How to Make Your Business Website ADA Compliant

Did you know that websites and mobile apps are places of public accommodation? Yes, they are, and because of this, your website must meet specific compliance guidelines for everyone to access your website without any barriers. Accessibility for everyone in all capacities, even those extending beyond the physical environment, is a legislative act that ensures people are guaranteed this ability.

There are two important sets of guidelines to keep in mind when checking to see if your website is compliant: WCAG and ADA. Louisville Geek is partnering with accessiBe to help you ensure your website meets these guidelines.

What are WCAG and ADA Compliance?

The American Disabilities Act protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in all forms. Since the internet is considered a place of public accommodation, the ADA has expanded to include websites as a protected place. What does it mean for a website to be ADA compliant, and how do you measure a website against it? Websites must be digitally accessible for everyone and the WCAG, or Website Content Accessibility Guidelines, helps ensure this is possible.

WCAG is a shared set of criteria that set the standard for how web content is digitally accessible for all. Web content refers to the information in a web page, such as the text, images, sounds, and the code that defines the presentation. Three levels of WCAG compliance score the level of accessibility on your website.

WCAG 2.0 Level A: Minimal Compliance

Websites that are at minimal compliance are difficult for people to use and navigate.

WCAG 2.0 Level AA: Acceptable Compliance

At this level, your website is understandable and usable for most people who visit it.

WCAG 2.0 Level AAA: Optimal Compliance

Websites compliant at this level mean that the experience is easy and accessible to all users.

The ADA works in tandem with the WCAG to ensure that websites are accessible for all individuals, which is why yours must stay consistently up to date. Not only will your business be kept out of legal troubles down the road, but everyone will have an enjoyable experience when they visit your website.

What is accessiBe, and how can it help?

accessiBe is a script added to your website that scans and analyzes the functionality of every element on your website. accessiBe utilizes two applications that together achieve compliance. The accessibility interface is responsible for all the UI and design-related adjustments, while the AI-powered background process handles the more complex requirements – optimization for screen-readers and for keyboard navigation. The AI automatically rescans a website every 24 hours after the initial remediation to ensure that all content updates and adjustments made to a website are accessible and compliant as well.

With state-of-the-art AI technology, accessiBe is going to enhance the performance and compliance of your website. Louisville Geek is excited about this new partnership with accessiBe, and we look forward to getting you started with this tool. If you are interested in learning more about this tool and how you can get started, please contact a member of our Sales team today.