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Unlocking the Benefits of Web Accessibility and ADA Compliance for Your Small Business
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories FAQ

Unlocking the Benefits of Web Accessibility and ADA Compliance for Your Small Business

As a small business owner, having the right web presence and making sure it’s compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be a huge challenge. Web accessibility and ADA compliance are two key topics for small businesses to factors in when trying to build a successful online presence. Failing to comply with web accessibility and related ADA standards can result in costly liabilities, frustrated potential customers and issues with search engine optimization (SEO).

What is Web Accessibility and ADA compliance?

Web accessibility refers to an online space that is accessible to everyone, regardless of disability, gender, age, race or other protected class. ADA compliance relates to broader rules and regulations regarding access for persons with disabilities. Successful web accessibility and ADA compliance means that people with disabilities can effectively use the digital content and services the same as those without disabilities and that the same standards of equal access apply.

Why is Web Accessibility and ADA Compliance important for Small Businesses?

Small businesses need to be aware that they are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and may also be subject to requirements under state and local laws. Failing to comply can result in costly liabilities, frustrated potential customers, issues with search engine optimization (SEO) and lost customers.

It’s important to remember that ADA compliance is not just a legal obligation, it’s also an opportunity. By making sure your website is ADA compliant, you send out the message that your business is accommodating and welcoming to customers of every type. Many customers find themselves more likely to do business with companies that are committed to being accessible and open to people of all abilities.

And ensuring that your website is accessible and ADA compliant can also improve your results when it comes to SEO. Search engines take into account the accessibility of webpages when making their algorithms, so websites that are more accessible to those with disabilities will receive more traffic from search engine results.

How to make sure your website is ADA compliant?

Making sure that your website is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is no small feat. But there are a few steps you can take to make sure you’re taking the right steps.

Make sure your website’s content is easily accessible. This means providing closed captions and transcripts for audio and video content, having alternate text for images, and providing other options to use the content.

Pay attention to design and development. Making sure the design and development of your website is ADA compliant involves a few specific steps. This includes things like making sure text is viewable to those using screen readers, allowing sufficient image contrast and font sizes, and making sure all elements of your webpage are keyboard accessible.

Audit regularly. It is important to regularly audit your website for ADA compliance. This will help ensure that you are in compliance with the ADA’s standards and also help you identify any potential issues.

These steps will help ensure that your website is up to standard when it comes to web accessibility and ADA compliance, giving you one less thing to worry about and helping you better serve your customers.

Conclusion

Web accessibility and ADA compliance is an important part of running a successful small business website. Ignoring these requirements can result in costly liabilities and frustrated customers, but taking the steps to make sure your website is up to date can make a world of difference when it comes to SEO and customer satisfaction. Make sure you’re paying attention to design and development, as well as content, and audit regularly to make sure you’re doing all you can to provide accessible and welcoming websites.

Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

9 Benefits of Website Accessibility and ADA Compliance for Small Businesses

Accessibility and ADA compliance for web content is essential for businesses with web presences. Website content must be written in a way that all users can understand and navigate, regardless of any special abilities or disabilities. With the recent explosion of web traffic from mobile devices, the potential risk of being found non-compliant is even greater-and the penalties associated with non-compliance can be very steep. But accessibility isn’t just a means of avoiding penalties. There are significant advantages to making sure your website is compliant with ADA standards.

In this article, we’ll explore the primary benefits of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and making your site user-friendly and accessible.

1. Increased Traffic

When it comes to improving traffic to your website, accessibility is a key factor. According to recent research, web users with a disability or special need represent at least 20 percent of the total Internet audience. Even if your business does not explicitly provide goods and services to this population, consider these potential customers who, like any other web user, are looking for information, goods and services. If your site is not ADA-compliant, you risk losing these potential customers.

2. Improved Search Ranking

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential element of any business’s digital marketing strategy. By optimizing your content to be SEO-friendly, you can boost your ranking in search engine results, thereby increasing web traffic and visibility. Recent research by Google shows that developing content for web accessibility can help your SEO rankings by ensuring your site is crawlable and indexable.

3. Increased Conversions

Not just a traffic generator, accessibility also increases the chances of website conversions. In general, a website’s conversion rate reflects the amount of traffic the site generates and how the content entices visitors to become customers or users. By making sure your content is ADA-compliant and easy to navigate, you’re increasing the chances that visitors will convert-i.e., buy a product, sign up for an account, etc. According to WiderFunnel, accessible content can increase conversions by as much as 30-40%.

4. Improved Branding and Reputation

By making your website accessible, you’re conveying a message that your business values diversity, inclusion and social responsibility. Making your content compliant with the ADA not only shows you’re compliant with the law, but also demonstrates your willingness to provide the best service for all users. It’s no wonder, then, that tangible business benefits usually follow when businesses prioritize web accessibility.

5. Improved Usability

When content is written and designed for user accessibility, everyone (including people with disabilities) benefits from easy navigation, clear information and site functionality. ADA-specific programming provides access to persons with specific physical and cognitive disabilities, but its many benefits reach far beyond. Providing user-friendly content not only helps visitors find their way around an unfamiliar website, but it also ensures that people understand and can easily access the content you provide.

6. Reduced Legal Risk

Without question, making sure your website is ADA compliant is a legal must. Websites that don’t meet accessibility standards can lead to litigation, fines and other legal costs. Given the rise in web-related lawsuits in recent years, mitigating such risks should be a priority for all businesses.

7. Social Responsibility

Nobody wants to be seen as “exclusionary” or “discriminatory”, and that’s especially true in today’s increasingly socially conscious environment. By making sure your website is accessible, you’re demonstrating your commitment to “leveling the playing field” and being an inclusive business.

8. Compliance with Mobile Accessibility Standards

Web traffic from mobile devices continues to increase exponentially, with an estimated 80% of web usage coming from users on phones or tablets. The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) has developed web accessibility standards specifically for mobile devices, a key component of which is making sure that all text, images and videos are accessible, regardless of the device being used. By making sure your website is up-to-date with current mobile accessibility standards, you’re making sure that all users will be able to view your content properly.

9. Lower Development Costs

ADA compliance doesn’t have to be expensive. Many of the basic coding processes are relatively simple, and the cost of incorporating such measures into the development process can be very low. Rolling accessibility measures into the site build from the start can help to save time and money down the road.

Ultimately, making sure your website is ADA compliant is essential for any business. Not only is it the right thing to do (the courts are becoming increasingly strict in enforcing web accessibility standards), but there are also significant financial and branding benefits to be enjoyed. Take the time to properly optimize your site for user accessibility and you’ll reap the rewards of improved traffic, conversions and brand image.

ADA Compliance: Why Your Small Business Needs To Invest in Web Accessibility
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

ADA Compliance: Why Your Small Business Needs To Invest in Web Accessibility

In today’s world, an increasing number of small businesses are recognizing the importance of ADA compliance, or meeting the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, when it comes to creating accessible and welcoming digital spaces for individuals of all abilities. ADA compliance, which began as a physical access and accommodation law in 1990, has grown immensely in recent years, to the point that now it applies to the creating and maintaining of digital spaces.

The key component of ADA compliance when it comes to web accessibility is creating an environment that’s usable by individuals regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. This means making sure a website is keyboard accessible, readable by screen readers, and free of images, or other components, that could potentially cause text to run together or blend into the background.

Though it can seem daunting, a good place to start with ADA compliance is website auditing. There are numerous tools available to help small businesses, law firms, and lawyers audit their websites, ensuring they can identify any issues with accessibility and are able to fix them accordingly. Resources like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, and the Digital Accessibility Checker, or DAC, offer a number of suggestions that can help make webpages more usable and accessible, no matter the disability a user may have.

Investing in ADA compliance can bring with it a wealth of benefits, for businesses, law firms, and lawyers as well as for their prospective clients. Website accessibility can make a legal practice far more approachable and welcoming for those individuals living with a disability, making them more likely to reach out for legal help. Likewise, taking the steps to make sure websites and other digital spaces are accessible can help businesses and legal professionals both widen their reach and increase their credibility and trustworthiness.

In short, ADA compliance isn’t just a necessary step, but an beneficial one. Taking the time to invest in making web pages more accessible can not only make a business more trustworthy, but can also broaden their reach and make them a more welcoming option for clients of all abilities.

Why Should You Scan Your Website Using Compliance Checker?
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

Why Should You Scan Your Website Using Compliance Checker?

ADA compliance has grown more crucial with each passing year. So much so that it has become necessary for many online web pages to be ADA-compliant. As a result, using a website ADA compliance checker has become more common in the last few decades. But should you scan your website using an ADA compliance checker?

We are here to answer that question. And help you find out whether using an ADA compliance checklist is a good fit for you and your website.

Why You Should Use An ADA Compliance Checker

With the changing rules and regulations for what ADA compliance means, ensuring your site is ADA compliant is becoming more crucial. But why should you use an ADA compliance checker?

1.    It Gives You A Clear Idea About Your ADA Compliance Level

One of the major selling points of using an ADA compliance checker is that it can give you a clear idea about where your website stands. And the changes you need to make to your website?

It can be challenging to keep up with the constantly changing rules and regulations that make up the standards of ADA compliance. Thus, by using an ADA compliance checker, you can save yourself some time and effort. And quickly find out issues and areas that require adjustment on your website.

2.     Avoid Penalties

At present, all up-to-date pages require, at the very least, a compliance grade of A. The highest grade is AAA. As a result, many very prominent brands and companies have fallen into lawsuits due to a lack of ADA compliance.

Thus, we can see the importance of maintaining a compliant site. So, an ADA compliance checker may come in handy if you want to avoid these consequences.

3.    Attracting A Larger Audience

A website that lacks proper ADA compliance is missing a large audience of users. Resulting in millions upon millions of lost customers or sales due to the inability to use the website properly. It is due to the website not being designed for individuals with disabilities. Thus, it makes it quite difficult for them to use.

The checker can allow you to quite easily see the issues with your current website. Including accessibility issues and how you can make your website more accessible. This allows you to gain access to a new audience and group of potential customers.

4.    Helps With Search Engine Optimization

Not only does the checker allow you to appeal to a much larger audience, but it can even improve the reach of your website. Screen readers are an accessibility tool used by individuals who are visually impaired. These screen readers act similarly to Search Engine crawlers that scour through pages.

As a result, if your website meets the requirement of ADA compliance, then it is equally likely to improve your page’s SEO. Thus, the checker not only acts as a tool to make your website ADA compliant but also as a checker for Search Engine Optimization. As a result, it increases the reach of your website.

5.    Improve Your Website Reputation

With the help of this checker, you have managed to appeal to a new audience and increase your website’s reach. However, that is not the only reason to use this checker. Adopting a more accessible approach can also help spread your website’s reputation.

By making your website more accessible with the help of a checker, you can garner the faith of your user base; these changes and adjustments to accessibility signal to users that you care about their experience on your site. It results in return users and an increase in word of mouth as you build a reputation for your website as an inclusive and welcoming page.

6.    Improvement Of The User Interface

One of the checker’s leading roles is ensuring that the user interface and experience are smooth and usable. As a result, the checker can help to improve the overall website usability. Thus, by using the checker properly, you can make your website ADA compliant and more usable along the way.

Conclusion

An ADA compliance checker has more uses than just meeting the standard set by the ADA and can help your website grow and reach a larger audience. ADA checklists can give you an idea of what you need to do going forward and what changes your website needs to make.

What Is Section 508 Compliance & Why Is It Important?
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

What Is Section 508 Compliance & Why Is It Important?

Section 508 is a law that requires all federal agencies and non-profit organizations that receive financial assistance from the federal government to make their electrical, communication, and information technologies inclusive and accessible to all people, including those with disabilities.

It is important because it prevents discrimination against disabled people within a government institution. Making IT-related industries accessible to disabled persons can substantially improve their quality of life because they are crucial to people at all stages of life.

What Is Section 508?

Section 508 is actually a vital law that requires all federal agencies and organizations that receive government funding to provide accessibility for people with disabilities. We’ll be exploring what this means in practice and why it’s so important to have web accessibility.

The term “Section 508” is actually a former section of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which was amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1983. This was a wide-ranging law that introduced many of the electronic accessibility standards we know and love today.

Section 508 guidelines specifically state that any federal agency or organization that receives federal financial assistance must comply with handicapped accessibility standards. It’s important to note that the ADA is a separate law and does not require any federal or non-government organization to comply with the ADA.

It can be interpreted as mandating equal access, but this is not it at all. The technology standards are set by the Access Board under Section 508 to ensure that people with disabilities are given the same opportunities as everyone else. Note that there are differences between Section 508 and ADA compliance.

Section 508 compels any information and communications technology-related agencies that receive federal aid to take the necessary steps to prevent discrimination based on the disabilities of an individual. ADA, on the other hand, is similar to this section but in a broader sense. It compels all agencies, whether government or private, to prevent discrimination in any public accommodation. A separate ruling has now included online assets.

How Does The Government Enforce Section 508?

Section 508’s enforceable portion is largely focused on procurement and is administered through the Federal Acquisition Regulations. Beginning in January 2001, Section 508 was included in the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

This implies that when the government purchases information and communication technology, it must choose the product that best fits accessibility criteria. For example, when a federal agency is buying a vending machine and has narrowed it down to five vending machines that match all the criteria. Section 508 dictates which one the federal agency must buy, the one that’s most accessible to disabled people.

Impacts Of Section 508?

The main impact of section 508 is that it made the government focus on accessibility programs and prioritize individuals with limitations and disabilities. Section 508 reshaped the government’s purchasing habits in its sector.

The private sector also took notes from this change. Another great impact of section 508 is that it forced federal agencies to establish accessibility programs. Government agencies now emphasize a lot more on accessibility and disability programs.

Why Is Section 508 Important?

Section 508 is important because it sets equal rights for people of all sorts in society. No one gets discriminated against because of their disabilities. All the government bodies present equal facilities to the taxpayers.

You cannot expect the private sector to introduce equal accessibility to all people if the federal bodies don’t do it first. Section 508 compels all government agencies and private agencies that receive federal aid to apply equal accessibility to everything related to information and communication technology.

This isn’t limited to just a webpage, but everything it is related to, such as software, mobile applications, documents, and even hardware interfaces like TVs, printers, scanners, etc.

Conclusion

For disabled people, Section 508 is important as it enables them to easily access information and technology-related resources. It compels federal agencies to abide by accessibility programs and ensures equal rights for all people. It is not limited to something trivial; it applies to everything related, from hardware like TVs, fridges, printers to websites, web content, eCommerce sites and everything in between.

ADA For Web is dedicated to ensure that website and client interactions follow accessibility guidelines. Contact us now to get a website accessibility audit.

Benefits Of Accessibility Testing For Web And Mobile
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

Benefits Of Accessibility Testing For Web And Mobile

Accessibility testing is a common step in the making of a website, even in countries where there is no law regarding ADA compliance. Proper accessibility testing is not only crucial for creating a functional website, but it is also necessary for making your site follow all the regulations set by the ADA compliance guidelines.

In this article, we will discuss accessibility testing and its benefits.

What Is Accessibility Testing For Web And Mobile?

Accessibility testing your web and mobile apps means you are testing whether they are accessible or not to target users. It is the practice of making your website usable by as many people as possible, especially those with disabilities such as hearing impairment, vision difficulties, and other physical limitations.

You will need accessibility testing for two reasons; making your site accessible and usable to as many people as possible and abiding by the law. Making your site ADA compliant makes it much more usable in most cases. Also, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Section 508, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); all these three together force you to abide by lots of regulations. Otherwise, you might face serious legal troubles summing up to more than $100000 fines.

Benefits Of Accessibility Testing

Accessibility testing for your websites and apps lets you know how well your site is doing in meeting ADA compliance guidelines and the level of user experience. Besides that, there are lots of benefits to accessibility testing. Here are some of those:

  1. Expand User Base

If your website passes the accessibility test that means that your site is much more accessible and usable than sites that do not. More users can access and use the features of your website, take information from your website and use it in real life. That includes disabled people. So naturally, the number of users of your site increases because, besides general people, people with disabilities can use your website too.

  1. Enhance The Compliance Of Your Website

Complying with the US government’s ADA compliance requirements and guidelines may not be enough for your site. While your site passes the ADA compliance test, it has other features that yield a negative user experience. Accessibility testing companies not only check for the US government’s ADA compliance requirements but also other features of your site. So as a result, your site becomes more compliant, pushing it beyond the boundaries.

  1. Enhance Automation

Accessibility testing provides your site with better automation. When implicating automation in your website, proper automation means proper accessibility. Alternative text for various buttons on your site can enhance both automation and accessibility.

  1. Business Growth

As I have stated above, accessibility testing means not only checking your site for ADA compliance but also for other useful features and getting rid of useless ones. Your website represents your venture. More site users means more people are interested in what you have to offer to them. So gradually, your business grows. Proper site automation and compliance testing will drive more traffic to your site, giving your business a much-needed boost.

  1. Avoid Legal Trouble

The US government is serious about making websites ADA compliant. Rehabilitation Act from Section 508 asks federal agencies to only operate with data and communications technology that is even accessible to individuals with disabilities, regardless of the fact that they serve the federal government.

If your website is not ADA compliant, you can face serious legal trouble with fines up to $55000 for the first violation and $11000 for each subsequent violation. It’s something that you should not be indifferent about. By accessibility testing your website, you not only make sure that your site is usable for people with disabilities, but also save yourselves from future legal troubles.

Conclusion

Accessibility testing can save you from big legal trouble. Even if there are no strict laws for ADA compliance in your area, you should still do accessibility testing for your apps and websites because it enhances the usability of your site.

If there are obligations regarding ADA compliance, accessibility testing is a must for your sites. You will make a significant change in your website traffic, business growth, and user experience.

Risks of Not Having An ADA Compliant Website
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

Risks of Not Having An ADA Compliant Website

ADA-compliant websites are assets to an organization. They can ensure better service, user experience, and overall performance of your websites. Many of us are familiar with the ADA compliance feature for websites. If you are unaware of ADA accessibility for websites, you may be wondering about the risks of not having an ADA-compliant website.

There can be multiple risks to your website and organization without ADA accessibility. It is now more than a way to accessorize your websites. ADA compliance is an obligatory feature for websites to follow. Otherwise, your website and organization can be susceptible to ADA lawsuits, penalties, and many other risk factors.

What Are The Risks Of Not Having An ADA Compliant Website

When a website is not ADA compliant, it fails to target a large pool and diverse customer base. This can be crucial for businesses, especially if your business is in a growing phase. Additionally, there are multiple other risks associated with not having an ADA-compliant website. Some of the major risks that you may face without ADA compliance are given as follows.

ADA Lawsuit

One of the biggest risks of not having an ADA-compliant website is the threat of ADA lawsuits. In simpler words, a disabled person can lodge complaints or sue your website if it is not ADA compliant.

According to the Supreme Court’s decision in 2019, all firms and organizations must have ADA-accessible websites. So, if you are not following the ADA guidelines, you are not complying with the law either. In such cases, a disabled person has the right to file a lawsuit directly to the federal court for violations of the ADA. So, you may face ADA lawsuits without ADA compliance.

Non-Compliance Penalties

Similar to ADA lawsuits, another major risk that you face without ADA accessibility is non-compliance penalties. For violating the ADA compliance guidelines, your business may need to pay penalties.

An ADA inaccessible website can have severe penalties. The penalty fines can go as high as $75000 for the first violation. In case of subsequent violations, the fines can go up to $15000. Not only that, these fines are reviewed annually to match the present inflation. Hence, paying these penalties can be a serious risk for businesses.

Missing Opportunities For Brand Exposure

The opportunity cost of not having ADA compliance for your websites is a non-quantifiable risk. That is, when your websites are not ADA accessible, it drives away potential buyers and customers.

Your organization fails to attract a diverse pool of customers when the website is not ADA compliant. A lion’s share of those people is disabled people. So, you immediately lose all disabled people as your customers. This can have many negative impacts on your organization. So, the opportunity cost is a major risk of not having ADA-compliant websites.

Discrimination Against The Disabled People

According to the reports of the CDC, 1 in 4 adults in the USA lives with a disability. That is nearly 61 million Americans living with one or more than one form of disability. So, when your websites are not ADA compliant, such a large population of disabled users fails to access them.

Screen readers, people with assisting devices, and other restraints can not receive your services and features as easily as other users. This creates discrimination against disabled users. Thus, your organization can cause discrimination against disabled people without ADA accessibility.

How Can You Have ADA Compliant Websites?

ADA-accessible websites are now a necessity for organizations and business firms. You can mitigate the risks of not having an ADA-compliant website by simply following the ADA accessibility guidelines on your website. It is one of the smartest investments that you can make in your website.

To have an ADA-compliant website, make sure that you are aware of the ADA compliance guidelines and checklists. You can follow the checklists and add the recommended features to your website accordingly. Finally, you can check your website’s accessibility with tests and checkers.

Additionally, you can also consult with firms that have expertise in creating ADA-compliant websites for you. You can also test and audit your websites with these firms. Thus, you can easily have an ADA-compliant website and rule out all the risks of not having one.

Conclusion

ADA website accessibility is an obligatory feature for your websites. By knowing about the risks of not having an ADA-compliant website, you can understand its necessity.

So, make sure to keep your websites ADA accessible. Contact us to learn more about ADA accessibility for your websites.

Law Firm Website Accessibility And ADA Compliance
Posted on By Author content@adaforweb.com Categories Law Firms

Law Firm Website Accessibility And ADA Compliance

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law put into effect in 1990 with the aim of aiding millions of Americans living with a disability. It is an internet law that covers a wide range of websites and web portals. One of the most prominent of them is the law firm websites. Accessibility and ADA compliance go hand in hand when it comes to law firm websites.

ADA compliance is essential to ensure that people with disabilities are not being discriminated against and to maintain the ease of accessibility. Small businesses, firms, and organizations must follow this predefined set of criteria. It serves the purpose of standardizing cyber accessibility and ease of functionality for the masses.
Law firms, businesses, and corporations can ensure that the vast population of differently-abled people have the same access to services and facilities from their websites as the general public. For this reason, the websites must be accessible and maintain ADA compliance guidelines. It is a feature that is beneficial for both the users and the firm.

What Does It Mean To Be An ADA Compliant Website?
Law firm websites need to be ADA compliant― but how can a firm understand what it means to be ADA compliant? Simply said, your website, as well as all electronic information and technology, must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. It is a civil law that requires all users, regardless of their disability, to be included and treated equally.

Short for the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design, ADA compliance is a predetermined set of regulations, guidelines, and checklists that the website must follow. In this way, the website can be easily accessible to the general people and become highly helpful to people who are disabled. ADA compliance websites can ensure to meet this aim.

Disability comes in a wide range of forms. When web designers work on formulating a website often, it is possible that the website and its services may not be accessed by people with cognitive impairments, auditory impairments, visual and mobility impairments, epilepsy, sensitivity to light flashes, etc.

These constraints deprive millions of people of the website accessibility and service it promises to provide. Especially for law firm websites, which is an imperative service-oriented establishment, they must be ADA compliant. Being ADA compliant not only ensures a better user experience but also boosts the performance of the firm’s website.
So, being ADA compliant is a government-mandated proactive effort that ensures inclusiveness and ease of accessibility to all people, irrespective of their limitations. Firms, corporations, and organizations can grow proactively. They must be aware of the ADA-compliant standards. Implementing these guidelines on their websites can ensure equality for all users.

Benefits Of Law Firm Website Accessibility With ADA Compliance

According to studies by Bloomberg Law, making your websites ADA compliant is an integral way of making the website business ready. For law firms, it is pivotal to follow and implement the guidelines as directed by the government. There are multiple benefits for the law firm and the clients of the firm when their website is ADA compliant. These benefits include-

Projecting A Disability-Friendly Brand Presence

The underlying aim of ADA compliance is to ensure inclusiveness and equality for all people. As many people can find it challenging to access different services and facilities of the website because of their constraints and limitations, it is high time for the business and firm owners to take a proactive step. ADA compliance makes the platform friendly for all users.

When the law firm’s website follows the ADA compliance guidelines, it is also projecting that the platform is disability-friendly. It ensures inclusivity for the people suffering from different physical or mental constraints. Therefore, ADA compliance is vital and highly beneficial for the law firm’s website accessibility and brand presence.

Enhancing Your Digital Customer Experience

ADA compliance ensures a high-quality user experience. Not only does a brand platform become disability friendly, but it also becomes reputable for its enhanced digital customer experience.
The customers can quickly access the service, facilities, and information they are looking for. This process can become complicated and complex to navigate without maintaining the guidelines of ADA compliance. So, maintaining ADA compliance is pivotal to ensuring an enhanced digital customer experience.

Qualifying For A Tax Credit Available

One of the critical advantages of following ADA compliance guidelines is that it will allow the law firm and the other firms following the checklist to qualify for a tax credit available. The tax credit enables the taxpayers or the tax-paying firm to directly subtract from their taxes the amount they owe.
ADA compliance makes the business eligible to access and qualify for a tax credit. The value of the tax credit naturally depends on various correlative factors of the business and its income. However, the bottom line is that ADA compliance plays a significant role in making your law firm qualify for a tax credit when the guidelines are followed.

Complying With The Civil Law

Ensuring that the websites and digital platforms are ADA compliant is a civil law mandated by the government to ensure equality in services for all. In the 2019 Supreme Court decision, a company, law firm, or corporation can face lawsuits against their websites if they do not follow the ADA compliance checklist.
So, ADA compliance is now more than just a tool for easy accessibility on websites. It is the protection of equality and inclusivity for millions of people who suffer from disabilities and constraints. Hence, it is pivotal that law firm websites follow ADA compliance. In this way, the firm can ensure compliance with the law and protect the civil rights of the masses.

Conclusion

ADA compliance is highly significant for law firm websites to follow. It allows ease of accessibility and numerous other benefits that are crucial for the firm. This task can become effective and simultaneously efficient by using ADA compliance software.

Contact us to learn more about ADA compliance and ensure that your websites are following the necessary guidelines.

Increasing Federal Website Accessibility Lawsuits Facts
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Research

Increasing Federal Website Accessibility Lawsuits Facts

There is a rapid increase in the number of lawsuits and threatening demand letters sent to organizations for having websites that are inaccessible to people with certain disabilities. Rather, there must be a decline in the ratio instead of a hike. This article highlights the reason for the increasing number of lawsuits from those past years as well as a web accessibility lawsuit report for better clarification.

The number of Federal Website Accessibility Lawsuits Data (2017-2018) 

According to ADA Title III, there was a minimum of 2258 digital accessibility lawsuits recorded in 2018. With a drastic increase from 814 lawsuits in 2017. A bar graph shows the increase in the number of lawsuits dramatically from 2017 to 2018. This shows that the data has staggeringly become tripled in those two years. 

Title III Website Accessibility Lawsuits Graph

Reason Behind Such a Rapid Explosion of Website Accessibility Lawsuits

The main reason is the unclarity of the guidelines. Title III of ADA has no explicit mention of websites as it was written during the Internet’s inception.  Moreover, there were conflicting verdicts on a range of issues related to Title III and website accessibility. 

For instance, some courts have ruled that all websites are covered by Title III of the ADA while others have ruled that only websites for organizations with a physical location are covered. 

Due to this conflicting nature of federal rulings, an environment of rising litigation has taken and continues to grow.

It is also noted that in 2010, the Department of Justice under the Obama Administration announced the plan to revise the rules and create website accessibility regulations. However, due to constantly changing web technology, the process was delayed for many years. 

In 2018, the House of Representatives passed the ADA Education and Reform Act – but it was not specified to digital accessibility. Instead, it was about the steps that the plaintiff must go through before they can sue any organization under Title III. According to publication, the bill has not been brought up for a vote and is still stuck in the Senate. 

By seeing the situation, it is likely believed that it will take a long time. In addition, it is advisable to make your business protected to stay away from getting sued. Web accessibility lawsuit report says the following data. 

New York And Florida Based Plaintiffs

It is noted that New York and Florida are the two states that bring maximum lawsuits. Although this information is for the plaintiff’s and lawyers’ residence, not the companies being targeted. 

Lawsuits Filed in New York and Florida

Headquarters of The Companies of New York and Florida 

Taking a look at the headquarters locations listed in New York and Florida filing, it is clear that the whole nation is affected globally. 

Top Ten states Filed For Lawsuits

The Industry Pattern: 

The majority of the cases being highlighted by the General pattern over 2017 and 2018 towards the industries like: 

  • Retail
  • Food Service
  • Travel/Hospitality
  • Banking/Financial
  • Entertainment and Leisure
  • Self-Service

Industries Targeted For Web Accessibility Lawsuits

Defending Lawyers Vs Plaintiff Lawyers 

The report lists the top 10 on lawyers and plaintiff lawyers on a regular basis that will likely seem similar settlements and agreements being agreed over time.

Plaintiff Lawyers Vs Lawyers Handling Lawsuits under ADA Compliant cases

Summary: 

The reports show the rampant nature of lawsuits over two years within these states has affected globally. Till the rules get revised, it is strongly recommended to protect your business by making your website ADA compliant. Moreover, you can take assistance from professionals who can make your website ADA compliant as well as provide other services that would be according to the guidelines of ADA Compliant. 

All You Should Know About ADA Compliance
Posted on By Author ADA Support Categories Articles

All You Should Know About ADA Compliance

Many of us have heard about ADA Act but only a few have knowledge about it. Is it a threat to business for not following  ADA compliant guidelines? In this article, know all the basics of ADA Compliant website and go through the checklist provided to ensure you care about your all customers. 

Basically, this act was made for the business person to treat all the users including the people who are not efficient to access due to some disabilities. 

The American With Disability (ADA) Act, which was enacted in 1990, is a set of rules ensuring that everyone, including those with disabilities, has reasonable access to all areas of public life. 

 

It’s not just applicable for the public areas, it’s also about the website owners to provide information that is effectively accessible to all.

What is ADA Compliance?

 

What Is ADA Compliance

“The Department of Justice (DOJ) revised regulations for title II and III for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design in Sept 2010. These standards state that all electronic and information technology must be accessible to people with disabilities”. 

The Revised Titles Stated as:  

An overview of both of the revised titles is stated below.

Title II (State and Local Government)

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services  

Title III (Public Accommodations)

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities 

It is also noted that online ADA compliance is not mandatory on anything but government-managed websites. Instead, these rules act as guidelines to ensure that everyone should be able to access, read/view your website.

The ADA Compliance Issues: 

ADA created suggestions for compliance but these suggestions do not make them law. The suggestions are the only guidelines for the website/business owners to follow. For example, disabled parking facilities mandates in the building codes. The same goes for the websites’ though. In addition, it is not explained completely. Thus, due to the lack of guidelines, it’s hard to judge whether a site is ADA compliance or not. 

Is Your Website ADA Compliant?

Now, its time to look at your website to check is it ADA compliant or not. For this, here are a few checklist points you may go through:

Captions and Descriptions For All Videos – Make sure that all the video scenes have audio description for people who are blind or have low vision. Make sure the videos contain text captions so that people who are deaf or hard of hearing able to access it easily.

Alt Text For All Images – Providing text for each image is beneficial for the people who can read by using screen readers or Braille displays. By using Alt texts, people get the information that exactly what the image is for.

Ensure Your Website Meets Color contrast Standards – This is useful for those with low vision or color blindness. They can change the website’s color and font to read it without any problem. 

Keyboard Navigation – Assistive technologies like imitate keyboard functionality is made for those who are navigating with their keyboard.

What To Do If You Get Sued 

It is likely that most of the notices received are for the purpose of settlement. If you ever received a letter for a lawsuit or settlement, the first thing not to do is panic. Remain calm because it is not mandatory that you can follow all the guidelines in one website. In a situation like this, you may rather follow the steps below: 

  • Investigate – First of all, investigate yourself about the law firm in question. You can easily get your answers on the internet. Check out the details and seek out the credibility of the firm and who the experts are. Moreover, you must research who all in your industry has received a letter from the same firm. Eventually, you may find a lot of businesses if you know your industry. There could be a chance of a class-suit that would be beneficial for the businesses involved in your industry. To take this action, you must know your industry well.
  • Understand the Claims Made Against You – Be sure that you have a firm that understands all the legal items that are highlighted in the letter. It would be great if you take help from outside. A legal counsel or digital agency is the better option to choose for this.
  • Be Confident To Explain Anything To Plaintiff – Explaining to the plaintiff about the review of the grievance and talked with a lawyer in confidence. It would be good if you explain the guidelines of ADA Compliance. It will be better to let your attorney contact the plaintiff when making statements.
  • Audit Your Website – A complete website accessibility audit is a pragmatic step to prevent getting an ADA lawsuit. It will show you accessibility issues on your website. For example, an audit may uncover that your PDF files can’t be read by assistive technology devices. It could also uncover issues around the alt-tags of images on your website. There are a lot of factors that go into ADA compliance. The audit will see where your site stands now and give you the steps you need to take to get it on track. 

In conclusion, it is all a brief introduction about ADA compliance act, the checklist to inspect and additions to your website, last but not the least, steps to take if in case you are sued for the lawsuit. 

The main concern is to take precautions and be on the safe side by making an audit of your website. You can consult, To Be ADA Compliant which provides web accessibility and consulting services. Schedule your appointment and get the best consultation for your website. 

 

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