What Does ADA Accessible Really Mean? Physical and Digital Accessibility Explained

“ADA accessible.” It’s likely a term you’ve heard before — but do you actually know what it means? Or what the legal requirements surrounding it are?

The term gets thrown around a lot, but it’s more than just a buzzword or something to check off. It refers to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination — and ensures they have equal access to physical spaces and online experiences. 

Put simply, when we talk about something being ADA accessible, we’re talking about creating environments, both online and offline, that are usable by everyone. Yes, there are legal requirements to meet, but at its core, accessibility is about usability, inclusion, and equal opportunity. 

Below, we’ll explain what ADA accessibility actually involves. We’ll also examine the physical accessibility standards that apply to buildings and public spaces and how digital accessibility fits into the picture. 

What Does ADA Accessible Mean?

To understand what ADA accessibility means, you first need to understand the ADA a bit more. 

As mentioned above, the ADA is a civil rights law passed in 1990 to prevent discrimination against a person with a disability and guarantee equal opportunities in all areas of public life. The ADA includes five different titles, three of which are relevant to disability rights:

• Title I: Employment: Protects people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to job opportunities.

• Title II: Public Services: ADA Title II covers state and local governments, requiring services like public transportation, education, and voting to be accessible to people with disabilities. 

• Title III: Public Accommodations: Applies to businesses open to the public (e.g., stores, restaurants, hotels, etc.) These public entities must be accessible, including physical locations and digital platforms like websites.

When something is described as ADA accessible, it means it meets the accessibility requirements included in the ADA to ensure people with disabilities can access and use it the same as those without disabilities. That could mean physical features like wide doorways or elevator access, or digital features like screen reader compatibility and keyboard-friendly design. 

Here’s an example:

Imagine a wheelchair user needs to visit a government office. ADA accessibility might mean there’s a ramp out front, automatic doors, and enough space inside to comfortably maneuver their wheelchair. Now, imagine that same person wants to schedule an appointment online. If the website isn’t accessible with a screen reader or can’t be used without a mouse, that’s an accessibility barrier. 

Put simply, ADA accessibility is about breaking down barriers — both physically and digitally — so everyone can fully participate in society. 

With that in mind, let’s examine the law's requirements for accessibility in both physical and online environments.

Physical Accessibility Under the ADA

Physical spaces typically come to mind first when considering ADA accessibility — and for good reason. ADA standards include numerous requirements to ensure that buildings and commercial facilities are usable by people with a wide range of disabilities. Here are a few of them:

Entrances and Doorways

To ensure everyone, particularly those with disabilities, can access buildings, the ADA requires entrances to be wheelchair accessible, meaning they need to be wide, easy to open, and located along accessible routes. Automatic doors or doors with accessible handles (like levers instead of knobs) make a significant difference for those with limited mobility or strength.

Parking Lots and Signage

Accessible parking spaces are required in most public lots and must be located close to building entrances. These spaces should be clearly marked with signs and include extra space on the side for a ramp or wheelchair lift. 

Restrooms

ADA-compliant restrooms include grab bars, sinks that can be used from a seated position, and enough space for wheelchair maneuverability. Small details — like the height of soap dispensers or the placement of toilet paper — also make a significant impact on usability.

Elevators and Ramps

If a building has multiple floors or raised entrances, there must be an accessible way for people to move between levels. Ramps should have gentle slopes and handrails, while elevators need to be large enough for mobility devices and feature controls that are reachable and easy to use.

Each of these features is about more than just checking a legal box — they make everyday experiences more accessible for everyone. Whether someone uses a wheelchair, has limited vision, or has a mobility impairment, physical accessibility features help people more easily navigate and participate in society.

A laptop with an accessibility symbol in the upper-right corner and a volume symbol in the upper-left corner.

Digital Accessibility Under the ADA

However, accessibility doesn’t stop at the front door — it extends to the digital realm. As more services, products, transactions, and interactions move online, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has made it clear: websites and digital platforms are considered “places of public accommodation” under the ADA. That means they’re subject to the same expectations for accessibility as physical spaces. 

So, what does ADA accessibility look like in a digital environment?

It involves designing and maintaining websites, applications, and digital documents in ways that ensure people with disabilities can use them. This includes:

Screen Reader Compatibility

Screen readers are assistive technologies that convert text and other visual elements into synthesized speech or braille. For a site to be compatible, content must follow a logical structure using semantic HTML — such as proper heading levels, lists, and tables — so screen readers can interpret it accurately. Interactive elements like buttons and forms must also be labeled clearly so users know what action they’re performing.

Keyboard Navigation

Not all users can operate a mouse. For individuals with motor disabilities, the ability to navigate a website using a keyboard is essential. This means all interactive components, including menus, buttons, forms, and modal windows, must be accessible and usable using the Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys, with a visible focus indicator to help guide navigation.

Alternative Text for Images

Alternative text, also called alt text, is a brief written description added to images so screen readers can convey the purpose or content of an image to users who cannot see it. This is especially important for informative or functional images (like charts or icons). Decorative images should be marked accordingly to avoid unnecessary distractions.

Captions and Transcripts for Video Content

Videos must include accurate captions to ensure people who are deaf or hard of hearing can access spoken content. Ideally, transcripts should also be provided, allowing users to read the audio portion of a video or use it as a reference. For multimedia content, audio descriptions can provide additional context for visually impaired users. 

Accessible Online Documents

PDFs, Microsoft Word files, and other digital documents must be formatted with accessibility in mind. This includes using proper heading structures, readable fonts, sufficient color contrast, and alternative text for any embedded images or charts. Documents should also be tagged correctly so screen readers can navigate them effectively. 

An important callout to make: accessibility isn’t achieved with a one-time update — it requires ongoing attention, commitment, and testing. As websites evolve and content is added, it’s critical for organizations to continuously test for and fix accessibility issues to ensure ongoing ADA compliance.

A stylized browser with a website that has been made accessible and ADA compliant.

How to Make Your Space ADA Accessible

Understanding ADA accessibility is a great first step to creating more accessible spaces. But knowing how to put it into practice is what really matters. Whether you’re managing a physical location, a website, or both, the key is approaching accessibility proactively. Here are some practical ways to start enhancing your space’s accessibility.

Physical

Hire an ADA Consultant

An ADA consultant can assess your space through the lens of accessibility and compliance. They’ll help identify any barriers that might exist in your building — like entrances, restrooms, or parking areas — and offer specific, actionable recommendations to bring your space in line with ADA guidelines. This kind of expert guidance can help you avoid costly mistakes and prioritize the most impactful changes. 

Look at ADA Checklists and Implement Changes

The U.S. Access Board and other trusted organizations offer ADA checklists designed to help business owners evaluate their spaces. These resources can walk you through the most common requirements — from signage and doorway widths to service counters and accessible routes. We recommend starting with small, but impactful changes, while you plan for larger changes if needed.

Digital

Run an Accessibility Audit

A digital accessibility audit is a critical first step in understanding how accessible your website, mobile app, or digital content currently is. This can involve automated tools to quickly detect common accessibility issues and manual testing to uncover barriers that tools can’t always catch — like keyboard traps, confusing navigation, or low-quality alt text. The results of the audit give you a clear roadmap for enhancing the accessibility of your content and meeting compliance standards. 

Follow Accessibility Best Practices

Start incorporating accessibility into every stage of your content creation process. This means using accessible design best practices like using semantic HTML, providing alt text for images, ensuring adequate color contrast, and designing with keyboard and assistive technology users in mind. Referencing standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) or our comprehensive WCAG checklist can help ensure your content is both usable and compliant.

Engage in Ongoing Accessibility Testing

Accessibility is not a one-and-done effort (as we mentioned above). Regular accessibility testing — both automated and manual — is essential to maintain accessibility as your site or app evolves. Be sure to include users with disabilities in testing as much as possible to gain real-world feedback and identify issues that tools might miss. 

We recommend taking a hybrid approach to accessibility testing — using automated accessibility tools to identify common issues and expert testing to catch more complex issues. This can help you bring your content closer to compliance with ADA requirements, lowering your legal risk. 

Hold Regular Accessibility Training for Content Creators

Designers, developers, marketers, and anyone who creates digital content should be trained on accessibility best practices. Understanding how their decisions affect usability makes accessibility part of your culture, making it more than just a compliance checkbox. Regular accessibility training ensures that new content continues to meet standards and regulations over time and helps you create accessible content from the start.

By taking these steps, you’re not just meeting legal requirements — you’re creating a more accessible, usable experience for every customer, visitor, or user interacting with your business.

The Value of Being ADA Accessible

Accessibility is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a must. When your physical and digital spaces are ADA accessible, you’re not only meeting legal requirements but also showing your customers, employees, and community that accessibility and usability are a core value of your business.

And to help you with the digital side of ADA accessibility, there’s AudioEye.

AudioEye takes a three-pronged approach to accessibility, combining powerful automation, AI-assisted human technology, and testing during the development process to detect and fix accessibility issues faster and at 90% less cost than traditional methods. Plus, with AudioEye Assurance, you’ll enjoy a level of legal protection that’s 400% better than consulting or automation-only approaches. 

Get started on the path to ADA compliance with a free accessibility scan. Or schedule a demo to learn how AudioEye can support your journey toward ADA accessibility.