What Are Web Content Accessibility Guidelines?

People with disabilities often have a difficult time accessing information via websites. And in a society that relies on technology, with 5.18 billion internet users worldwide, that leaves them at a real disadvantage.

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Multiple services are now moving online, leaving people to rely on internet use like never before. Finding health and safety resources, voting information, and accessing public transportation schedules are just a few examples.

Making sure your website meets standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is essential.

You don’t want to end up like Target in 2006. The retail company neglected to make sure their website was ADA compliant, and The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) took notice. In 2018, Target settled their class-action lawsuit and paid $6 million in damages.

But what possible barriers should you be on the lookout for when it comes to your website? How do you make sure your website is accessible for everyone? Let’s get into it.

The ADA doesn’t offer set guidelines when it comes to website compliance.

This gives you the chance to have more customization in how you want your site to function, but it can also leave you in a situation where you might forget to address a specific barrier.

That’s why organizations follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines are a reference point for businesses to improve their digital accessibility, therefore bringing in more online traffic.

WCAG standards have 12-13 guidelines organized under four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust:

Perceivable guidelines ensure that those with disabilities can easily access online content. This includes offering alternatives to text for sight-impaired users, such as audio alternatives and assistive technology.

Operable guidelines cover the ability for people with disabilities to navigate a website. Keyboard accessibility for users to access your content is one example.

Understandable guidelines make sure your website information is easy to… well, understand. For example, your site may offer assistive technology to make content readable and predictable while offering assistance if needed.

Robust guidelines see to it that your website’s content is accessible through various devices and platforms. On a computer? Great. On a phone? No problem. A tablet? Say less. To be ADA compliant, people with disabilities must have access to your website through all devices.

Each guideline has testable success criteria, and there are three levels:
A is the bare minimum level of accessibility.

AA is your target level of accessibility which meets legal requirements.
AAA exceeds accessibility requirements.

Websites are often designed and set up in ways that don’t always foster accessibility. Barriers that make it difficult for people with disabilities to use websites are just as important to address as physical barriers, like steps to enter a building. Meeting WCAG standards improves your website’s accessibility for the disabled population while protecting you from a possible lawsuit.

#WebAccesibility #ADACompliance