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ada-compliance

The ADA and Your Web Development Projects​

Unlike Section 508, which applies to the government, the ADA applies to a vast range of private businesses and public-facing organizations. This includes your typical clients, such as a real estate agency, a retail store, or a local service provider.

A business can be sued for having a website that is not accessible to people with disabilities. Lawsuits have been filed against companies of all sizes, from major corporations like Target and Domino's to small businesses. The most common plaintiffs are individuals with visual impairments who rely on screen readers.

How to Ensure ADA Compliance​

There is no formal government-issued checklist for ADA-compliant websites. Instead, the legal and professional standard that has emerged is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a set of recommendations developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The current standard most referenced in lawsuits and used by the Department of Justice is WCAG 2.1 Level AA. By building your websites to meet these guidelines, you are proactively protecting your clients (and yourself) from legal action.

Key areas covered by WCAG 2.1 Level AA include:

  • Keyboard Navigation: Ensuring all website functions can be accessed using only a keyboard, for users who cannot use a mouse.

  • Alt Text for Images: Providing descriptive text for all images so that screen readers can convey the content to users with visual impairments.

  • Color Contrast: Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background colors to make content readable for people with low vision or color blindness.

  • Logical Structure: Using proper HTML headings (<h1>, <h2>, etc.) and a clear page structure so that screen reader users can easily navigate the content.

  • Accessible Forms: Making sure online forms have clear labels and error messages that are perceivable to everyone.

What This Means for Your Business​

As a freelance software engineer who also runs a marketing agency, building with ADA compliance in mind is not just a legal shield, it's a value-add for your clients:

  • Risk Mitigation: You are offering your clients a service that helps them avoid potentially expensive and time-consuming lawsuits.

  • Increased Market Reach: An accessible website is usable by a broader audience, including the millions of people with disabilities who may otherwise be excluded.

  • Improved User Experience: Many accessibility features, like clear navigation and readable fonts, benefit all users, not just those with disabilities.

  • Better SEO: The practices required for accessibility (semantic HTML, alt text, organized content) are also foundational to good search engine optimization.

Your proactive approach to this is a significant professional differentiator. When discussing new projects, you should inform potential clients that you build websites that adhere to WCAG standards as a best practice to protect their business and ensure a high-quality, inclusive digital presence.