While most have heard of the Americans with Disabilities Act, many are unaware that ADA compliance includes electronic and information technology, like websites, as well. Is your company’s website ADA compliant? If you are unsure or if you know the answer is no, there are a number of consequences your business and others could face.
What is ADA Compliance?
ADA compliance in terms of your website refers to meeting the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. A non-compliant website can be a problem, keeping those who seek your services from having a positive experience and from getting what they need. It could even lead to a lawsuit.
Why is Now the Time to Make my Website ADA Compliant?
Accessibility is an important part of running a business and it is essential to ensure that your website and web content be accessible to all customers, regardless of disability. Currently, the lack of websites and mobile apps that pass accessibility compliance standards is disappointing for those who look to the internet in order to get what they need. Historically, brands have worried most about making sure that physical access to their brick-and-mortar storefront is taken care of, but website accessibility is more of a priority than ever before.
With the COVID-19 shutdown, the public has turned to the web for services, supplies, education, information, goods and access to jobs and benefits. When people went online, many discovered these sites were not ADA compliant. Almost immediately it was glaringly clear that businesses were not ready to meet the demand for accessible websites and software. ADA accessibility lawsuits and compliant letters have soared in the past months and will likely continue to do so until more sites are brought up to speed.
Who is ADA Compliance For?
As a successful business, you want to provide everyone, whether online or offline, with the same level of accessibility. Inclusive design practices may be for the blind or deaf, those with cognition and learning difficulties, emotional or behavioral disabilities, permanent or temporary injuries or diseases.
At this point you may be asking yourself “Is my business’s website ADA compliant?” If you are unsure whether the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to your site or if your website is ADA compliant, the experts at WebDrafter are here to help.
What Elements Does an ADA Compliant Website Look At?
Elements crucial to website accessibility include:
- Navigation
- Text layout, fonts, colors
- Distractions like motion
- Images
- Video
- Forms
- Maps
- Page structure
- And more
The experts at WebDrafter will go through each of these elements to ensure your site is accessible to all. Until then, here are some things to look for on your site:
- Users should be able to easily navigate a site with a keyboard if needed
- Alt text should be used for all images so screen readers can easily navigate a site
- Closed captions or transcripts should be available on all video and audio content
- And more
What Can Be Done Now To Ensure ADA Compliance For My Website?
There are some tools you can use to check your site including WAVE and Lighthouse. These can take a look at your site’s color contrast, text size, image alt text, and more to test for ADA compliance. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) also has a comprehensive list of web accessibility evaluation tools that can help. If you want to check your site for ADA compliance, you can find the right tool here: Website Accessibility & ADA Compliance
It is essential to be proactive, ensuring that your site is ADA compliant even if you haven’t received any complaints yet. Come to us with questions or concerns you have about this issue and we can help you make most of the plug-ins and sites that can ensure compliance. Let’s get started today!
How We Can Help
Still not sure whether your website is ADA compliant? Learn more about how WebDrafter.com can help you get your website up to speed by contacting us.
