New York State OTDA

New York State OTDA

Portfolio Graphic For OTDA

OTDA Website Case Study

Client:
NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
Role:
Accessibility Web Developer
Organization:
SUNY Research Foundation – Professional Development Program (PDP)
Year:
2019–2021

Project Overview

While working at the SUNY Research Foundation’s Professional Development Program (PDP), I served as an Accessibility Web Developer for the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) website. Our team was responsible for managing, maintaining, and enhancing the site to meet evolving accessibility standards and user needs across the state.

The Challenge

The OTDA website is a critical platform for providing New Yorkers with access to essential services and resources. Our challenge was to ensure that all users — including those with disabilities — could access and navigate the content easily. The site required ongoing accessibility remediation, layout improvements, and the development of filterable content blocks to organize complex program information.

My Role & Responsibilities

Accessibility & Remediation

  • Conducted accessibility audits and remediated documents and web content to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 compliance.
  • Collaborated with PDP content teams to ensure PDFs, HTML pages, and multimedia were accessible.
  • Used tools such as WAVE and Adobe Acrobat Pro for evaluation and fixes.

Web Development

  • Maintained and enhanced site functionality using Drupal and WordPress CMS platforms.
  • Developed reusable components using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

UX & Collaboration

  • Optimized page layouts for better readability, usability, and responsive behavior.
  • Ensured compatibility with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies.

Results

  • Accessibility Compliance: Remediated over 100 pieces of content to meet state and federal accessibility guidelines.
  • Enhanced Content Delivery: Implemented dynamic filtering to improve how users navigate and find relevant resources.
  • Improved User Experience: Restructured layouts and navigation to create a mobile-friendly, user-centered interface.

Portfolio Screenshot of OTDA Website