In today’s digital era, it’s important that your website is accessible to everyone, regardless of the abilities one possesses. This is where ADA compliance comes in. ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensures that individuals with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of society, including websites. Ensuring that your website is ADA compliant not only makes it accessible to a wider audience, but it’s also the law. Is your website liable under ADA law? More than likely, if your website is a public one then you are liable.
Accessibility Guidelines
How do I make my website more compliant? Making a website complaint can come with some difficulty depending on the platforms used on your site. It could be as simple as installing a plugin on a wordpress site or as difficult as manually manipulating elements of your page. At the root of ADA Compliance you are making all content accessibility to all peoples regardless of viewport, abilities, and backgrounds. Think about your elderly relative, do they always know that a home button brings the user home? Can they read the text? Or, if a user has a motor/visual impairment, will they be able to click on that small button you have in the upper left? How about a visually impaired user who is tabbing through the website – will they be able to “see” all your content? Do your links express where they are going or simply say, “Read More.”
At Kelly Design and Development, we specialize in creating websites that are not only visually appealing but also accessible to everyone. Our team understands the importance of web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) and assistive technologies in creating an accessible website.
Try it Yourself – While there are many resources out there, we recommend reviewing the documentation at AccessibilityChecker or using an accessibility widget such as AccessiBe. Just be careful as accessibility widgets can be a large cost. To familiarize yourself with the realm of digital ADA Compliance please review the WCAG 2.0 guidelines, we recommend a compliance rating of at least AA.
Assistive Technologies
One of the key components of ADA compliance is ensuring that your website is compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers and voice recognition software. This means incorporating features such as alt text, which describes images for those who cannot see them, and keyboard navigation, which allows users to navigate your website without a mouse.
Try it Yourself – We love demoing the Funkify tool which allows users to experience what it is like interacting with pages as though they had a variety of visual/motor/cognitive impairments.
Assistive Technologies
Another important aspect of ADA compliance is color contrast. Ensuring that there is enough contrast between text and background colors allows those with visual impairments to read your website more easily.
At Kelly Design and Development, we work closely with you to ensure that your website is ADA compliant from the ground up. We take the time to understand your unique needs and the needs of your audience, creating a website that is not only accessible but also user-friendly and intuitive.
Conclusion
Ensuring that your website is ADA compliant is not only important for accessibility, but it’s also good for business. An accessible website is more likely to attract and retain customers, making it an investment in the long-term success of your business.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to revamp your existing digital footprint, Kelly Design and Development can help ensure that your website is ADA compliant and accessible to all. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business succeed in the modern digital era.