PublicInput now offers a simple way to improve accessibility and inclusivity by placing the Sienna Accessibility Widget on their public-facing pages -- a free, open-source tool that provides visitors with on-page tools to customize their browsing experience for better readability and usability.
How Accessibility Widgets Improve Access
Ensuring digital accessibility is essential for government agencies committed to inclusive community engagement. Online accessibility widgets help organizations meet this commitment by providing user-friendly enhancements to web content. This makes it easier for all community members, including those with disabilities, to participate fully in the public process.
Easy Integration with PublicInput
Administrators can enable the widget directly through the Customer Settings → Custom Styling tab by selecting the desired option:
Disabled: No accessibility widget is displayed.
Default (Recommended): Enable the open-source Sienna accessibility widget with one click, no coding required.
Custom: Add your own custom HTML header and footer.
Once enabled, visitors will see the accessibility icon on the bottom left of your public portal, providing immediate access to accessibility features.
Upon opening the widget, users see a number of options to enhance accessibility:
What the Widget Does
The Sienna widget gives visitors controls to adjust:
Font size - Increase or decrease text size
Contrast - Switch between high-contrast, dark, and light modes
Reading guides - Ruler and reading mask tools
Text spacing - Adjust letter and line spacing
Cursor size - Enlarge the cursor for better visibility
Widget language - Change the language of the widget's own controls and labels
The Sienna widget does not translate your page content. When you select a language in the widget, it only translates the widget's own interface (button labels, control names, etc.) - not the text on your PublicInput project pages, surveys, or portal content.
This is by design. Sienna is an open-source accessibility tool focused on visual and reading adjustments. It does not include a page-content translation engine.
How to Translate Page Content
For translating the actual content on your PublicInput pages (project descriptions, survey questions, portal text), use PublicInput's built-in translation features:
Custom Language Links - Add language-specific URLs to your portal so visitors can view content in their preferred language. See: Custom Language Links for Public Portals
Last Mile Translation - Fine-tune machine-translated content with manual edits for accuracy. See: Maintaining Translated Projects
Using an accessibility widget as part of a broader strategy
When enabling the Sienna accessibility widget via PublicInput, you are providing users with an out-of-the-box tool that helps improve accessibility. However, it's essential to remember that using accessibility widgets alone does not guarantee full compliance with accessibility standards like ADA or WCAG.
When using PublicInput, we are committed to ensuring your out-of-the-box pages, components, and survey formats meet the highest accessibility standards. User-generated content should be checked for compliance with common accessibility best practices like alt text on images, color contrast, and minimum font size for readability.
More about accessibility