritization process will evolve over time as the City expands its digital services, adopts new technologies, and continues to improve accessibility practices across departments.
Accessibility Alternative Access
The City of Edinburg is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are able to access the City’s services, programs, and activities. While the City works to improve the accessibility of its digital assets in alignment with recognized standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, individuals who encounter accessibility barriers may request accessible formats or assistance.
Upon request, the City will provide information or services in an accessible format or through an alternative method of communication when feasible. Requests may include, but are not limited to:
- Accessible versions of digital documents
- Assistance completing online forms
- Access to information through alternative communication methods
Requests will be reviewed and addressed as promptly as reasonably possible to ensure effective communication consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable federal regulations.