Digital map accessibility is no longer just a “nice-to-have.” It is becoming a strict regulatory requirement. GEO Jobe and XR Navigation recently hosted a dual webinar to discuss Audiom, a groundbreaking solution designed to make ArcGIS maps fully accessible and compliant with upcoming ADA Title II regulations.
If you missed the live event, here is a recap of the key takeaways, compliance deadlines, and how Audiom is revolutionizing spatial data for everyone.
The Clock is Ticking: The ADA Title II Deadline
A major driving force behind the webinar is an upcoming Department of Justice regulation. By April 26, 2027, all state and local governments must ensure their digital content including digital maps is compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
During the webinar, a live audience poll revealed that while 44% of organizations are currently assessing their requirements, only 3% consider themselves fully prepared and compliant today.
The Problem with Current Mapping Tools
Brandon Biggs, CEO of XR Navigation, kicked off his presentation with a powerful, immersive demonstration of what a standard ArcGIS map sounds like when using a screen reader. The result? Total silence or unhelpful meta-descriptions like “clickable graphic.”
An evaluation of the top 14 digital map tools against WCAG’s 78 criteria showed that out of the box, the most accessible platform on the market is only about 50% compliant, while Esri ArcGIS sits at roughly 30% compliance.
Traditional workarounds fall short of the law:
- Tactile Paper Maps: Great for physical use, but they are not digital and fail WCAG text-alternative standards.
- Phone Support lines: Helpful, but they do not satisfy digital compliance mandates on their own.
- Manual/AI Text Descriptions: Highly static, incredibly expensive to maintain, and fail to convey true spatial layout and orientation.
Introducing Audiom: The World’s First Cross-Sensory Map Viewer
Audiom solves the “Equivalent Purpose” problem by acting as a visual, auditory, and text-based map viewer and editor that integrates seamlessly into ArcGIS platforms. It meets all 78 WCAG criteria by allowing users to explore maps through sound and touch layout paradigms.
Key Features Covered:
- The Non-Visual Experience: Users can navigate a map using a keyboard, touchscreen, or controller. As they move across features (like a census tract or a geological zone), Audiom announces the feature names, coordinates, and uses distinct audio pitches to represent data density (e.g., a higher pitch for a higher population).
- The Visual Experience: For low-vision or colorblind users, Audiom automatically adapts to show high-contrast textures, customized border widths, and pattern-based symbology rather than just flat colors.
- Seamless Syncing: Audiom acts as a native widget (such as in ArcGIS Experience Builder). Because it pulls data directly from your public feature layers, any updates you make to your live data automatically update in Audiom instantly without storing your data on external servers.
Key Takeaways
- Inaccessibility Has Real-World Consequences: Brandon shared a personal story regarding a public transit route redesign in his city. Because the civic feedback survey relied on an inaccessible visual map, he was completely unable to submit feedback on the very bus lines he relies on daily for groceries and work. Accessible maps ensure equal civic engagement.
- Building a Custom Solution is Infeasible: XR Navigation spent nearly 10 years perfecting Audiom with certified web accessibility specialists and blind cartographers. Attempting to build an in-house compliant mapping application can cost millions of dollars, whereas Audiom can plug directly into your existing infrastructure.
- How to Get Started: Integrating Audiom is a simple 3-step process: publish your feature layers, connect the links inside the Audiom configurator, and embed the generated widget back into your website, StoryMap, Dashboard, or Experience Builder app.
Moving Forward
For organizations facing tight budgets before the April 2027 deadline, is is recommended that ArcGIS organizations launch a pilot map utilizing Audiom for their most heavily trafficked public map. Demonstrating an active, rolling transition plan toward compliance is an excellent defense against digital accessibility liabilities.
Watch the webinar recap on demand!
GEO Jobe is an official partner and reseller of Audiom, offering comprehensive support, custom implementation, and staff training to help your agency transition seamlessly.
Ready to book a consultation or trial? Reach out to the GEO Jobe sales team at sales@geo-jobe.com.
Want to test your current maps? XR Navigation offers a free map evaluation tool covering the top 15 criteria most critical to geographic map accessibility. Check it out at audiom.net.
If you liked this, check out these other webinars:
- Spring Forward with Smarter Weather Data
- Managing Your Attachments & Mapping Your GIS Architecture
- Orchestrating an Automated Symphony for Your ArcGIS Environment
- How XPGEO Studio Simplifies Imagery Workflows in ArcGIS
- Sharing Your ArcGIS Services Easier, Smarter, & More Securely
About Our Company
GEO Jobe is a leading GIS software and geospatial solutions provider, serving more than 12,000 organizations globally. The company is most known for developing some of the industry’s most popular applications, including Admin Tools for ArcGIS, Backup My Org, Clean My Org, Manage My Attachments, and Symphony for ArcGIS.
GEO Jobe offers U.S.-based 24/7 Support for organizations using Esri’s ArcGIS© System. GEO Jobe also offers professional services focused on Esri’s ArcGIS System, including custom software development, enterprise solution implementation, data science and UAV data collection.
Founded in 1999, GEO Jobe has been in operation for more than 25 years and an Esri business partner since 2002, and is currently a Platinum Partner.
