Web Accessibility + ADA Compliance

You may already be familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or recognize the physical accommodations for people with disabilities, such as ramps and automatic doors, but have you ever thought about what the ADA means for your business’s website? Creating an ADA-accessible online business is not the same as brick-and-mortar businesses, but it is just as important. Continue reading to learn how the ADA may affect your business’s online presence and what first steps you can take to make your site more accessible to everyone.

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?

The American with Disabilities Act (ADA), first established in 1990, is a comprehensive civil rights law that protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination. Title III of the ADA requires that all businesses open to the public remove any barriers that would hinder a person’s access to goods or services. As companies continue to grow their online presence, the ADA rules and regulations have begun to apply to their websites as well.

Why are ADA-Compliant Sites Important?

ADA-compliant websites not only create a pleasing and equal experience for everyone, but they may also help protect your business from lawsuits. As technology advances, legal precedent surrounding web accessibility changes and it is becoming more important for businesses to take proactive measures to help minimize litigation risk.

While the Americans with Disabilities Act does not yet specifically detail website regulations, the U.S. Department of Justice will often direct courts to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to help them settles cases. The WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 highlight different criteria and guidelines that make websites more accessible to people with disabilities. Currently, the Department of Justice suggests that the ADA does not require compliance with every aspect of the WCAG, but that businesses should be actively working toward nondiscrimination for disabled persons. Until the ADA is officially revised with specific compliance rules, it is important that businesses use the WCAG to make conscious, earnest, and continued efforts toward web accessibility for all.

Steps to Make Your Website Accessible to People with Disabilities

ADA-compliance and accessibility can be intimidating. How can you begin to make sure that your website is compliant? According to the WCAG, website content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Therefore, the easiest first step is to ask yourself these questions.

Perceivable Content

Are users able to distinguish and perceive the information being presented? Perceivable content helps businesses ensure that their site is usable by all without losing the meaning of the content. This includes adding captions to your videos, selecting high contrast color schemes, and including captions and alt text on all applicable images.

Operable Functionality

Is my site operable for all and easy to use? The functionality behind your website should not impact a user’s capability to use your site. Examples include ensuring that your site can be used with keyboard-only commands, providing the capability to pause moving sections if a visitor needs more time, and clearly labeling all pages and sections so visitors can decipher where they are on the website.

Understandable Language and Structure

Does my website make sense and is it easy to understand? Understandable content means that users must be able to discern and comprehend the information provided and the operation of the website. Language should be programmatically identifiable, navigation should remain consistent throughout the site, and clear instructions need to be provided on any sections that require user input, such as contact forms.

Robust Code

Can my site adapt to the changing needs of my customers with disabilities? Your code needs to follow current web standards and be universally recognized by browsers while still maintaining the capability to grow. This includes ensuring that your website is operable with assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

Contact Ecreative for Accessibility Assistance

Web accessibility issues continuously change as technology advances and ADA-compliance is not a “set it and forget it” aspect of your site. Sites that were previously compliant may no longer meet best practices. You will need to regularly address web accessibility issues to align your site with the most recent web development standards. Ecreative can help you update your site to match current standards surrounding accessibility and inclusion. Contact Ecreative today.

Disclaimer: This material does not constitute legal or professional advice. Always consult a qualified lawyer on any specific legal matter. Ecreative disclaims any liability with respect to this information.