What Does ADA Compliance Require for Your Website?

What does ADA compliance require for your website? Most organizations are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, but what does that actually require? The short answer: following the accessibility standards outlined in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Let’s break this down further. The ADA is the law. WCAG is how you comply with the ADA in online settings. U.S. courts and the Department of Justice both point to WCAG 2.2 Level AA as the standard for what compliant digital content looks like.

So what does ADA compliance look like in practice? Here are a few examples: Alt text, which is a written description of an image or graphic, is included across your website. Clear, accurate captions are included in video content. Users can navigate your website using keyboard commands or shortcuts alone. Your digital content has sufficient color contrast for good readability. Assistive technology or screen reader users can easily navigate through your digital content. Meeting accessibility standards for websites does so much more than help you avoid legal risk. Building these features into your digital content ensures it works well for everyone, including the 1 in 4 Americans with a disability. Want more information on ADA compliance requirements? Check out the resources in the video description.