ADA Compliance: A Web Designer’s Essential Checklist

The digital world is swiftly becoming as ubiquitous as the physical, yet accessibility remains an afterthought for many online spaces. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) extends beyond physical locations to digital content, emphasizing the importance of website accessibility to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities. This blog post provides an overview of ADA guidelines and presents a practical checklist for website owners, designers, and developers to ensure their virtual real estate is open to all.

Visual Accessibility

One of the cornerstones of ADA compliance is visual accessibility. Here’s how to make your website visually accessible:

• Use of Alt-Text for Images : Ensure all images, charts, and graphs have descriptive alternative text (alt-text) so screen reader users can understand the conveyed message.
• High Contrast Colors : Choose high-contrast color palettes that make text stand out against the background, facilitating readability for those with visual impairments.
• Clear and Readable Fonts :  Employ fonts that are easy to read across various devices and screen sizes. Avoid stylized typography that can be difficult to decode.

Navigation and Structure

An intuitive navigation structure is vital for accessibility:

• Logical Page Hierarchy : Organize content in a logical manner using proper heading tags (H1-H6) to structure your pages effectively.
• Keyboard Navigation : Ensure that all navigational elements can be accessed using a keyboard alone. This includes drop-down menus, forms, and interactive content.
• Skip Navigation Links : Provide “skip to main content” links at the top of pages to allow users to bypass repetitive menu links.

Multimedia Accessibility

To ensure multimedia content is accessible, take the following steps:

• Captions for Videos : All video content should come with synchronized captions to assist users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Transcripts for Audio Content : Offer transcripts for all audio content for users who prefer or require written communication.
• Descriptive Text for Visual Media : Alongside alt-text for images, consider longer descriptions for complex graphics, such as infographics.

Forms and Interactivity

Forms are a key interaction point on many websites, and their accessibility can have a big impact:

• Clear and Concise Form Labels : Every form element should have a label that clearly describes its function.
• Error Handling and Validation : Provide helpful error messages when forms are filled out incorrectly and ensure that error identification doesn’t rely solely on color.
• Accessible Form Controls : Make sure that all form controls are accessible by screen readers and can be navigated using a keyboard.

Mobile Responsiveness

With mobile browsing on the rise, ADA website compliance isn’t just for desktops:

• Responsive Design Principles : Adapt your website’s layout to different screen sizes and orientations, ensuring accessibility on all devices.
• Easy Touch Targets : Make interactive elements large enough to be easily tapped without precision.
• Screen Reader Compatibility : Ensure that mobile content is also compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies.

Testing and Compliance

Regular checks and updates are important for ongoing accessibility:

• Regular Accessibility Audits : Conduct regular audits using both automatic tools and manual testing to identify and fix accessibility issues.
• User Testing With Assistive Technologies : Incorporate feedback from real users who use assistive technology to ensure practical accessibility.
• Staying Up to Date With Accessibility Standards : Stay informed about evolving accessibility standards and legal requirements to remain compliant.

Other Considerations

Don’t forget to account for dynamic content, third-party applications, and plugins which can also affect your site’s accessibility.

Conclusion

Ensuring ADA website accessibility is not just a legal obligation but a moral one, reflecting your commitment to inclusion and equality. Using this checklist, we urge website owners, designers, and developers alike to review and enhance platform accessibility. Together, we can make the web an accessible place for everyone.

We invite you to Review your website using this checklist to ensure it meets ADA compliance standards and serves a wider audience effectively. Here are few free tools to review your website. If you need professional help in making your website complaint Please fill out the  contact form.