Accessibility, language, and inclusive meetings
Making documents, meetings, forms, systems, and contact points usable by people with disabilities and people who use languages other than English, as a matter of practice rather than exception.
Areas of workCommunication and accessibility
Run an accessible and culturally responsive meeting
Purpose and materials in advance, accommodation language that does not force disclosure, several ways to participate, clear decisions and owners, accessible follow-up.
Supervisors and managers · Program and policy staff
Make a document, form, or notice accessible and plain
Semantic structure, plain language, alternative formats, and a review before publication.
Communications and language access · Program and policy staff
Plan language and cultural access for a program or contact point
Languages, formats, interpreter availability at first contact, vital-document review, and trusted messengers planned together.
Communications and language access · Service delivery and support planning
Background and questions for this area
Inaccessible forms, unclear accessibility ownership, and translation gaps were among the most concrete barriers DSD staff named. Each one has a fix with an owner.
- Who is responsible for accessibility of this item, and do they know it?
- Is this a vital document, and which languages and formats does it need?
- How will someone participate if the default format does not work for them?
- What does the process ask of people, and what can be removed?
Download this area of work
- Tool card: National CLAS Standards
The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Public. Permitted use: cite, link, follow as a frame for language and cultural access planning.
HHS Office of Minority Health
- Tool card: State of Minnesota accessibility standard
The State of Minnesota digital accessibility standard, currently Section 508 plus WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA, and the accessible document guidance that accompanies it. Public. This program keeps WCAG 2.2 Level AA as its own stronger release target.
Minnesota IT Services