Earlier in August, around the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the New Jersey Department of Human Services helped launch the Disability Information Hub. This new digital resource on the NJ.gov website is meant to serve as a place for New Jersey residents to visit for easy-to-access information for those with special needs and their families. In this blog, I’ll be focusing on ADA compliance, which you’ll learn more about shortly.
Governor Murphy’s Press Release from July 30, 2024
TRENTON – Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman and State Chief Innovation Officer Dave Cole today launched a Disability Information Hub website during a virtual event commemorating Disability Pride Month and the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Day). The Hub, located at NJ.gov/Disabilities, will serve as a one-stop shop to connect New Jerseyans with disabilities, their families, caregivers, and advocates with state services and resources in an accessible format. The Hub and related referral services are among Fiscal Year 2025 investments to support inclusion and services for New Jersey’s diverse disability community.
“Across state government, our Administration has pursued equity and inclusion for individuals with disabilities, improved access to services, and strengthened supports for this community. For many individuals and families, New Jersey’s Disability Information Hub will be a game-changer. Having streamlined, easy access to the State’s comprehensive collection of services and supports will put needed tools and resources in reach for countless people,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Together, we are breaking down barriers and empowering all New Jerseyans to thrive in their communities. I commend the whole-of-government effort to uplift the State’s disability community.”
You can read Governor Murphy’s press release in its entirety here.
Announcement From New Jersey’s Division of Developmental Disabilities
During a virtual event this week commemorating Disability Pride Month and the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New Jersey Department of Human Services and Office of Innovation launched a new web resource for people with disabilities and those who support them. The Disability Information Hub brings together into one place the wide variety of resources available through the State and other organizations for people with disabilities, caregivers, families, and advocates.
Governor Murphy’s press release about the Hub’s launch offers a glimpse into the many levels of collaboration that went into developing this statewide tool, as well as the focus on ensuring the Hub meets WCAG and Section 508 accessibility requirements and is easy to navigate for people with all types of disabilities.
What Are WCAG Requirements?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were primarily developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to provide a clear set of standards websites must meet in order to be ADA compliant. Essentially, ADA-compliant websites incorporate tools, designs, and functionalities that allow people with disabilities to access and comprehend their information.
For example, if you look toward the bottom-left of this webpage, you’ll notice a blue and white icon. Clicking it gives you access to a range of tools and settings, including:
- Text size
- Dyslexia-friendly content
- Cursor size
- Tooltips
- Image settings
- And more
While you may not personally find this helpful, many people with special needs utilize these tools to digest the information on my website. Think about it. A wheelchair ramp gives more people access to the information within a library. So, in this digital era where so much of the content we consume on a daily basis is online, shouldn’t everyone be given a way to access it?
New Jersey’s Disability Information Hub is much more ADA compliant than many other government agencies’ websites. Just take a look at this screenshot from the New York State Unified Court System e-filing webpage and compare it to the screenshot from the Hub.
New York State Unified Court System
Disability Information Hub
Not only is it visually apparent that the Disability Information Hub is more ADA compliant, but I particularly noticed the “Request Live Assistance” callout on the homepage. All government websites should make it this easy for people with disabilities to access their information. While I do not agree with many of the ways in which the New Jersey State government treats our disabled community, I will give them credit for creating this invaluable resource. You can visit New Jersey’s Disability Information Hub here.