What is Being ADA Compliant
Your website resides in cyberspace, not physical space, so does your site have to be ADA compliant?
Yes. That’s the short answer.
So what does it mean to be an ADA compliant website?
ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act. In reference to websites, ADA refers to the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. September 15, 2010 the Department of Justice revised the Titles II and III of which states that all electronic and information technology (like websites) must be accessible to people with disabilities.
Therefore, being compliant is making sure your website is accessible and maintained to people with disabilities, such as those who are visually impaired or deaf.
Website accommodation as it relates to public accommodation
Most people associate accessibility requirements with a physical location that serves the general public. A bank’s ATM has to be accessible as well as restrooms. Hotels and motels have to make swimming pools accessible, too.
Under Title III of the ADA, courts have overwhelmingly ruled that websites are considered places of public accommodation. But not all websites are equal. Technically, the ADA Title III does not specifically address websites. Local and state government websites must be accessible under Title II of the ADA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Hence, ADA civil suits have been brought against businesses with inaccessible websites and courts have ordered those websites to be accessible. Furthermore, most courts do give businesses flexibility in how to approach accessibility.
Websites that need to be accessible
If your website is commercial in nature, then it is a must that your site be ADA compliant. It’s especially true if your website is connected to a physical location like a retail outlet or business in the hospitality or health industries.
If you are a service only website with no eCommerce at all, my advice to you is to be safe and make sure you are compliant. Every website should to be accessible to all people.
Unfortunately, if your website is not ADA compliant or accessible, then you are liable. A lawsuit can filed against you or your business if people with disabilities cannot access your website.
It is better to be safe than sorry when that demand letter comes in the mail.
Pure Media Marketing can help make your website be accessible.
Ways we make your website ADA Compliant:
Here is a very short list of the main tasks of website accessibility:
We use the WP ADA Compliance plugin by AWS Web Services. The plugin is designed especially for WordPress. WP ADA Compliance plugin has the basic version and the Pro version. We will suggest the Pro version for all eCommerce websites. Included with the cost is the full set-up and manual editing alt texting of pictures, page structure, links, and other manual editing. Video compliance is an extra cost.
Alt text pictures. Not alt texting your pictures is on the most frequent complaints in demand letters.- Content structure. Making sure your content is structure with heading, (e.g.. H1, H2, etc.) that are properly nestled in order.
- Buttons have anchor text for links. You can no longer can you use “click here” or “learn more”. Buttons have to have clear direction of where the user is going.
- Links that open in a new window or page. When a person clicks on a link, or a PDF there has to have a anchor tag that tells screen readers, what the action of link is.
- Amending any confusing color contrast.
- Adjusting the font size rule or type. Most code for font size is PX or pixel. Fonts need to be scalable to people with disabilities. It is better to use % or Em for font sizes.
- Modifying forms so they can be read by screen readers.
