State of Colorado Accessibility Newsletter - January 2026
State Capitol Complex Now Part of Aira ASL Pilot
Aira ASL, a digital tool to help deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals access services instantly by connecting with a professional American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, is now available at the Colorado State Capitol.
The Aira ASL mobile app pilot program gives visitors to the Capitol complex, including the Colorado State Legislature offices, access to free, on-demand ASL interpreting services. The pilot is also being offered at Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) locations and all History Colorado museums and historic sites across the state.
The Aira ASL app is available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Learn how to use Aira ASL on our website.
We Found Accessibility Issues, Now What? Turning Manual Test Results into Action
By Karen Pellegrin, TAP Senior Manager
You’ve finished testing your product and found a few (or many) accessibility issues. Now, it's time to fix them. Here’s a five-step process to get you from a spreadsheet of issues to an improved product where you learned a lot and documented what you’ve learned.
The 5-Step Fixing Process
Use this simple plan to improve the user experience:
- Log: Document every issue in detail.
- Prioritize: Decide and plan for which issues to fix first.
- Remediate: Fix the issues in the code and content.
- Verify: Check that the fix works and doesn't introduce any new issues.
- Update: Record the product’s new accessibility status.
Breaking Down Each Step
- Log Your Findings
- For each issue, record its exact location, how severe it is (Critical, High, Moderate, Low) and which rule from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) was broken.
- Crucially, describe the impact—how does this problem actually cause barriers and hurt a user's experience?
- Include screenshots, code, and details about the tools used for testing (like JAWS or VoiceOver).
- Prioritize and Plan
- You can't fix everything at once. Start with the most severe problems, such as keyboard traps or poor color contrast.
- Assign the fix to a specific developer or designer and set a realistic deadline.
- Fix Issues (Remediate)
- Developers should document how they fixed the issue to build a knowledge base for future fixes.
- Tip for Quick Wins: Look for easy fixes first, such as proper heading structure, meaningful link text, button colors, and fixing repeated elements like the site's navigation bar or footer.
- Verify and Re-Test
- Always test again (manual and automated) to confirm the issue is truly resolved.
- Ensure that the fix did not create any new problems (called "regressions").
- Leverage accessibility and usability experts to confirm the solution works for real users.
- Document Product Updates
- Document any changes and progress in improving the accessibility of the product. This is your opportunity to prove you’re making continuous improvements.
- Use our optional Product Accessibility Status (PAS) template to:
Document any changes or fixes to the product including links to any updated testing, remediation or compliance reports.- Provide an updated roadmap for any remaining issues that need to be addressed (if applicable).
- Update changes to how you will support users related to any barriers that have been fixed.
- Update any information related to an “undue burden” designation in the product.
- Provide official sign off on the changes (usually an assigned role such as accessibility coordinator, director or executive leader).
Making It A Long-term Process
Now that you’re starting to test, fix and document your accessibility efforts, build it into your organization’s processes and software development life cycle by:
- Building in ongoing automated checks: Implement a regular cadence for your developers and content creators to use automated tools for quick, frequent checks to catch basic issues early.
- Engaging in Continuous Improvement: Integrate accessibility into ongoing development, not as a one-time project, using continuous monitoring.
- Planning for Accessibility: Include time and budget for accessibility from initial development through ongoing product support. Build it in from the beginning!
Accessibility is not a “one and done” project. It requires continuous improvement and monitoring. Whether you are handling internal accessibility findings or integrating third-party vendor reports into your process and documentation, the goal is the same: consistent progress for a better and more accessible user experience.
The Hidden Struggle: Navigating the Web with Undiagnosed ADHD
By Rosa Calabrese, Senior Accessibility Trainer
Have you ever considered that your digital content might frustrate users—or can block them entirely? In this article, we look at web accessibility through the lens of undiagnosed neurodivergence to show why clear, consistent design is critical.
Cognitive disabilities are not always easy to recognize, either in oneself or in others. I was only diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at age 30, in the midst of a global pandemic. While balancing full-time work with part-time grad school, I simply couldn’t keep up with all of my regular coping mechanisms anymore. I had previously balanced work and my other responsibilities well enough that my struggles weren’t noticeable. I had masked them for so long that I forgot how difficult they were to balance.
The Reality of Diagnosis
After realizing this pattern wasn’t sustainable, I sought out a diagnosis. My psychologist confirmed that I have combined inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive ADHD.
My story is a familiar one. Many people with cognitive disabilities go their entire lives undiagnosed until stress halts their coping mechanisms. I often hear the joke that many people with ADHD stay unaware until their child is diagnosed and they realize that they have similar symptoms.
Why Accessible Design Matters
It is difficult to imagine that there are so many people living with undiagnosed cognitive disabilities. They may not suspect they have a disability, but they are still internalizing their struggles. This makes designing for cognitive disabilities critical. Many users benefit from accessible environments even if they don't realize a disability is impacting their access.
The Impact of "Bad" Design
The version of me that exists today knows that confusing digital content is poor design, not a personal failure. Common barriers include:
- Multi-page web forms that don’t allow users to flip between pages.
- Websites with inconsistent menus that change depending on the page.
- Links that do not use "descriptive text" (e.g., using "click here" instead of the destination name) confuse users.
- Images that lack captions (or alternative text) exclude users who rely on these elements to capture their attention and understanding.
Previous versions of myself would have internalized this confusion as a personal failure. We must design content that is clear and forgiving to support all users.
Take the Next Step
Don't let your design be a barrier. Review your forms and navigation structure using our Accessible Online Content QA Checklist to ensure your content is clear, consistent, and forgiving for everyone.
IAAP Webinar: How to Ensure Your Partners Provide Accessible Content and Components
Wondering how to work with your vendors on ensuring your IT products and services are accessible? A recorded webinar from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) discusses how to best select your design, development, testing, accessibility partners and third-party components (cookie banners, email sign-ups, chatbots, etc.) Topics covered include:
- Required accessibility standards in system requirements
- Assessing vendor accessibility competency
- Defining the minimum viable product (MVP) for accessibility
- Validating accessibility through user acceptance testing (UAT)
Webinar Materials:
Notable & Quotable
“Always think: Who is in this room? Whose voices are heard? Whose voices are missing? Why?”
- Per Axbom, Swedish communication theorist and digital designer