Trends in the Accessibility and Usability of Interfaces in the Portals of the Decentralized Autonomous Governments of Manabí

Abstract

Ensuring digital inclusion and equitable access to services and information for all citizens, including people with disabilities, largely depends on the accessibility and usability of government web portals. For this reason, this research analyzed how accessible and usable the web portals of the Decentralized Autonomous Governments (GADs) in the province of Manabí, Ecuador, are, evaluating their level of compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). To achieve this, we applied a quantitative methodology, using automated tools (TAW, WAVE, Lighthouse) to analyze 19 out of the 22 GAD portals. The results reveal significant deficiencies in most of the examined portals in the principles of perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness; while some partially comply, frequent issues were found such as the absence of alternative text for images, insufficient color contrast, inadequate semantic structures, and limited compatibility with assistive technologies, with considerable variations observed between different cantons. It is concluded that there is a substantial deficit in the implementation of accessibility standards in the web portals of the GADs in Manabí, a situation that requires the urgent adoption of effective strategies. The study identifies critical areas that GADs need to improve, proposing actions such as regular audits and trainings. From a methodological perspective, it demonstrates the validity of using automated tools to conduct regional diagnostics; theoretically, the work highlights the current gap between digital accessibility regulations and their actual implementation in the local governmental context.