Since the dawn of the technological revolution, there have been laws surrounding digital accessibility. The more we use technology, the more we need to ensure that websites and related apps are accessible to as many people as possible, including those living with disabilities. However, this leads to more regulations, which can be overwhelming.
ADA and Web Accessibility Laws
The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) states that businesses cannot discriminate “based on disability in the activities of public accommodations.” Your website must be usable to all, regardless of ability or disability. Initially, the law was intended to apply to physical situations, such as shopping in-store, but now it applies to activities like browsing a website and shopping online.
The ADA’s rules around web accessibility must be upheld, and many businesses must comply with the regulations. Failing to do so may incur fines, attorney’s fees, or a mandatory site redesign. Both the ADA and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide guidance for businesses to follow when addressing web and digital accessibility.
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and WCAG
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) was started by the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C), the international standards organization led by Tim Berners-Lee. The WAI produces guidelines and standards for accessibility on the web to help businesses “understand and implement accessibility.” The WAI’s website is packed full of resources on improving and maintaining web accessibility for your business, and it’s well worth bookmarking.
One of the critical things the WAI set up was the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a set of guidelines for maintaining an accessible website. WCAG’s principles cover four areas, which form an easy-to-remember acronym: POUR.
- Perceivable: Your site should be readable by all types of people, including those with visual impairments, blindness, and auditory disabilities
- Operable: Everyone should be able to use and navigate your website
- Understandable: Your website should be easy to use, and the language you use should be simple and easy to understand
- Robust: All websites should be compatible with tools people living with disabilities commonly use, such as screen readers and other assistive technology
If you design your site based on these principles, you’re far more likely to meet the ADA’s requirements. Despite often unclear regulations on web accessibility, the courts have been known to favor businesses that have WCAG-compliant websites and applications.
As technology and standards are always changing, regular accessibility audits should be a part of your digital maintenance procedures. You can use various tools to monitor your site’s compliance with accessibility standards and manage a plan for maintaining long-term accessibility.
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