According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 1.3 billion people with disabilities, representing around 16% of the entire world's population.
That's why online accessibility is one of the seven most important factors for creating seamless User Experiences (UXs). Neglecting it can severely affect your online presence!
What's more, accessibility requirements are not just a moral obligation but a legal obligation.
Ensuring your website complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is mandatory for all businesses in the US.
Let's explore how you can ensure you have an ADA-compliant website!
What is The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law introduced in 1990, ensures that users with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else.
The law initially covered physical environments such as private and public spaces, then moved to employment, education and transportation.
However, in 2010, recognizing the growing importance of online communication technologies, the ADA released the Standards for Accessible Design.
These standards ensure the creation of accessible websites for people with disabilities, ranging from screen reader compatibility, keyboard access and color contrast between layered elements and background color.
How To Make A Website ADA Compliant?
The best course of action to achieve ADA compliance is following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Rather than being a law, the WCAG is a standard that Web Developers and commercial businesses can implement to ensure compliance with the ADA.
The WCAG is categorized into three levels: A, AA, and AAA.
WCAG A is the most basic level of accessibility, WCAG AA represents a medium level and WCAG AAA denotes the highest level.
Organizations that want to comply with the ADA should at least reach a WCAG AA Level, as it is considered a good practice.
The 4 WCAG Digital Accessibility Principles
1. Perceivable Digital Accessibility
The perceivable principle states that "information and User Interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive."
In other words, users should recognize every element or piece of information on your website using at least one of their senses.
If your website has video content or audio content, it should have captions or transcriptions for users who are deaf.
Proper color contrast is essential to ensure that all elements are clear and easily perceivable for users with low vision or color blindness.
To achieve this, the WCAG recommends a level AA color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
The numbers before the colon (4.5) indicate the relative luminance of the lighter colors, while the number after the colon (1) represents the relative luminance of darker colors.
2. Operable Digital Accessibility
Operativity involves creating functional websites that users can navigate easily.
Components, input fields, form controls, and other functionalities should be accessible using a keyboard.
Websites should have a logical content structure and follow a meaningful sequence throughout these sections.
This concept includes using clear header tags and subheadings and keeping users informed about their current location on the site.
Furthermore, text elements like links should be as clear as possible.
Instead of a vague phrase like "Click Here," opt for something more descriptive, such as "Learn more about our products," if you want to provide additional information about the products on your ecommerce website.
Websites should give users enough time to complete the tasks while avoiding digital content that flashes more than three times in one second, which helps prevent physical reactions.
3. Understandable Digital Accessibility
Websites should be consistent and easy to navigate, enabling users to understand how to find the information they need.
The tasks required for navigation and site usage should be predictable and straightforward, using the "clearest and simplest" language possible.
If users are required to input information to complete an action, it's important to provide clear instructions or labels and clarify the meaning of unusual words or abbreviations.
Websites should also offer clear suggestions for correcting input errors, reducing the number of times users submit an input value.
4. Robust Digital Accessibility
Creating robust websites implies ensuring users can access them using a broader range of "user agents" and "assistive technologies."
In Web Design and accessibility, user agents refer to any software that can render web content, such as web browsers, browser extensions and media players.
On the other hand, assistive technologies allow users to interact with web content.
Examples of assistive technologies include screen readers and switch devices, like button switches, that people with disabilities can use instead of a keyboard or mouse.
The robust principle aims to ensure that features and content work correctly and are compatible with both current and future user agents and assistive technologies.
How to Assess ADA Compliance?
If you've worked with an agency that adheres to WCAG guidelines, your website is likely already ADA-compliant.
It's essential to partner with someone who understands the importance of compliance standards from both a design and development perspective.
You can use accessibility checkers to determine whether your website complies with accessibility standards, including ADA compliance, you can use accessibility checkers.
Alternatively, consider reaching out to a professional Web Design agency that builds websites that meet accessibility standards, such as Capicua.
They can provide valuable insights and assist you in ensuring accessibility solutions that meet both its standards and its moral and legal requirements.
Why is ADA Compliance Important?
Ensuring ADA compliance is essential for showing empathy towards your users and demonstrating that you care about their comfort while navigating your site.
Besides, making your website accessible to everyone not only helps you reach a broader audience but also fosters inclusivity.
Compliance with the ADA is a civil rights law, and failing to adhere to it can lead to serious legal repercussions.
Additionally, web accessibility plays a significant role in providing a seamless UX, potentially boosting conversion rates by up to 400%.
While accessibility isn't a direct ranking factor, it enhances user-friendliness, which can improve your site's ranking positioning on search engine result pages and SEO performance.
Finally, showing a commitment to inclusivity through ADA compliance can strengthen your brand's reputation.
Conclusion
Ensuring ADA-compliant websites is not just a legal obligation but a moral responsibility to create an inclusive digital experience for all users.
By adhering to the WCAG principles– Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust– businesses can significantly enhance their website's accessibility regardless of the ability of people.
Investing in accessibility compliance not only protects your business from potential legal issues but also fosters a positive brand image and drives business growth.
As a UX-driven Product Development agency with over 14 years of experience, we fully understand the benefits accessible websites bring to everyone.
Feel free to reach out if you'd like to hear about our unique approach to bringing even the most disruptive business ideas to life.
