News
Oakland County Enhances Website Accessibility with New Tools for Language Translation and Users with Disabilities
21 Jul, 01:28 PM
The county’s website, OakGov.com, has implemented the UserWay accessibility widget which offers new tools to support residents with visual, cognitive and motor disabilities and live translation of webpages to more than 60 languages.
- The county’s website, OakGov.com, has implemented the UserWay accessibility widget which offers new tools to support residents with visual, cognitive and motor disabilities and live translation of webpages to more than 60 languages.
- The widget represents the county’s commitment to equity and inclusion through digital accessibility.
- July is Disability Pride Month and this year includes the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County continues its commitment to inclusion and accessibility by enhancing its website, OakGov.com, with new tools that make online services more user-friendly for people of all abilities and backgrounds. The enhancements, which launched in early March, include a live translation feature supporting more than 60 languages and a suite of accessibility tools designed to assist users with disabilities.
“This is about more than technology - it’s about ensuring that every Oakland County resident can access public services, regardless of language or ability,” Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said. “We are committed to making government work for everyone.”
The website’s UserWay accessibility widget reflects Oakland County’s commitment to digital equity, especially during Disability Pride Month and in recognition of the upcoming 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It has already been opened more than 61,000 times during its initial launch from March through June.
To date, the most popular features include the dyslexia-friendly fonts, keyboard navigation, text spacing, link highlighting and contrast adjustments. Additional tools used include screen readers, pause animations and text enlargement, all aimed at improving usability for residents with visual, cognitive or motor challenges.
In addition, more than 1,600 users accessed the translation tool, resulting in more than 4,600 webpage translations. The most translated languages include Spanish, Filipino, Czech, Haitian Creole and Azeri, which is spoken in Azerbaijan, showing the diversity of the county’s population. The most frequently translated pages included the Oakland County home page, job postings, parks and waterpark information, jail and court services, and property tax and licensing pages.
For more information, visit OakGov.com.