From "Graphic Blank" to Fully Accessible: How the Wisconsin Geological Survey Made the Most Complex Accessible Digital Map in History

Digital maps are essential tools for public services, education, and civic participation, yet for the estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide with disabilities, literacy barriers, or age-related vision and mobility challenges, most maps remain completely unusable. In this webinar, we explore how the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey tackled this barrier head-on, transforming a complex statewide geologic map with over 3,000 features and 57 color-and-pattern combinations into a fully accessible, interactive experience that can be navigated through vision, audio, keyboard, and or screen reader. Learn how their team integrated accessible map technology with their existing ArcGIS infrastructure, without disrupting current workflows, to produce the first geological survey map that fully complies with ADA Title II, Section 508, Section 504, and WCAG AA standards. Whether your agency publishes zoning maps, emergency evacuation routes, land use data, architectural diagrams, or any other spatial information, this session will show you a practical, replicable model for meeting your digital accessibility obligations and serving all of your constituents.