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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.

Four Principles Of Web Accessibility
Posted on By Author content@adaforweb.com Categories Law Firms

Four Principles Of Web Accessibility

When we need assistance gathering information, we frequently use the internet to access websites. You will have fewer visitors on your website if it is difficult to access. So, what is it that makes your website accessible? Well, to sum it up, there are four principles of web accessibility.

The four principles of web accessibility are robust, perceivable, understandable, and operable. They are referred to as POUR. These principles break down the four main aspects that are needed to access databases over the web.

WCAG is widely accepted as a set of standards for websites and is the optimum way to achieve accessibility. It is also referenced in web accessibility lawsuits. Let us continue reading to learn more about WCAG.

Four Principles Of Web Accessibility

Information on websites must be presented to users so that they can easily understand and access them. Users often have to scroll through to find specific information for which they have clicked on your website. It should not take them long for them to get irritated and try out other websites.

Let us read in detail about how the four principles of web accessibility help make it easy for users to gather information from your website. Here is an introduction to POUR.

● Perceivable
Information presented on a website must be able to be processed by the user. You should present information in a processable format, or else it will not be accessible. This also indicates you are to provide texts for those who have a disability of hearing or are deaf. It has to comply with ADA web accessibility.
Your website should also have alternative texts for contexts so that they can be changed by users according to needs such as symbols, speech, language, etc. You may also add different times for people accessing your website from different time zones. Your content must match the site’s information. Pictures and videos must be relatable to the data being presented.

You also need to keep in mind that many users may also be blind and would need audio assistance. You don’t have to create audios for every piece of content up on your website, but those which are crucial for assistive technologies and voiceovers. Your websites require sight or hearing, or else they will not pass the permeability test.

● Operable
You should design your website in a user-friendly manner so that it is easily operable by the users. If the website is easy to access, it will gather more traffic on your site than websites or businesses providing similar services.
Users, upon looking at your website, must know where to click to get information. There should be tabs and drop-downs that help users navigate information and help them determine where to find content.

Your website should give enough time for users to find what they are looking for. Use domains that have more uptime and will load images larger in size faster. You should not keep users waiting for your page to load. Remember, they already have more tabs open looking for similar information from other sites.
Users who have cognitive disabilities must also be considered when setting up websites. Use media and animations that can be controlled and accessed by them as well.

● Understandable
A website that is easily perceivable and easy to operate can still be hard to understand for users. Your website should use concise language and be clear with links and tabs. You should also make your websites appear predictable and operational.

Make sure it is easy to comprehend for your users. If your user is clicking on a piece of information, then the result should be obvious and not seem like clickbait.
Your web interface must follow a logical flow of data and have different sections dividing information instead of jumbling it altogether. Your ads must also be organized and not block users from accessing information.

● Robust
Users usually select their technological mix. You should construct a website that runs smoothly across other platforms and browsers. It should also be accessible by different devices and not make users zoom in and out constantly on your website to collect information.

The best way to achieve website robustness is by following standards of development and conventions. Use codes that are as clean as possible. This makes the website more consumable, accessible, and robust across all platforms. Try to combine different technologies on your website so users are drawn more to your site and find it interesting.

In general, to make a website robust, it should be reliable by providing a wide variety of supporting technologies to user agents. Try to add tools or widgets to your website. This will allow users on your site to interact more. You may add chat rooms or surveys that help them get real-time information or also have relatable content presented to them.

Importance Of Accessibility

POUR needs to be presented for website accessibility. It improves the quality of your page while also helping users access information on the website faster. This is the primary concern for both users with and without disabilities. It also determines if users will continue to use your site for gathering information in the future.

By adapting POUR for accessibility, you pass the permeability test. This will aid users with and without disabilities in obtaining information from your website. It also keeps your codes clean, making the website look more organized. Users seek out websites with appealing visuals in addition to the information they need.

With so many websites out there, there is a need for your website to be presentable and have information that will be helpful to users. POUR helps users from other platforms to reach your site. It also gives you reference to ADA compliance website lawsuits and ADA web accessibility.

Conclusion

The four principles of web accessibility are robust, perceivable, understandable, and operable. It improves the quality of your page while also helping users access information on the website faster. POUR helps determine whether your website is easy to understand and accessible for users on your website.

ADA Website Remediation Guide
Posted on By Author content@adaforweb.com Categories Articles

ADA Website Remediation Guide

If your website is not in compliance with the ADA, you could be looking at a potential lawsuit. Fortunately, you can take some simple steps to bring your website into compliance.

This guide will walk you through the most important things to consider when remedying your website.

We’ll also provide some tips for making sure your website is accessible to everyone. Let’s get started!

Making Websites Accessible Is the Law

Your website must follow ADA guidelines to provide equal access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) enforces the ADA through investigations and lawsuits. If DOJ finds a violation, they may sue you to obtain court orders and monetary damages to stop the discrimination.

An accessible website reduces your risk of being sued by the DOJ or an individual with a disability. However, even if you are not at risk of legal action, it is still the law to make your website accessible.

We provide specific protections for existing websites built before April 21, 2010. Newer sites must comply with current standards (i.e., Section 508).

Understand The ADA Website Requirements 

The ADA website requirements are split into four categories:

  • High Priority
  • Medium Priority
  • Low Priority
  • Extra Credit

Each of these categories is explained in detail below. Let’s get started!

High-Priority Requirements:

Your website must be compatible with screen reading technology.

Ensure the content is accessible to screen readers by using text instead of images for headers, links, and buttons. Use descriptive link text that includes the function of the linked page, not just the title of the page or subpage.

If you include graphics on your web page, use ALT text to provide an accessible description. The ATAG 2.0 – Section 508 Guide includes further recommendations for ensuring your website is compatible with screen readers.

If you are using Flash or other non-text elements on your site, ensure that they include alternative information presented in a text format.

Your website must be compatible with speech recognition technology.

Ensure your site is compatible with voice recognition software by limiting background noise and not using scripting, Flash, or other elements that may cause the screen reader to misinterpret data.

By making sure your website is accessible to individuals who use screen readers and voice recognition software, you can provide equal access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Medium-Priority Requirements: 

Your website must be compatible with text magnification technology.

Users who have low vision may require enlarged fonts or larger images. By having these options available, everyone will have the ability to view your content.

Make sure to use scalable vector graphics (SVG) instead of bitmap graphics (PNG) to maintain the image quality even when it is enlarged. For further recommendations, refer to the W3C Mobile Accessibility Guidelines.

Your website must be compatible with color differentiation technology.

People who are color blind or have low vision may not distinguish colors well. Ensure that content is also available in black and white or grayscale to ensure everyone has access.

Low-Priority Requirements:

Your website must meet general requirements for text formatting and placement.

The text must be left-aligned, meaning that the reader starts from the same point on each line or paragraph. Headings, links, and buttons should be underlined, bolded, or both to show the text’s importance.

Wherever possible, use headings (H1-H6) to organize your content and make it more accessible. Do not rely only on color or font size to convey meaning because some users will not distinguish these changes.

Your website must provide captions for audio and video content.

Captions provide what is said in multimedia format (i.e., speech or background music). Refer to the FCC’s Online Captioning Best Practices Guidelines for further information on giving captions.

Extra-Credit Requirements:

Provide transcripts for video and audio content.

Transcripts are text created from the audio file. The text should be available in a separate document or included with the multimedia content so users can read along if they cannot hear the video.

Provide alternative representations of color-dependent information.

Some individuals may not distinguish colors well, especially if they have low vision. Make sure that all information is available in a format other than color.

For instance, a background contrasts with associated text or uses shapes to represent information instead of colors.

Your website must be compatible with screen magnification technology.

Use large fonts and high-contrast color models to increase the font size of their browser if necessary. Your website should be compatible with the text enlargement function on most modern browsers.

Should I outsource ADA web accessibility remediation?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the decision of whether to outsource ADA web accessibility remediation will depend on a variety of factors, including a budget, timeline, resources, and expertise.

However, many organizations find that outsourcing this work can be a more efficient and cost-effective way to meet their ADA compliance obligations.

The first thing to consider is who will do the website cleanup: your development team or an external ADA website maintenance firm? If you already have a team in place, we strongly suggest utilizing it.

If your team is overwhelmed, doesn’t exist, or you’d instead work with a group of WCAG remediation professionals, we can step in and provide the assistance you require.

ADA Website Remediation:

The first step is to categorize the audit results by task type and importance or urgency. In our documentation, we indicate the level of each item and then give a priority ranking so that project management may use it. Issues are classified into three categories: design, content, and development.

Design Issue: These issues include colour contrast, movement, and audio.

Content Issue: These issues include information missing from the screen-reader text file or other features that do not rely on the design.

Development Issue: These issues are typically coding errors in which a developer may have implemented a solution to a problem in a way that creates new problems.

For each of these items, we guide how to resolve the issue and include any relevant references to the WCAG 2.0 at Level AA success criteria or other sources for more information.

PDF Remediation: 

When it comes to PDFs, you need a company that can handle the job for an affordable price. There are specialists out there who will remediate your entire website in bulk at discounted rates if needed; we recommend using one of these services instead!

Choosing a Sect 508 / ADA Website Remediation Consultant:

To start, ask for references from an attorney specializing in web accessibility or an experienced website designer.

You’re looking for a person or team who can get both the code and how people with disabilities use assistive technologies to navigate websites – which isn’t your average developer!

Conclusion:

The ADA Website Remediation Guide is a comprehensive set of recommendations and best practices for making websites accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The guide offers an overview of the requirements of the ADA, explains how to make websites accessible, and provides case studies of organizations that have successfully remediated their websites.

If you’re looking for help remediating your website or want more information on the ADA, this guide is a great place to start.

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