As a local government, how do you comply with the BDTO?

Written by Frits Karskens

The Government Digital Accessibility Decree (BDTO) is more than just an obligation; it is about inclusivity. Municipalities, water boards and provinces must ensure that their websites and apps are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. But how do you go about that? That's what we explore in this blog.

"Webmaster, could you check this website for accessibility? It goes live next week. It doesn't seem like a big issue, by the way, since we don't have that many blind people in the congregation, do we?"

We caught this statement the other day - and unfortunately it is not the first time. It makes it painfully clear that digital accessibility is often not a priority, even though we know that communications and web teams are trying incredibly hard to make it happen. With dozens of websites (often more than 40!) it can be a challenge to keep an overview, especially when some websites are launched out of sight of the internal experts. As a government, how do you tackle BDTO effectively?

What is the BDTO and why is it important?

The Government Digital Accessibility Decree (BDTO) requires government websites to be accessible according to WCAG 2.1 guidelines (levels A and AA). This means adding alt text to images, subtitling videos and optimizing your website for screen readers. Accessibility is crucial because your Web site is often the first point of contact for citizens. An inaccessible site means a segment of the population misses out on important information. This is not only about legal compliance, but also about providing equal opportunity for all.

Collaboration between teams for a complete picture

Accessibility is not an isolated issue. If you look at each issue in silos, you won't get a complete picture of how good your digital services really are. Therefore, involve different teams such as CISO, functional management, and communications. Working together avoids looking only at the individual components and helps you be effective in your digital services. The web team can even take a supervisory role in this for other teams. Moreover, this would not only be relevant to the management team, but also help create more support from the management team.

Practical steps for implementation

Preparation of an accessibility statement: government agencies must provide an accessible version of their website or app and publish an official statement about it. This statement should indicate the extent to which the website or app complies with the WCAG 2.1 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) guidelines, and what measures will be taken to correct non-compliance.
Regular evaluation and monitoring: website accessibility should be assessed every 3 years. (1x every 3 years). This can be done by both manual testing and automated tools, but a combination of both is required. Tools such as Lighthouse are useful, but cannot dect all accessibility problems. Manual checks by digital accessibility experts are therefore essential.
Progress reporting: the BDTO requires government agencies to report the progress of their accessibility improvements. This should be transparent and part of the accessibility statement.
Action plan for improvement: if the Web site is not yet fully accessible, there should be a concret action plan outlining what steps will be taken to improve it, including a timeline.

From overview to execution: together towards a sustainable approach

It is important to structurally secure digital accessibility in your work processes and policies. This means making accessibility a standard part of every new release and new content. In addition, establish a rhythm for monitoring and management, depending on the priority of the website (for example, a main website requires more attention than a niche website, such as that of a local swimming pool).

Accountability and continuous improvement

In addition to technical implementation, accountability is essential. You need to report regularly on accessibility to both regulators and citizens. By collaborating across disciplines, you get a broader picture of how effective you are in digital service delivery.

Did you know that accessibility determines only a small part of the quality of your Web site? It comprises only 3 of the minimum 12 quality components. So make sure you embed accessibility in your policies, but also look beyond that to optimize your digital services.

Keep your knowledge up to date

Stay on top of the latest developments and keep improving where necessary. There are many tools and communities that can help you do that. For example, join Shift2's community to exchange knowledge and experiences with specialists and colleagues from other governments.

Did you find this blog useful? We'd love to hear what you think! Do you have questions or can we support you with anything?

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