How To Make a Website ADA Compliant

How compliant is your website ADA? All websites and their content are expected to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. So, what exactly is ADA compliance for websites, why it is important, and what steps do you need to take to make your website fully accessible?

Why ADA Compliance Matters

ADA compliance is more than just a legal obligation. It’s a moral imperative to embrace diversity and equality. It’s about providing equal opportunities for everyone to access information and engage with digital content. By adhering to ADA guidelines, you will avoid potential legal issues and fines and foster a more inclusive online environment. This benefits everyone, but most importantly individuals with disabilities that may prevent them from accessing digital content. This provides equal participation in the digital realm.

The Purpose of ADA Compliance:

Historically, the ADA was enacted to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities and promote equal access across various domains. With the evolution of the digital space, ADA compliance for websites was included. This act ensures that individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive, or mobility impairments can navigate and interact with online content effectively. The act requires the removal of barriers and implementation of accessible design principles to provide a seamless browsing experience, no matter your ability level.

Examples of Website Accessibility Barriers

Here are some examples of the many potential accessibility barriers that websites can have. Addressing these issues and ensuring that your website follows best practices creates an inclusive digital environment that accommodates the needs of all users.

1. Insufficient Alternative Text: One common accessibility barrier is the lack of alternative text (alt text) for images. Alt text describes an image that allows a visually impaired user to understand any images on a webpage.

2. Inaccessible Forms: Forms that are not properly designed can pose challenges for users with disabilities. Clear field labels or instructions are a must for individuals who rely on screen readers.

3. Lack of Keyboard Accessibility: Individuals with impairments in mobility or those relying on switches instead of using a mouse can be excluded from websites that rely heavily on mouse interactions. It is vital to provide keyboard alternatives for those individuals so they can have equal access to the content.

4. Insufficient Color Contrast: Users with visual impairments need high contrast between the text and its background. Without that contrast, they may have difficulty reading or even seeing your content.

5. Inaccessible Multimedia: Another barrier for individuals with hearing impairments is videos or audio content without captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions. Providing these alternatives ensures that everyone can access and understand the information conveyed in multimedia elements.

6. Complex Navigation and Structure: Websites with confusing navigation menus, inconsistent heading structures, or illogical page layouts are challenging for users with disabilities to navigate and understand the content. Your website structures should be clear and well-organized to enhance usability for all users.

7. Absence of Text Resizing and Zooming: Some individuals with visual impairments can’t read smaller text and images.  Websites without zoom and text resizing capabilities are restricting access for those individuals.

8. Inaccessible PDF Documents: PDF documents that are not properly tagged or lack text equivalents for those who rely on screen readers can also present accessibility barriers. Your content will be more accessible and inclusive by ensuring PDF documents are properly structured.

9. Time-Based Media Constraints: If individuals who have cognitive challenges or require additional time to process information don’t have access to pausing, stopping, or timing adjustments, will not be able to adequately interact with websites with time-based media content, such as videos or slideshows.

10. Incompatible Assistive Technology: Another obstacle comes into play when websites that are not compatible with commonly used assistive technologies, such as screen readers or voice recognition software. This can limit accessibility for individuals who rely on these tools to access and navigate the web.   

Key Steps for ADA Compliance:

• Conduct a Website Accessibility Audit: The first step is to check your baseline for ADA compliance. Perform a comprehensive audit to identify potential barriers and areas that need improvement.

• Implement Accessible Design: Once you have addressed the ADA compliance needs in your self-assessment, you can begin to address and remedy any barriers to access like those above. Utilize accessible design best practices, such as providing alternative text for images, using proper heading structure, ensuring color contrast, and creating keyboard-friendly navigation.

• Enhance Content Accessibility: Ensure that all multimedia elements, such as videos and audio files, are accompanied by accurate captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions to cater to individuals with hearing impairments.

• Keyboard Navigation: Ensure that users can navigate your website using only a keyboard specifically designed for those individuals that rely on assistive devices instead of a mouse.

• Forms and Interactive Elements: Optimize forms and interactive elements to be screen reader-friendly, including clear labels, error notifications, and logical tab order.

• Test and Validate: It is always a good practice to regularly test and monitor your website’s accessibility using automated tools and manual testing by individuals with disabilities to validate compliance and identify any areas for improvement.

ADA compliance is a legal requirement and an ethical responsibility. Create a welcoming online environment that provides access to users with a host of diverse needs and demonstrates your commitment to equal opportunity, while also avoiding potential legal consequences. Doing so will assure compliance, unlock a broader audience, and have a positive impact on all users and potential customers.

Visit https://www.ada.gov/resources/web-guidance/ for a more complete review of the ADA Requirements. Klik Digital can assist you in making changes to your website to ensure compliance with these regulations. Reach out to our team today to ensure your website meets the highest standards of inclusivity and accessibility.