Why Manual Testing Matters For ADA Title II Compliance

The updated ADA Title II rules give state and local governments a new homework assignment that never quite ends: keep your websites accessible, and keep them that way. So how do you know if you're passing? You test.

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Automated tools are great at catching the obvious technical slip-ups, but they can't tell whether a real person can actually book the appointment, pay the bill, or find the form they came for. That's a job for manual testing.

Manual testing follows the same path your visitors do, makes sure the services really work for everyone, and catches the roadblocks software breezes right past. If Title II compliance is the goal, manual testing is how you get across the finish line.

In this webinar hosted by Government Technology, special guest Alameda County, California, describes how they became a true early bird in government digital accessibility. They started this journey almost nine years ago and built a plan that now covers more than 70 public-facing websites. They'll show you how smart planning, clear ownership, and steady testing turned accessibility from a scramble into a system.

What You’ll Learn

How Title II plays out in real life. What you have to do on day one, what you have to keep doing, and how to plan for both without losing sight of your why.
How to tackle a giant pile of websites. Ways to take stock of what you've got, spot the pages that matter most, and line up automated and manual testing in the right order.
Why manual testing earns its keep. How walking in your users' shoes uncovers roadblocks that software flat-out misses, and how those discoveries shape smarter decisions and lower your risk.
What keeps compliance going for the long haul. How training, smarter purchasing habits, and shared responsibility build a program that actually sticks.

Why watch

Watch to find out what ADA Title II really asks of you, why manual testing can tell you if your site measures up, and how to keep accessibility on track across complex web environments.

Speakers

Katie VanDixhorn

Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist

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.

Tess Desseaux

Web Designer, Digital Strategies and Services at 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.

Mike Dobbins

Technical Services Director at 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.

Curtis M. Wood

Senior Fellow at the Center for Digital Government

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.