ADA Compliance Check-List: How to Make Sure your Website is Accessible for Everyone
With a global population of over 1 billion individuals experiencing different types of disabilities, having an ADA compliant website is more critical than ever. As web accessibility requirements become increasingly strict and penalties for non-compliant sites are harsher, ensuring the usability and compliance of your website with the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) will quickly become a priority for all digital marketers and business owners. To make sure that you’re up to date with these standards, we’ll be providing a seven-point checklist that outlines how to confirm whether or not your website is compliant with WCAG 2.0 guidelines. Read on to find out what changes can be made today in order to reduce any accessibility liabilities associated with your site!
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1. Provide Text Alternatives for Non-Text Content
According to WCAG 2.0, all non-text content such as images, audio, and video must have a text alternative that describes the purpose or function of these elements. This is key in order to ensure that those using assistive technology (such as screen readers) can access the content on your website with ease. To implement this requirement, ADA Compliance Company advised that you’ll want to make sure that your web pages include alternate text descriptions for any images and other non-textual elements included on them. By doing so, you will help guarantee equal access to your website for people with visual impairments or mobility restrictions.
2. Don’t Rely Solely On Color
WCAG 2.0 states that color should not be the only way in which information is conveyed on a web page. This means that any instruction or indication of where to click and how to interact with elements on your website must not rely solely on the use of color. Ecommerce Web Design Company in Dallas shares that if you have a button that needs to be clicked somewhere on your web page, it is important to include some additional visual cues (e.g., arrows, text, etc.) that indicate what action needs to be taken by users in order for them to proceed forward with their task at hand.
3. Ensure Keyboard Accessibility
When it comes to ADA compliance for digital sites, keyboard accessibility is essential. All interactive elements and navigation menus on your website should be operable through the use of a keyboard. This includes scroll bars, dropdown menus, links, buttons, etc. According to a digital marketing agency in Texas, it’s important to make sure that all interactive elements are reachable with the tab key and can be activated with the enter or spacebar keys. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that there is an efficient way for users to navigate back and forth between interactive elements on your site without having to keep pressing the tab key endlessly.
4. Make Sure Time Limits Can Be Extended
WCAG 2.0 states that any content or functionality which has time limits should have adjustable settings in order to ensure access by individuals who may need more time due to a variety of disabilities. To ensure compliance with this requirement, any time restrictions placed on your website must be adjustable and/or able to be disabled completely by the user if necessary.
5. Give Users Multiple Ways to Interact With Your Content
WCAG 2.0 requires that all web pages provide multiple ways for users to interact with the content on them (e.g., mouse and keyboard). This means that no single form of interaction should be relied upon in order for users to access certain elements on your website. For example, if someone is using a computer which has a broken mouse and they cannot move their cursor around the screen, they should still have other options available in order to interact with information or features on your site.
6. Provide Help Documentation and/or Support for Users
When it comes to ADA compliance, it’s important to provide help documentation and/or support for users who may need assistance in navigating or interacting with elements on your website. This could take the form of a dedicated section of your web page that provides instructions on how to use certain features, an FAQ page, contact information for customer service staff members, video tutorials, etc. Anything that you can do to make sure that users are able to get the help they need when using your website will be beneficial in making sure that your site adheres to WCAG 2.0 standards.
7. Offer Non-Visual Cues When Appropriate
WCAG 2.0 requires that any non-textual elements included on a web page must provide non-visual cues that allow users who are visually impaired to understand what the content is intended to do and how they should interact with it. This may include providing audio descriptions for images, including labels or captions for videos, etc. By taking the time to ensure that all of your non-textual elements include alternative forms of explanation, you can help guarantee equal access to your website regardless of someone’s level of vision.
Last Words
By following these seven steps outlined in the ADA compliance check list, you can make sure that your website is accessible for everyone and adheres to WCAG 2.0 standards. Furthermore, by making sure that all of your website’s content is accessible to users with disabilities, you can ensure that your site is truly reaching its full potential. In doing so, you can also help create an online environment where everyone feels welcome and included, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.