Meeting Global Accessibility Requirements: A Roadmap for International Organizations

When Domino’s Pizza launched its online ordering system in 2008, the company likely saw the move as a tech-forward step toward more convenience and customer satisfaction. But for one blind customer in the U.S., the online system was anything but usable. He could not navigate the website or mobile app with his screen reader — and ultimately filed a lawsuit that escalated to the Supreme Court. Domino’s lost. 

This wasn’t just a U.S.-specific issue. Worldwide, organizations are facing similar backlash for inaccessible digital experiences. In Europe, companies that fail to meet the European Accessibility Act (EAA) standards can face fines and penalties for inaccessibility. In Canada, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) require federally regulated entities to meet specific accessibility expectations — or risk legal and reputational consequences.

Put simply, digital accessibility laws now span countries, continents, and jurisdictions, and many international organizations are unaware of how exposed they really are. Even with the best of intentions, companies can find themselves out of step with local regulations simply because they didn’t realize what applied or how fast global laws are evolving. 

Below, we’ll walk you through global accessibility compliance requirements and digital accessibility guidelines your organization needs to understand to reduce legal risk, ensure compliance, and deliver accessible experiences across all markets.

Flat map of the world with a shied and legal scale on top

The Global Landscape: Accessibility Laws Around the World

One of the biggest misconceptions organizations have around digital accessibility laws is this: Only laws where their organization is based apply to them. That’s no longer the case. If your digital platforms, products, or services are accessible from other regions — and especially if you serve or market to international customers — you may be subject to global web accessibility laws without realizing it.

Take, for example, a U.S.-based eCommerce brand that ships to customers in the EU. Even though the company is headquartered in the States, if its website or app isn’t accessible to European users, it could fall under the scope of the EAA. Similarly, a Canadian software company offering services to U.K. clients may need to meet the Equality Act 2010 — regardless of where the product was built. 

Bottom line: Your platform is never just operating locally. If someone in another country can access your digital services — and especially if they’re purchasing, subscribing, or interacting — then you may be subject to that region’s website accessibility regulations.

With that in mind, here’s a high-level overview of a few global accessibility requirements.

United States

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Originally written for physical spaces, the ADA has since been expanded by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include online spaces, ruling them places of public accommodation. Under the ADA, public entities must provide accessible online experiences to individuals with disabilities. This includes websites, mobile applications, and online documents. 

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 508 applies specifically to federal government agencies and contractors in the U.S. and requires that all digital content, communications, and telecommunications be accessible. 

Unruh Civil Rights Act (California)

The Unruh Act expands the protections outlined in the ADA and protects individuals from discrimination by all business establishments within the state. Under the Unruh Act, organizations cannot discriminate based on age, ancestry, disability, national origin, immigration status, medical condition, marital status, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

European Union

European Accessibility Act (EAA)

The EAA mandates that digital products and services (including eCommerce sites, banking platforms, kiosks, eBooks, transport services, etc.) be accessible and ensure equal opportunity for all. 

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 

While focused on data privacy, the GDPR intersects with accessibility in how users interact with privacy notices, forms, and controls.

Canada

Accessible Canada Act (ACA)

The ACA requires federally regulated entities to proactively identify, remove, and be barrier-free in both physical and online spaces.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

The AODA sets phased deadlines for accessibility in Ontario, including web content that conforms to the standards included in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which we’ll discuss in more detail below.

United Kingdom

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act specifically prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and applies to digital services— requiring businesses to provide “reasonable adjustments” to ensure equal access.

Australia

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

The DDA requires equal access to all information and services, including websites, for people with disabilities.

Accessibility Laws are Expanding Worldwide

From Brazil to Israel to New Zealand, more countries are introducing or tightening accessibility legislation. While the language and specifics may differ, accessibility is a legal requirement in many countries — not a bonus feature. Enforcement is increasing as well. Regulators are stepping up, advocacy groups are more active, and lawsuits are becoming more common. This means non-compliance with web accessibility standards can increase your chances of facing legal action or negatively impact the user experience.

A stylized web browser surrounded by icons for hearing disabilities, visual disabilities, motor disabilities, and cognitive disabilities.

WCAG: The Common Denominator for Accessibility Laws

Each law above requires that online information or services be accessible to individuals with disabilities — but what does that actually mean?

Most accessibility laws don’t include technical standards for accessibility; instead, they use WCAG guidelines. Originally developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG is used to measure compliance with laws like:

• The ADA in the U.S.

• The AODA in Canada

• Section 508 compliance requirements for U.S. federal agencies

• Australia’s DDA, when referencing best practices for accessible web content

WCAG 2.1 Level AA includes 50 success criteria on how to make digital content accessible to individuals with disabilities, including:

• Adding alt text to images and other non-text content

• Including captions or transcripts in video or audio content

• Using headers in the proper order

• Ensuring compatibility with assistive technology like screen readers

• Adding clear labels and error messages to form fields

• Ensuring all online documents, including PDFs and Word Documents, are accessible

These are just some of the success criteria included in WCAG. For a more comprehensive list, check out our WCAG checklist.

What About the EU? POUR or WCAG?

One important thing to note is that the European Union legislation does not explicitly adopt WCAG as the legal standard for accessibility. Instead, the EAA and the Web Accessibility Directive are based on EN 301 549, which uses the POUR principles and requires digital content to be:

• Perceivable

• Operable

• Understandable

• Robust

However, EN 301 549 does align closely with WCAG. In practice, conformance with WCAG can position your organization for compliance with accessibility standards across EU member states.

A Roadmap to Meeting Global Accessibility Requirements

Whether you’re expanding internationally or already operating across multiple markets, this step-by-step framework will help your organization meet digital accessibility requirements and build long-term compliance.

1. Identify the Regions Where You Operate or Serve

Start by mapping where your digital experiences reach. Where do you have customers, users, or business operations? Even if you don’t have a physical presence in another country, if someone can access your website or app — and especially if they can transact with you — you could be subject to that region’s laws.

2. Map Applicable Laws and Policies 

Once you’ve identified your regions, map the accessibility laws and digital compliances that apply — particularly the ones listed above. This step ensures your organization understands its obligations across all relevant jurisdictions.

3. Align to the Appropriate Accessibility Standard

With many countries referencing or aligning with WCAG, your content will likely need to conform to WCAG guidelines. However, if you’re operating in the EU, review POUR principles to minimize your legal risk.

4. Conduct an Accessibility Audit

A full accessibility audit is the most effective way to understand how accessible your digital content is and where improvements are needed. An audit typically includes:

• Automated accessibility testing to detect common accessibility issues.

• Hands-on testing by accessibility experts, including screen reader and keyboard navigation testing.

• User testing with assistive technology and screen reader users.

Remember: conduct accessibility audits on all your digital assets, including web pages, mobile apps, PDFs, third-party integrations, etc.

5. Create an Accessibility Action Plan with Timelines and Responsibilities

Use your audit results to build an actionable accessibility roadmap. Prioritize critical fixes, assign owners across teams, and define timelines to track progress. This roadmap should be realistic but urgent — especially if you’re towards compliance deadlines.

6. Train Internal Teams (Design, Development, Content, QA)

Accessibility isn’t just a development issue — it’s team-wide.

Make sure designers follow accessible design best practices, such as ensuring sufficient color contrast and focus order. Writers should know how to write effective alt text and semantic headings. QA testers should include accessibility testing in their testing plans. 

Remember: The earlier accessibility is integrated into your workflows, the fewer fixes you’ll need later.

7. Engage Accessibility Experts for Audits, Fixes, or Program Design 

If you don’t have internal accessibility expertise, partner with someone who does. Working with a partner specializing in digital accessibility strategy and fixes can help you avoid costly mistakes and accelerate your path to compliance. Experts can also help translate laws into action — especially in complex, multi-jurisdictional environments.

8. Monitor and Evolve

Remember: Accessibility isn’t just one-and-done. It’s an ongoing commitment. 

Implement continuous testing, user feedback loops, and ongoing monitoring to keep your digital experiences compliant and accessible, even as your platforms evolve. Consider building accessibility checkpoints into every product release, content update, or redesign to ensure accessibility issues are found and fixed before they impact your users.

These steps can help you bake accessibility into your workflows, reducing rework and creating more accessible content.

A series of icons representing things like web cursors and Braille keyboards, next to an accessibility symbol.

Make Global Accessibility a Part of Your Growth Strategy

When Domino’s faced a lawsuit over its inaccessible online ordering system, it likely didn’t see the lawsuit coming. The platform was meant to offer convenience and drive digital sales, but for users with disabilities, it created impassable barriers. The result? a legal battle that made headlines, cost time and money, and damaged public trust.

Stories like this are becoming more common worldwide. Around the world, digital accessibility is being enforced through stronger laws, increased litigation, and growing consumer expectations. But here’s the opportunity: accessibility doesn’t have to be a liability — especially if you have the right partner. 

With AudioEye, meeting international accessibility laws is simple, easy, and cost-effective. From powerful automation to human-assisted AI technology, AudioEye helps you detect and fix accessibility issues and achieve industry-leading compliance with global standards. Plus, with AudioEye Assurance, you’ll enjoy 400% more protection than consulting or automation-only approaches.

Whether you’re just beginning or reevaluating your existing content, the time to act is now. Get started with a free accessibility scan. 

Want to see AudioEye in action? Schedule a demo.