What you need to know
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a comprehensive civil rights law enacted in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life.
Title III of the ADA specifically requires businesses to make their physical locations and digital properties accessible to people with disabilities.
Non-compliance with ADA requirements can result in legal action, including lawsuits and civil penalties. Federal fines can range from $55,000 to $150,000 for first violations, with higher penalties for subsequent violations.
How does it apply?
While the ADA was written before the widespread use of the internet, courts have consistently interpreted that websites and digital products are considered “places of public accommodation” under Title III.
Digital accessibility should address various types of disabilities including:
- Visual (blindness, low vision, color blindness)
- Auditory (deafness, hearing impairment)
- Motor (inability to use a mouse, slow response time)
- Cognitive (learning disabilities, distractibility, inability to focus on large amounts of information)
While the ADA doesn't specify technical standards, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA is widely accepted as the standard for digital accessibility compliance. These guidelines cover four main principles: content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
Ensuring compliance
To ensure ADA compliance, businesses should implement a comprehensive approach that includes:
- Conducting regular accessibility audits
- Following WCAG guidelines in development
- Providing alternative text for images
- Ensuring keyboard navigation functionality
- Using sufficient color contrast
- Providing captions for videos
- Maintaining a clear and consistent navigation structure
Beyond legal risks, inaccessible websites exclude potential customers and can damage brand reputation. Implementing accessibility best practices not only ensures compliance but also creates a better user experience for all visitors.
Next steps with DevAlly
Maintaining ADA compliance across your digital properties can be complex and time-consuming, especially for organizations with multiple websites and applications.
DevAlly can help streamline your accessibility compliance journey with:
- Comprehensive accessibility audits of your digital properties to identify potential ADA compliance issues
- Detailed reports and recommendations for addressing accessibility violations
- Ongoing monitoring to ensure continued compliance as your digital properties evolve
- Support in implementing WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards across your digital ecosystem
Note: The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.