Institutions facing the challenge of language accessibility: Insights from Switzerland

Websites serve as the primary means by which people access information and engage with public authorities. Accessible web content is essential to empower citizens and facilitate their active involvement in the life of the community. Consequently, the uptake of inclusive and accessible language has become a key objective of current language policy in public administration. This study investigates features of linguistic accessibility on Swiss institutional websites. Through a combined quantitative and qualitative analysis of federal, cantonal, and municipal websites, the research identifies the presence of Plain and Easy Language, various types of accessibility, the use of standardized terminology, multilingual content availability, visual accessibility features such as logos, and web accessibility indicators, e. g., the WCAG standards. The study shows that, despite the increasing demand for enhanced linguistic accessibility and a notable push towards simplification practices, there is no uniformity in Swiss public administration websites. The online world, ever-changing by nature, offers a glimpse into the organized chaos of multilingual Switzerland.