Title II Compliance, Simplified — My Take on DocAccess by Shawn Jordison "The Accessibility Guy"

About the Author

Shawn Jordison, widely known as The Accessibility Guy, is a leading accessibility expert with over a decade of experience helping public agencies, educators, and organizations create inclusive digital content. Through his consulting, training, and educational resources, Shawn has helped thousands of professionals understand and implement ADA and Section 508 compliance standards. His mission is to make accessibility approachable and achievable for everyone.

As someone who has spent years helping state and local agencies navigate Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508, I know firsthand how tough document accessibility can be. The law says communication with people with disabilities must be just as effective as it is for everyone else — and that’s not a simple box to check.

Over the years, I’ve seen the same three options come up time and again:

• Spend a ton of time and money manually remediating every PDF.
• Provide alternate formats like HTML, Braille, or audio when someone requests them.
• Train staff to build accessible documents correctly from the start.

They all work, but they’re slow and potentially expensive. For years, there hasn’t been an easy, sustainable way to make every public-facing document accessible.

That’s why DocAccess caught my attention. It’s different. It’s smart. And I’ve found it actually works.

How DocAccess Works

DocAccess delivers accessibility right where it’s needed — inside the document itself. It uses a hybrid rendering system that shows two synchronized views:

• The visual PDF, powered by PDF.js (the same trusted open-source engine behind most browser-based PDF viewers).
• The accessible transcript, which is the real game-changer. Using a proprietary AI and OCR engine, DocAccess rebuilds the document into clean, semantic HTML that meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

It’s quick, elegant, and effortless accessibility.

Built for Compliance

DocAccess isn’t just built to meet accessibility standards — it’s built to embody them. Every part of the platform aligns with the major requirements of digital accessibility, including the ADA, Section 508, and WCAG 2.1 AA.

Under ADA §35.160, DocAccess ensures effective communication by giving everyone equal access to information at the same time. There’s no waiting, no alternate request process — users simply open a document and experience it immediately, just like anyone else.

In line with DOJ §35.202, DocAccess eliminates segregation by delivering accessibility within the same document and the same URL. There’s no separate “accessible version” or alternate site; accessibility is built directly into the experience.

The system meets WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria for structure, reading order, alt text, color contrast, and keyboard navigation. It also conforms to the Section 508 standards outlined in 36 CFR §1194.22, using automated semantic reconstruction to make sure every document is programmatically accessible.

What truly sets DocAccess apart is that accessibility doesn’t fade over time. As documents evolve, the platform automatically keeps them compliant — preserving accessibility long after publication.

📄 Read the full VPAT

Inclusivity and Beyond!

To me, it’s always been about growing the possibilities of accessibility, and that’s another reason I find DocAccess aligns with my mindset. DocAccess keeps evolving, and several powerful features are already in development:

• Interactive Forms: Fill out and submit accessible PDF forms right inside the viewer.
• Workbench: A side-by-side editing space to refine transcripts and teach the AI your organization’s preferences.
• Complex Document Detection: Intelligent alerts that trigger AIRA support when a document might confuse readers.
• AI Analysis & Vector Tools: Export structured data (Markdown, JSON, etc.) for deeper document insights, summaries, and chatbot integration.

What Makes It Stand Out

What really makes DocAccess shine is how much heavy lifting it does behind the scenes. Its AI-powered engine rebuilds document structure automatically — fixing reading order, headings, and lists while generating accurate alt text for images and turning scanned pages into clean, searchable text.

Colors that fail contrast checks are corrected on the fly, and even complex visuals like charts are converted into data tables that screen readers can interpret. Every document stays synchronized with its source, so updates appear automatically without any extra effort.

DocAccess also goes beyond technology. Users can access live visual assistance through AIRA, get instant translation or Q&A in any language, and download compliant HTML transcripts that pass every major accessibility test. And for peace of mind, the platform includes up to $250,000 in legal indemnity coverage — a rare level of confidence in this field.

My Professional Take

DocAccess isn’t a workaround. It’s a breakthrough.

It fulfills both the spirit and letter of Title II and Section 508 by providing true equal access: no waiting, no segregation, no excuses. It’s not meant to replace traditional remediation for internal archives, but for public-facing communication, it’s the most efficient and defensible solution I’ve seen.

Why I Recommend DocAccess:

• Instant PDF-to-HTML conversion at scale.
• The most accurate OCR I’ve encountered in my career.
• Smart table and chart reconstruction that captures real data.
• Simple to implement.
• Backed by a responsive team that listens and improves fast.
• Affordable — literally pennies per page.
• Supported by real user testing groups.

If your organization struggles to stay compliant, now’s the time to simplify your approach. DocAccess makes accessibility part of your everyday workflow, not an afterthought.