When I first saw that the Department of Justice extended the ADA Title II web and mobile app accessibility compliance deadlines, my immediate reaction was:

NOOOO. We need urgency.

I understand that many public entities are under-resourced, understaffed, and working with complicated digital systems. Accessibility takes planning, training, procurement changes, testing, remediation, and long-term commitment.

But as someone who is paralyzed below my shoulders and lives every day as a C4-5 quadriplegic, I also know what delay feels like from the other side.

Delay does not feel administrative when you are the person who cannot access the form, portal, website, app, or public service you need.

For people with disabilities, inaccessible technology is not just a technical inconvenience. It can be a locked door.

The DOJ’s extension gives larger state and local government entities until April 26, 2027, and smaller public entities and special district governments until April 26, 2028. But the standard did not disappear. The responsibility did not disappear. The need for progress did not disappear.

Government must lead here.

Public entities are not just service providers. They set expectations for schools, businesses, technology vendors, and communities. When government treats accessibility as essential, it sends a powerful message: people with disabilities are part of the public, and our access is not optional.

The private sector should pay close attention too. So many public-facing digital tools are built by private companies. If those platforms are inaccessible, public entities inherit the risk and people with disabilities inherit the barriers.

This extension should not be treated as permission to pause. It should be treated as an opportunity to build accessibility the right way.

That means moving beyond one-time audits and last-minute remediation. Accessibility needs to be built into procurement, design, development, content creation, document workflows, vendor contracts, testing, and leadership accountability.

It also means recognizing that organizations do not have to make this journey alone. Teaming up with full-suite accessibility companies like accessiBe becomes even more important when the goal is not just to check a box, but to build trust, create sustainable progress, and have the right team behind you throughout the accessibility journey.

The deadline moved.

The need did not.

For millions of people with disabilities, digital accessibility is access to education, employment, healthcare, transportation, emergency information, public benefits, civic participation, and independence.

So yes, my first reaction was “NOOOO.”

But my deeper takeaway is this:

Let’s not waste the extra year.

Let’s use it to build stronger accessibility programs, better digital systems, smarter procurement practices, and more inclusive technology.

Because accessibility delayed is access denied.