State of Colorado Accessibility Newsletter - November 2025
Accessibility News
Federal ADA Title II Rules Are Coming Soon
The federal Title II of the ADA requires state and local governments to ensure that their services, programs and activities are accessible to people with disabilities. State and local governments that serve populations of 50,000 or more must be in compliance with Title II by April 2026. Government entities that serve less than 50,000 people have until April 2027 to be compliant.
Colorado has its own accessibility rules that align closely with the federal rules. Colorado’s rules go a step further by including compliance requirements for all digital information and communications technology (ICT) including documents, kiosk technology and other systems that have a digital interface.
Learn more about the Federal ADA Rules and how Colorado’s Technology Accessibility Rules complement federal requirements for compliance.
Accessibility Essentials
Accessibility Statements 101
Courtesy of the Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA)
Providing an accessibility statement on your website and offering accommodations is one of the easiest and quickest ways to improve the accessibility of your website. Learn more about how to create accessibility statements for your website with these resources:
Chelsea's Corner
Advancements and Upgrades Don’t Always Equal Accessibility
By Chelsea Cook, TAP Accessibility Consultant
In our fast-paced world, it often feels like things are changing rapidly. New updates, features, processes and technologies are always being introduced.
We must remember to prioritize the accessibility of our content. The process for that usually applies to mobile applications, but also to documents, websites and any other type of digital content. If a change is released before accessibility is considered, that can cause the new feature (or the entire product) to function poorly for users with disabilities. It may take several development cycles for the problem to be identified and remediated again. I’ve seen cascading accessibility issues, where fixing one accessibility bug causes other parts of the user interface to become inaccessible. If accessibility isn't actively developed and tested with the new feature and change, something will break.
Automated tools can help catch common accessibility issues, but they are not a failsafe option. The best tip for reducing accessibility issues when content is changed is to incorporate accessibility into all aspects of a product’s lifecycle, rather than an afterthought. You can help by ensuring that team members are trained on how assistive technology interacts with the product.
Upcoming Webinars and Conferences
Webinar: Accessible Firebrand: Why Can't I Use my Brand Color There, and if Not There, Then Where?
Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free for both members and non-members
Visit the IAAP’s Subject Matter Expert’s Webinar page. This is an opportunity to examine why companies often use their brand colors in inaccessible ways. Together, we’ll examine real-world uses of brand colors in areas that constitute clear and subtle violations of the WCAG and other accessibility principles. Ideal for web designers and web developers.
Webinar: How to Make Sure Your Partners Provide Accessible Content and Components
Date: Dec. 11, 2025
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free for members and a fee of $39 for non-members
From the IAAP’s Professional Education Webinar page: This webinar will address how to best select your design, development, testing, accessibility partners and third party components. Ideal for procurement, legal, product owners, project managers, and anyone involved in selecting third parties/vendors.
Conference: ATIA
Dates: Jan. 29-31, 2026
Location: Orlando, FL and virtually
Visit the Assistive Technology Industry Association’s 2026 Conference page. ATIA 2026 is where the assistive technology (AT) community can connect, discover and inspire one another with authentic, thought-provoking and collaborative experiences.
Conference: axe-con 2026
Dates: Feb. 24-25, 2026
Location: Virtual only
Visit the axe-con conference page. Developers, designers, business users and accessibility professionals of all experience levels rally to advance digital accessibility programs everywhere.
Conference: CSUN Assistive Technology Conference
Dates: March 9-13, 2026
Location: In person in Anaheim, CA; Some virtual session options
Visit the CSUN Conference page. The largest of its kind in the world, this conference is an inclusive setting to share knowledge and best practices in the field of assistive technology. A showcase of cutting edge technology and practical solutions to help remove the barriers that prevent equitable experiences for people with disabilities.
Notable & Quotable
Disability activist, Alice Wong, passed away on Nov. 14, 2025. She was an American disability rights activist and writer based in San Francisco, California. Dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of the disabled community, her career focused on challenging systemic ableism through storytelling, advocacy and community organizing. We honor her work and impact in and for the disability community.
“There is so much that able-bodied people could learn from the wisdom that often comes with disability. But space needs to be made. Hands need to reach out. People need to be lifted up.”
- Alice Wong, disability activist and storyteller