Digital accessibility is no longer just a best practice – it’s a legal requirement in many parts of the United States. As businesses increasingly rely on digital platforms to engage with customers, ensuring that websites and online content are accessible to all, including people with disabilities, is essential. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act have provided a federal framework (among other federal laws), several states have enacted their own laws or policies to support digital accessibility.

Below, we provide a brief overview of U.S. federal digital accessibility law, along with a list of digital accessibility laws and policies in each state.

Federal Overview: The ADA and Section 508

Before diving into state-specific laws, it’s important to understand the federal landscape. Two of the major laws that directly impact digital accessibility are the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The ADA, particularly Titles II and III, is the primary federal law that mandates accessibility for people with disabilities. Although the ADA does not explicitly mention websites, courts have increasingly interpreted it to apply to online platforms, particularly for public accommodations and government websites.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted in 1990, is a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. While the ADA was established before the internet became integral to daily life, its impact on digital accessibility has grown significantly as the online world has evolved.

Title II and Title III of the ADA are particularly relevant to digital accessibility:

  • Title II applies to state and local government entities, requiring them to ensure that all public services, including websites, are accessible to people with disabilities.
  • Title III applies to public accommodations, such as businesses and nonprofits, mandating that they provide equal access to goods, services, and information—this includes websites and mobile apps.

Although the ADA does not explicitly mention websites, courts have increasingly interpreted it to include digital spaces. This means that websites and online services must be designed or updated to be accessible to people with disabilities, following guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Non-compliance can result in legal actions, fines, and a mandate to make the necessary changes to ensure accessibility.

The ADA’s influence on digital accessibility emphasizes the need for inclusive design and the elimination of barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in the digital world.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, originally enacted in 1973 and significantly amended in 1998, is a crucial law that impacts digital accessibility. It mandates that all federal agencies ensure that their electronic and information technology (EIT) is accessible to people with disabilities. This includes websites, software, online documents, and other digital resources.

Under Section 508, federal agencies must develop, procure, maintain, and use EIT that is accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities, providing them with comparable access to information and data as those without disabilities. The law applies to a wide range of digital content, including websites, multimedia, and software applications.

The accessibility standards under Section 508 are aligned with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, particularly the Level AA criteria, which cover essential aspects of web and digital content accessibility, such as text alternatives for images, keyboard navigation, and ensuring that content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users.

Section 508 has a broad impact, not only ensuring accessibility within federal agencies but also influencing vendors and contractors who work with these agencies to comply with digital accessibility standards. As a result, Section 508 has driven significant improvements in the accessibility of government websites and digital services, serving as a model for other organizations to follow.

Digital Accessibility Policies and Laws by State

Below is a list of all 50 U.S. states and their applicable digital accessibility laws and policies. Links to additional information are also included.

Alabama follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

Alaska follows federal regulations and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws. However, the Alaskan government has a State of Alaska ADA Compliance Program and also follows WCAG 2.1, Level AA, for their own accessibility.

In addition to federal laws, Arizona includes digital accessibility standards in their statewide IT policy. This accessibility policy applies to all state government agencies and all entities that receive state funding, excluding certain universities.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Arkansas has a state law called Act 1227 of 1999. This act mandates that all Arkansas government agencies or entities that receive state funding must have accessible websites, specifically to users who are blind or visually impaired.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, California has several different digital accessibility laws and regulations. They are:

  • California Government Code Section 11545.7
    This government code section mandates that every two years each state agency must post a certification of compliance with accessibility standards on their website. The website must be in compliance with Sections 7405 and 11135 of the California Government code as well as the WCAG 2.0, Level AA.
  • California Government Code Section 7405
    This government code section reinforces Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and mandates that all state government entities follow Section 508’s accessibility requirements for electronic and information technology.
  • The Unruh Civil Rights Act
    This is an anti-discrimination law that protects Californians from discrimination by businesses, and includes discrimination based on disability. This Act applies to websites and all businesses who sell products or services to Californians, even if the business is physically located in another state. Under the Unruh Act, if a business is found guilty they will be fined a minimum of $4,000.
  • California Government Code Section 11135
    Similar to the Unruh Act, this government code section also prohibits discrimination on a variety of grounds, including disability. However, the Unruh Act applies to businesses who want to sell products to people in California – Code Section 11135 specifically applies to any program or activity that is administered by a state agency or an entity that receives funding from the state.

Colorado is one of the most recent states to pass state-specific digital accessibility guidance. In addition to federal regulations, Colorado has the House Bill 21-1110, also called the Colorado Laws for Persons with Disabilities. This law went into effect on July 1st, 2024. House Bill 21-1110 (HB21-1110) requires all digital content from the state government or any higher education institution in Colorado to be accessible. It also prohibits any public entity or state agency from excluding a person with a disability from participating in any service, program, or activity.


If a Colorado government entity is not in compliance with web accessibility standards they could be penalized in several ways, including having to pay monetary damages or a $3,500 fine.


HB21-1110 aligns with the WCAG, specifically stating that platforms must be compliant with the most recent version of the WCAG.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Connecticut has a Universal Website Accessibility Policy. This policy mandates that all state agencies conform to WCAG 1.0 Level A standards and also successfully incorporate Connecticut’s Checklist of Design Requirements.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Delaware has a state Digital Accessibility Policy that mandates all State of Delaware public-facing digital assets are accessible. Specifically, they must conform to the WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Florida follows federal regulations and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Georgia requires all digital properties managed by state entities to be digitally accessible. Specifically, they must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Hawaii follows federal regulations and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Idaho has their own Web Publishing Guidelines. These guidelines establish IT and Telecommunication policies and templates for state agencies to use and follow.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Illinois has the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act (IITAA). This act requires state agencies and universities to make their websites and other IT systems accessible to people with disabilities. The IITAA specifically establishes technical standards that encourage agencies to proactively address their accessibility.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Indiana has the Indiana Code 4-13.1-3. This state code reinforces Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and requires all state IT systems, software, websites, web-based applications, and electronic documents to be accessible.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Iowa has a Website Accessibility Standard that mandates all state agencies and all website contractors who receive state funding must follow digital accessibility best practices. Specifically, all content must adhere to WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Kansa has their own Information and Communication Technology Accessibility Standards, specifically called their Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC) Policy. This Policy ensures that state entities and contractors follow accessibility and usability best practices, which follow the WCAG 2.0, the ADA, and Section 508.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Kentucky has the Kentucky Accessible Information Technology (AIT) law. This law does not specify conformance with WCAG, but does say that state entities and state-assisted organizations must offer accessible IT equipment and software.

Louisiana follows federal regulations and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws. However, the Louisiana Office of Technology Services (OTS) states that they follow WCAG 2.1 as their minimum standard.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Maine has a Digital Accessibility and Usability Policy. This policy mandates that all state digital information and services must be accessible, and it also states that vendors specifically must conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA. They also have two groups centered around accessibility: the Information Technology Accessibility Committee, and a MaineIT Accessibility Team.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Maryland has specific regulations on nonvisual access. Specifically, the state has the Maryland Information Technology Nonvisual Access (MD IT NVA) Regulatory Standards. These regulatory standards require all new or upgraded IT information within the state government to be non-visually accessible.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Massachusetts has the Enterprise Information Technology Accessibility Policy. The policy applies to software, websites, digital reports, and more. This Massachusetts policy ensures that applicable digital assets conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Executive branch agencies are required to comply with the policy.

Michigan follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Minnesota has the State of Minnesota Digital Accessibility Standard, which just had an update on July 1st, 2024. This standard requires state agencies adhere to WCAG 2.1 and that they must have accessible documents and websites.

Mississippi follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Missouri has the law RSMo. 161.935. This law specifically requires that all state agencies make their information technology accessible in the development, procurement, maintenance, and general use stages. It also applies to contracts or grants that center around ICT.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Montana has the state code 18-5-605 (originally called HB 239), which ensures that all state agencies provide IT access to people who are blind or visually impaired.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Nebraska also has an Accessibility Policy that mandates all state agencies’ ICT is accessible. Specifically, they must comply with the WCAG 2.1.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Nevada has the ADA Technology Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines apply to all state entities and mandate conformance with WCAG 2.1.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, New Hampshire has their own Web and Mobile Application Accessibility Standards, which all New Hampshire state agencies must follow. In addition to reinforcing the Section 508 requirements, New Hampshire’s standard encourages state agencies to use WCAG 2.0 to increase accessibility.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, New Jersey has an additional law called NJ A4856. It requires digital platforms and web services used in school districts, charter schools, renaissance schools, and also specifically the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf to conform to the WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

New Mexico follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, New York has both the Accessibility of Information Communication Technology (NYS-P08-005) and the Senate Bill S3114A. The NYS-P08-005 sets the minimum accessibility requirements for web-based information and applications developed and/or used by state entities. The Senate Bill mandates that all state agencies must have websites that conform to the most current version of the WCAG.

North Carolina follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws. However, they do have a Digital Accessibility and Usability Standard that offers guidance to state agencies on creating and maintaining accessible websites and other digital content. This standard mentions that “all agency websites and digital services must adhere to the official WCAG 2.1 Level AA.”

North Dakota follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Ohio has a State of Ohio Administrative Policy, Website Ability (IT-09). This policy mandates that all state agencies must conform to the WCAG 2.0 Level AA, and also that any outsourced web development that agencies get are also conformant to WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Oklahoma passed the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Law (EITA) in 2004. The EITA incorporates the required standards in the Section 508 Refresh, including the use of WCAG 2.0. The standards apply to all Oklahoma state agencies.

Oregon follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Pennsylvania has an Information Technology Policy (ITP-ACC001). The policy mandates that all state government agencies must comply with the revised Section 508 standards as well as the most current version of the WCAG, Level AA. It also encourages agencies to meet Level AAA.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Rhode Island specifically states that “All Rhode Island state websites must be accessible according to the World Wide Web Consortium Priority 1 Checkpoints.” These checkpoints are from WCAG 1.0.

South Carolina follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws. However, there is a program called the Access South Carolina IT (ASCIT) program that is an informal network of both public and private entities. The ASCIT Program recommends that all entities conform with WCAG 2.0 Level AA and also encourages conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA – but these are not actual laws.

South Dakota follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

Tennessee follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Texas has their own Texas Web Accessibility Standards, which is a chapter of their Electronic Information Resources Accessibility Policy. While based on the Section 508 standards, the Texas accessibility standards include additional criteria for webcasts, applets, and plug-ins. Texas also has the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Sections 206 and 213, which mandate that state government and higher education institution websites must be accessible, per the Section 508 standards.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Utah has a specific code that addresses accessibility standards for executive branch agencies (63A-16-209). This code explains that state agencies’ information technology, including agency websites, conform with the most recent version of the WCAG.

Vermont follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Virginia has the Virginia Information Technology Access Act (ITAA) and the Virginia Information Technology Accessibility Standard. The Standard was created by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) and is incorporated into Virginia’s Enterprise Architecture Standard – specifically within the IT Accessibility Topic Report (GOV103-02). It mandates that all state agencies and higher education institutions follow Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements.

In addition to federal digital accessibility requirements, Washington has the USER-01 Accessibility Policy (this policy used to be called Policy 188). This policy applies to all state agencies and states that the minimum level of accessibility conformance is Level AA conformance with the WCAG 2.1.


The policy also requires state agencies to have an IT Accessibility Plan.

West Virginia follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

Wisconsin follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

Wyoming follows federal guidelines and does not have additional state-specific digital accessibility laws.

The above list highlights the importance of digital accessibility across the U.S. For businesses and organizations operating online, understanding and adhering to these laws is crucial. While some U.S. states may not have specific state-level regulations, federal laws such as the ADA and Section 508 apply to them all.

Please Note: Laws and regulations are subject to change. We recommend regularly consulting with legal counsel or an accessibility expert to ensure compliance with the most current standards. The above list is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice in any way. 

Need Help Reaching Compliance?

Laws get tweaked and updated over time, and digital accessibility law is no exception. Ability’s team of accessibility experts is familiar with both WCAG conformance and legal compliance with various laws, including U.S. digital accessibility law. We are here to help ensure that your digital spaces – whether that’s a website, application, video, document, or other digital content – are accessible to all users. Our team of experts will assess, advise, and assist in implementing the necessary changes to ensure your website meets the highest standards of accessibility.

If you’re interested in getting a WCAG audit or even certifying your digital asset’s digital accessibility, schedule a quick call here with one of our accessibility experts.

 

(article last updated: 9/12/2024)

Digital accessibility will soon be a requirement for any company or organization that does business within the European Union, regardless of its physical location. Exactly one year from now – on June 28th, 2025 – the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will officially go into effect.

If you currently do business in the EU or want to do business there in the future, we encourage you to stay up to date with this new law’s legal requirements and ensure your digital content is accessible by the June 2025 deadline.

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act was adopted into the EU back in 2019 with the purpose of “complement existing EU sectorial legislation on accessibility.” Specifically, the EAA will be complementing the EU’s Web Accessibility Directive, which was passed back in 2016.

The new Act is set to revolutionize how businesses and organizations operate within the EU by embedding accessibility into their core processes. It is expected to benefit approximately 87 million people with disabilities across the 27 EU Member States, providing equal access to digital products and services as our world increasingly relies upon digital technology for everyday life.

Which Products and Services Need to Comply?

The European Accessibility Act mandates that a wide range of products and services in the digital technology space meet specific accessibility requirements.

For the June 2025 deadline, the EAA states that all “newly marketed products and services covered by the Act” must be accessible prior to launch.

For all older products and services, businesses have 3 years to bring their content into compliance.

Some of the types of products and services that must comply include:

  • Computers and operating systems,
  • Smartphones,
  • ATMs,
  • E-books,
  • Public transportation-related digital services, including ticketing options
  • Banking services, and
  • Websites and e-commerce platforms.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. To view a full list of affected products and services, visit the European Commission’s European Accessibility Act Q & A webpage.

What Types of Companies Does the EAA Apply to?

As we mentioned earlier in this article, every company or organization wishing to do business within the EU needs to comply. This includes businesses/organizations in both the public and private sector.

Additionally, the European Accessibility Act applies to all businesses and organizations who offer the products and/or services that are covered by the act and sell them within the EU.

There may be exceptions per each specific EU Member State, so it’s important to check your Member State’s own laws. The EAA will have already been made into law in each country that is a member of the EU.

Deadlines and Noncompliance Penalties

Just as the specifics of who may be exempt from the EAA varies per Member State, the penalties for noncompliance will also vary per Member State. Some penalties include various levels of fines, while others state the potential for imprisonment.

One fact is universal for all Member States, though: starting on June 28, 2025, customers can start filing complaints, and businesses can start being penalized for noncompliance.

Address Your Digital Accessibility Before the Deadline

With the EAA’s implementation date exactly one year away, businesses and service providers must begin to prepare for compliance, if they haven’t already. The transition to fully digitally accessible content takes time, and major deadlines can cause specialists to book up quickly.

At Ability, Inc., we understand the complexities of digital accessibility and are here to support you through this transition. Our comprehensive services, including auditing, certification, and compliance management, are designed to ensure your digital assets meet the EAA’s standards.

By addressing these requirements proactively, you’ll not only ensure that your products and services comply with the law by next year’s deadline but you’ll also demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility.

Start the process of making your content digitally accessible by scheduling a quick call with one of our digital accessibility experts today.

For more information on the European Accessibility Act and how it impacts your business, visit the European Commission’s official Q & A page.

The Ability team is excited to announce that they have won the prestigious Technology Company of the Year award at the 2024 Oregon Tech Awards! This recognition celebrates Ability’s pioneering efforts in digital accessibility, highlighting the company’s dedication to making the internet an inclusive space for all.

The awards ceremony, held on May 6th, 2024, celebrated 8 finalist companies and announced the winners for various categories. Ability, Inc. won the Technology Company of the Year award for their revenue category.

Winning Company of the Year is not only a major achievement for Ability – it’s a win for the digital accessibility community as a whole. The win brings additional awareness to the importance of accessible websites and online content, reinforcing the goal of eliminating digital barriers and providing true digital inclusion for people with disabilities. The award also underscores Ability’s impact both in Oregon and across the global tech landscape.

The company’s success is a testament to its cutting-edge technology and unwavering dedication to digital inclusivity. Headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, Ability, is dedicated to making the internet accessible for people with disabilities. By providing tools that empower designers, developers, and content creators to integrate accessibility seamlessly into their projects, Ability is setting new standards for inclusivity in tech.

About the Oregon Tech Awards

The Oregon Tech Awards is a signature event created by the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) that recognizes companies that drive innovation and contribute to the growth of Oregon’s technology ecosystem. This year, 2024, was the 40th annual Tech Awards celebration. According to TAO, the event “celebrate[s] and honor[s] eight outstanding companies for their accomplishments, leadership, and commitment to the industry and community.” For more information about the Oregon Tech Awards and a full list of the 2024 winners, visit the TAO website.

Need help with website, software, or document accessibility?

Ability’s dedicated team of accessibility professionals can help you achieve WCAG conformance and compliance with applicable accessibility laws. With a variety of accessibility services available including auditing, certification, ongoing management services, and more, we are here to help you find the solution that best suits your needs. We strive to deliver superior service at competitive prices and make digital accessibility achievable for businesses of all sizes.

Want to take the next step and address your digital accessibility? Reach out to us to set up a free consultation.

The United States just made a major advancement in digital inclusion: the Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a final rule to update the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ensuring that government websites and mobile applications are accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The final rule, which falls under Title II of the ADA, was published to the Federal Register today, April 24th 2024.

This decisive move marks a milestone in the evolution of ADA compliance, not to mention digital accessibility-specific regulation in the United States in general. It also reinforces the U.S. government’s previous statements about the necessity for equal access to digital content and their commitment to making it actually happen.

Improving Access to Digital Government Resources

The final rule, detailed on the Department of Justice’s official website, applies to all state and local governments and mandates that all entities under this category – including public education entities, as an example – must ensure their websites and mobile applications are accessible to people with disabilities.

Additionally, the rule clarifies that all existing, new, and modified web content must be accessible per the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These internationally recognized guidelines serve as the benchmark for digital accessibility, ensuring that individuals with a range of disabilities—including visual, hearing, and physical disabilities, among many more—can effectively navigate and interact with digital interfaces.

For government entities, the transition may involve revamping web design and digital interfaces to include features like screen reader compatibility, proper keyboard navigation, text-to-speech functionality, and navigational aids that are conformant with the WCAG.

What's Next?

This update to the ADA reflects the DOJ’s commitment to adapting its policies to meet today’s technological advancements and their acknowledgement of the growing importance of digital spaces in everyday life.

Although this final rule focuses on government entities, it should not keep other businesses and organizations (ones that do not fall under Title II of the ADA) from addressing their own digital accessibility. This final rule is set up to be the first of many steps toward more concrete digital accessibility regulations. In the coming years, we may very well see business-oriented digital accessibility regulations.

As we advance, it is imperative for all stakeholders to embrace these changes and integrate accessibility into the core of their digital strategy, ensuring that everyone, regardless of disability, has equal access to the digital resources they need to thrive in today’s world.

Learn More About the DOJ's Final Rule

Below are a few links to more information about the DOJ’s new final rule:

How Accessible is Your Digital Content?

The Justice Department’s final rule is a major step toward creating a more accessible digital world. However, our goal of true universal digital accessibility requires ongoing work, dedication, and improvement – especially as technology advances, digital accessibility standards get updated, and legal requirements change.

Ability is here to help ensure that your digital spaces – whether that’s a website, application, video, document, or other digital content – are accessible to all users. Our team of accessibility experts will assess, advise, and assist in implementing the necessary changes to ensure your website meets the highest standards of accessibility.

Every website made accessible, every app designed with inclusivity in mind, adds to the momentum. Join our team at Ability in this exciting journey. Together, we can ensure that the digital world is not just accessible but welcoming to all.

If you’re interested in getting a WCAG audit or even certifying your WCAG conformance, schedule a quick call with one of our accessibility experts.

The digital world is buzzing with the latest announcement from the White House: a new memorandum on digital accessibility that’s set to revolutionize the way U.S. citizens interact with digital government resources. This groundbreaking guidance, released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is a significant step towards a more inclusive digital environment for all, particularly for the 61 million Americans living with disabilities.

Highlights of the Memorandum

The memorandum is a response to a critical shortfall: nearly half of the most popular federal government websites currently lack full accessibility. This gap has created major barriers for millions of people, denying equal access to essential services. The new OMB guidance aims to dismantle barriers that have long restricted equal access to essential government services.

The initiative encompasses several crucial aspects:

  • Delivering accessible digital experiences,
  • Establishing digital accessibility programs and policies,
  • Procuring accessible products and services,
  • Monitoring and remediating digital content on a consistent basis, and
  • Cultivating a positive culture of digital accessibility.

Specifically, this new memorandum lays out rules that all federal agencies will be required to follow. The fact that the memorandum requires Federal agencies to comply – rather than simply offering lighter “suggestions” – shows how seriously the current American government is taking the issue of equal digital access.

Recent Steps Toward a Digitally Accessible USA

To appreciate the magnitude of this memorandum, we want to mention several milestones throughout recent history that have impacted the United States and have led to the OMB’s new guidance. The Section 508 Refresh of the Rehabilitation Act back in 2018 was a major step toward including digital accessibility practices at the government level. With it, federal agencies within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) field had to ensure their digital content was accessible to people with disabilities.

Additionally, the recent updates to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), both the release of WCAG 2.1 in 2018 and the most recent release of WCAG 2.2 in 2023, were pivotal in providing digital accessibility guidance that reflects the constant technological advancements our world is achieving. While the WCAG come from an international body and are not tied to one singular country, its regular updates have been impactful on how accessibility professionals around the world, including the United States, create and remediate websites and software for accessibility.

Legal action – such as the lawsuits against Winn Dixie, Beyonce, and Netflix, to name a few of the major brands – also had a major effect on the push for accessible digital spaces. A significant turning point in the American digital accessibility journey was the landmark Supreme Court decision in favor of a blind man who sued Domino’s Pizza over their website’s lack of accessibility. The lawsuit was finally settled in 2022, 6 years after the initial filing.

The Domino’s lawsuit highlighted a crucial aspect of digital accessibility: the internet is an integral part of our daily lives, and everyone should have equal access to it. The Supreme Court’s decision sent a powerful message to businesses and organizations – neglecting digital accessibility is not an option; it’s a legal and moral imperative.

That case garnered a lot of attention, and subsequently, pushed both American citizens and the American government to take a much needed step toward understanding the importance of digital accessibility.

The Impact and Beyond

The White House’s memorandum on digital accessibility marks a pivotal and hopeful moment in creating a more inclusive digital environment in the United States. It’s a step forward in ensuring that the digital world is a place where everyone, regardless of their abilities, can thrive and participate fully.

Even better, the memorandum encourages a proactive stance towards digital accessibility and advocates for a genuine embrace of accessibility and inclusivity principles in digital governance.

Laws, policies, best practices, and more that similarly stress the importance of digital inclusion will actively move us toward a future where digital accessibility is not an afterthought. One day, we hope that it will be a fundamental aspect of every digital endeavor.

For those eager to delve deeper into this initiative, the OMB published a press release that covers more details of the guidance. Additionally, the full policy can be found in the OMB Memo 24-08.

Create Inclusive Digital Spaces with Ability, Inc.

The White House’s memorandum is a historic step, but the journey towards universal digital accessibility is ongoing. As technology advances, digital accessibility standards get updated and legal requirements change. Staying up to date requires expertise and commitment.

Ability is here to help ensure that your digital spaces – whether that’s a website, application, video, document, or other digital content – are accessible to all users. Our team of accessibility experts will assess, advise, and assist in implementing the necessary changes to ensure your website meets the highest standards of accessibility.

Every website made accessible, every app designed with inclusivity in mind, adds to the momentum. Join our team at Ability in this exciting journey. Together, we can ensure that the digital world is not just accessible but welcoming to all.

If you’re interested in getting a WCAG audit or even certifying your WCAG conformance, schedule a quick call here with one of our accessibility experts.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have long been the gold standard for digital accessibility conformance. Following its success criteria is essential to ensuring that websites, apps, and digital content are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Recently, the WCAG – and the field of digital accessibility as a whole – hit a significant milestone: on October 5th, 2023, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) officially released WCAG Version 2.2. This updated document builds upon its previous iterations, adding a set of new Level A, AA and AAA success criteria.

WCAG 2.2 Success Criteria Changes

As a living document, WCAG 2.2 differs from the older WCAG 2.1. Specifically, one success criterion didn’t make the cut in WCAG version 2.2 and has been removed from the guidelines. It is:

  • 4.1.1 – Parsing (Level A): According to the W3C, this success criterion has been removed because it is now considered obsolete. This is partially due to browser and HTML advancements with parsing, and also partially due to the fact that if a component fails this success criterion then it also automatically fails other criteria.

In addition to removing 4.1.1 – Parsing, there are 9 new success criteria that have been added. They are:

  • 2.4.11 – Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (Level AA): This criterion ensures that when an element receives focus it is not obscured by other content, and is at least partially visible to users. This is especially beneficial for people who can’t use a mouse.
  • 2.4.12 – Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) (Level AAA): An enhanced version of the previous criterion, this ensures a higher level of clarity where the focus is never obscured.
  • 2.4.13 – Focus Appearance (Level AAA): This criterion requires a highly visible and distinguishable appearance for the focus indicator, making it easier for users with visual impairments to identify which element has focus.
  • 2.5.7 – Dragging Movements (Level AA): This criterion mandates that functions requiring dragging movements are also accessible through alternative means. This caters to users who are unable to perform complex gestures, like using a mouse to drag a component around, due to motor impairments.
  • 2.5.8 – Target Size (Minimum) (Level AA): This criterion requires a minimum target size for interactive elements, making it easier for users, including those with motor impairments or limited precision, to interact with web content.
  • 3.2.6 – Consistent Help (Level A): This criterion ensures the availability of consistent and accessible help mechanisms (like FAQs, chatbots, or contact information) across web pages, aiding users with cognitive and learning disabilities.
  • 3.3.7 – Redundant Entry (Level A): This criterion aims to minimize the need for users to re-enter information or data that has been previously provided or is available elsewhere, significantly aiding users with cognitive and memory-related disabilities.
  • 3.3.8 – Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (Level AA): This criterion focuses on making the authentication/login process accessible, ensuring that users can authenticate without relying solely on memory. This significantly benefits people with cognitive impairments.
  • 3.3.9 – Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) (Level AAA): An advanced level of the previous criterion. This criterion specifically states that you should not force users to recognize objects or images/media in order to login.

Each of these new criteria plays a pivotal role in enhancing the accessibility of digital content, ensuring that a wider range of users, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and interact with web content effectively and comfortably.

Why the Focus on Level A and Level AA is Vital

While all of the WCAG success criteria are important, Level A and Level AA success criteria are considered crucial; they represent the minimum acceptable standard for incorporating accessibility into various digital platforms and assets.

It is extremely important to emphasize that achieving Level A and Level AA conformance ensures that your website and/or digital content does not erect barriers for users with disabilities. For that reason, ensuring your business or organization meets WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance standards is highly recommended.

Organizations should strive to meet more than simply the bare minimum accessibility requirements, though. If possible, it is best to meet all three standard levels of requirements (Level A, AA, and AAA) for higher levels of accessibility and usability.

How Accessible is Your Digital Content?

With the release of WCAG 2.2, all businesses and organizations have an opportunity to revisit and refine their digital content and interfaces. By integrating these new guidelines, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion, while also enhancing the overall user experience.

As we celebrate the release of WCAG 2.2, we want to ask:

…are you meeting the accessibility needs of all your users?

Now that WCAG 2.2 is officially out, odds are you may benefit from incorporating more accessibility best practices into your digital assets. Incorporating WCAG 2.2 into your digital assets not only aligns with ethical and legal standards but also opens your digital platforms up to a wider, more diverse audience. And in turn, a larger and more diverse audience increases revenue potential.

Our team of accessibility professionals at Ability is passionate about helping clients create accessible digital experiences for all users. If you want to take the next step and incorporate the new WCAG 2.2 guidelines into your assets, whether that’s through an audit, certification, ongoing management, or more, reach out to us!

A Quick and Easy WCAG 2.2 Guide

To help you navigate the new WCAG 2.2 success criteria efficiently, we’ve created a quick reference guide called What’s Changed in WCAG 2.2 – Level A and Level AA Quick Reference Guide.

This guide is a practical resource for referencing and implementing the new Level A and Level AA success criteria, set up in an easy and digestible format. It focuses solely on Level A and Level AA Success Criteria since they are considered crucial to providing an accessible experience to all users.

View or Download the WCAG 2.2 Quick Reference Guide at the link below:

What’s Changed in WCAG 2.2 Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 445 KB)

Together, we can ensure that the digital world is not only technologically advanced but also universally accessible. Welcome the newest version of the WCAG and join us in making digital accessibility a priority in your projects!

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG for short, are the go-to standard for digital accessibility around the world. Since its inception in the late 1990s, WCAG has routinely gotten updates in order to address advancements in technology — and on June 5th, 2018, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) announced their official recommendation that all businesses should conform to the newest version of the guidelines: WCAG 2.1.

Several years after its introduction, WCAG 2.1 is still the official W3C recommendation for businesses to follow. For businesses or entrepreneurs who are looking to address and improve their digital accessibility, understanding WCAG 2.1 is the ticket to creating an inclusive digital experience with a website that everyone can use.

So how is 2.1 organized, what’s new about it, and most importantly…what level should businesses conform to?

 

Similarities between WCAG 2.0 and 2.1

The first version of WCAG (1.0) was created in 1999, followed by WCAG 2.0 almost 10 years later in 2008. Version 2.1 was then introduced 10 years after that in 2018. The consistent updates from the W3C ensure that WCAG is updated to include new technology and incorporate new ways of addressing accessibility issues. 

WCAG 2.1 isn’t meant to replace version 2.0 completely; instead, 2.1 builds and adds onto it. Version 2.1 incorporates all of the same guidelines and success criteria from version 2.0 word-for-word, with a few additional components as well. 

Just like version 2.0, WCAG 2.1 is organized into four principles of accessible design:

  • Perceivable — “Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive,” meaning that content must be presented in a way (or multiple ways) that allows all users to experience it. For example, having a transcript of audio-only content — like a podcast or someone giving a speech — ensures that deaf users can perceive that content as well.
  • Operable — “User interface components and navigation must be operable.” This means that digital content can’t require a specific action that some users might not be able to perform. For example, an operable website will ensure that users can navigate and operate it using only the keyboard, in addition to being able to use a mouse.
  • Understandable — “Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.” This specifically offers support to users with cognitive or learning disabilities. Information can’t be too complex, and instructions should be included when necessary to make sure everyone knows what to do.
  • Robust — “Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.” This principle means that users must be able to access digital content (and therefore the content must work/display) on different types of devices, browsers, operating systems, assistive technology, etc.

WCAG 2.1 also shares the same conformance levels as version 2.0: Levels A, AA, and AAA.

  • Level A – The lowest level that sets a minimum accessibility threshold for websites, apps, and other digital content. Level A addresses the most essential accessibility issues (and often more basic issues) that offer users crucial accessibility support. Without incorporating Level A standards, you run a very high risk of preventing users with disabilities from accessing your digital content. 
  • Level AA – The middle level of accessibility that goes into more detail and depth of recommended accessibility requirements. Level AA addresses a wider variety of issues than Level A, or sometimes offers a more accessible solution to a specific issue. Level AA is the level that the majority of businesses must meet, either through a legal requirement or by accessibility recommendation. 
  • Level AAA – The highest level of accessibility that involves in-depth accessibility recommendations in order to provide users with an enhanced accessible experience. Level AAA addresses the most complex and specific accessibility issues listed in WCAG. While meeting Level AAA doesn’t necessarily mean that a website is perfectly, 100% accessible, it can offer a high level of support. 
 

What's new in 2.1

WCAG 2.1 builds upon version 2.0 and includes updates to address accessibility on mobile devices, users with low vision, and people with cognitive and learning disabilities.

In addition to all the same guidelines and success criteria in 2.0, WCAG incorporated one new guideline and 17 new success criteria into version 2.1.

Of the new success criteria, 5 are Level A, 7 are Level AA, and 5 are Level AAA.

Below are the additions to WCAG 2.1:

  • New Guideline:
    • 2.5: Input Modalities
  • New Success Criteria:
    • 1.3.4: Orientation (AA)
    • 1.3.5: Identify Input Purpose (AA)
    • 1.3.6: Identify Purpose (AAA)
    • 1.4.10: Reflow (AA)
    • 1.4.11: Non-text Contrast (AA)
    • 1.4.12: Text Spacing (AA)
    • 1.4.13: Content on Hover or Focus (AA)
    • 2.1.4: Character Key Shortcuts (A)
    • 2.2.6: Timeouts (AAA)
    • 2.3.3: Animation from Interactions (AAA)
    • 2.5.1: Pointer Gestures (A)
    • 2.5.2: Pointer Cancellation (A)
    • 2.5.3: Label in Name (A)
    • 2.5.4: Motion Actuation (A)
    • 2.5.5: Target Size (AAA)
    • 2.5.6: Concurrent Input Mechanisms (AAA)
    • 4.1.3: Status Messages (AA)

In total, there are 13 guidelines and 78 success criteria in WCAG 2.1. It’s important to note that WCAG 2.1 is not meant to be harder to conform to versus WCAG 2.0 — it is simply more well-rounded and fills in some existing gaps on how to go about addressing digital accessibility. 

Overall, the success criteria are designed to build upon each other and increase a website’s accessibility as higher levels of conformance are reached. 

 

What version -- and level -- of WCAG should you conform to?

While WCAG isn’t a law in and of itself, it has been incorporated into various accessibility laws worldwide. For example, WCAG 2.1 was incorporated into the EU’s EN 301 549 and New Zealand’s Web Accessibility Standard 1.1, and the US incorporated WCAG 2.0 into Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Your level and version of conformance that you are either legally required or recommended to meet will be determined by your country’s accessibility laws. Most businesses must conform to either Level A or Level AA of WCAG 2.0 or 2.1.

In addition to legal requirements, the W3C recommends maintaining conformance with the newest version of WCAG in order to provide up-to-date digital accessibility support to users with disabilities. Until version 2.2 is released (which is scheduled for late 2021) WCAG 2.1 will remain the official W3C recommendation.

A final note: always remember that WCAG sets a minimum standard of digital accessibility; achieving WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance doesn’t guarantee that your website will be completely problem-free and fully usable to everyone. Whenever possible, try to follow accessibility best practices in addition to conforming to WCAG 2.1.

For more information on which level of conformance your business should meet or information on what you can do to improve your digital accessibility in general, please contact us.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the go-to standard for digital accessibility around the world. As a set of technical guidelines that developers, coders, and website designers can reference in order to create an accessible website (or remediate an older, inaccessible website), they offer specific criteria for various types of digital content to meet.

However, the technical explanations and jargon included in WCAG can seem a little intimidating at first. Understanding some WCAG basics will help introduce you to the guidelines and explain what you should incorporate into your website’s digital accessibility.

So what should you know about WCAG if you’re new to digital accessibility?

Here are 7 quick facts and corresponding explanations to break down the guidelines, how they work, and their current conformance levels:

1. The current version of WCAG is version 2.1. 

  • As the newest version, 2.1 is the standard that the W3C — the international community that created WCAG — recommends businesses should conform to. 

2. However, some accessibility laws around the world currently cite conformance with WCAG 2.0, not 2.1.

  • This is typically due to the amount of time it takes to update a law. Since the W3C releases updates to WCAG every few years or so, it can take time to see those updates incorporated. Luckily, version 2.0 and 2.1 are similar and have the same general organization; version 2.1 simply builds upon 2.0 and includes 17 more criteria to meet. Fully satisfying version 2.1 means you automatically satisfy version 2.0.

3. WCAG is made up of guidelines called success criteria that are organized into one of four categories, depending on how that individual criterion applies to accessibility.

  • WCAG states that all websites and digital content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR). These four principles of accessible design are also the main categories that organize WCAG, and each success criterion falls under a specific category.  

4. Both WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 also assign success criteria a level of conformance: Level A, AA, or AAA.

  • A success criterion’s conformance level is determined based on how essential an issue it is to fix. At the lowest level, Level A conformance is considered essential for offering an absolute minimum level of accessibility and providing basic access to web users. Without meeting Level A requirements, some users will not be able to navigate or use a website at all.
  • Level AA incorporates more success criteria to build upon that accessibility even further. Meeting Level AA will resolve accessibility issues that offer minimal access to digital content or cause significant frustration for users with disabilities. 
  • Level AAA includes accessibility solutions that provide an even more enhanced accessible experience for many users with disabilities. While meeting Level AAA doesn’t necessarily mean that a website is perfectly, 100% accessible, it can offer a high level of support.

5. Level AA is typically the conformance level that most businesses are either legally required or recommended to meet.

  • Again, this comes down to your country’s individual law. If the law specifies WCAG conformance, it will typically state whether the accepted level is Level A or Level AA. While achieving Level AAA conformance results in high levels of accessibility, it actually isn’t possible for a single site to conform to all Level AAA success criteria because some of them cancel out others!

6. Partial conformance with any WCAG version or level does not guarantee a business is completely safe from litigation.

  • Partial conformance is much better than not conforming at all, but full conformance is the only way to protect your business from litigation. More importantly, it’s the only way to ensure you’re giving web users an accessible experience.

7. New updates to WCAG are in the works.

  • Version 2.2 is set to release later this year, with a tentative date of October 2021. It will build upon version 2.1 just as 2.1 built upon 2.0, and will follow the same POUR categories and A, AA, and AAA conformance levels.
  • WCAG 3.0 is currently in draft, and will incorporate a brand new organizational structure — with Bronze, Silver, and Gold conformance levels. It will have new criteria that aim to be more understandable and easily testable.

By understanding WCAG and incorporating its standards as early as possible, you’ll ensure that your website offers an accessible experience to everyone. 

Have questions about how Online ADA can help you with your digital accessibility? Contact us to learn more. 

If you’ve heard of digital accessibility, you might know that incorporating it into your business will provide essential web access and support to users who are blind. However, it’s important to recognize all of the individuals who benefit from digital accessibility. 

Web users are diverse in every regard — they are a mixture of races, cultures, interests, and beyond. It’s only natural that digital accessibility supports a diverse range of web users, too. If we can recognize the broad scope and variety of people who benefit from digital accessibility, we’ll have a much better understanding of why it’s essential that businesses include it. 

 

So…who does benefit from digital accessibility, exactly? (Trick question — stay tuned). 

Impairments vs. Disabilities

Digital accessibility offers essential support to both users who have impairments and users who have disabilities. You might be surprised to learn that they’re not the same thing, and they’re not always interchangeable terms, either. 

An impairment is when a person has a loss of structure or function in some part of their body.

A disability is when a person’s lack of ability hinders or prevents them from performing a task, creating a limitation in comparison to others. 

It may seem like a very slight differentiation, at first. Oftentimes, a disability is directly linked to an impairment, too — but an impairment can also be a separate condition. Digital accessibility helps people who have a wide variety of impairments and disabilities, and even supports people who wouldn’t consider themselves disabled at all.

Addressing the distinction between impairments and disabilities allows us to understand impairments as parts of a broader spectrum, instead of just addressing extremes. 

Here’s an example: A person who experiences vision problems would have a loss of sight, which is an impairment — but they may see well enough that they don’t consider themself to be disabled. In regards to digital accessibility, even though that person may not be fully blind, they could still benefit from a website that has various digital accessibility options, such as a higher color contrast or a screen magnifier.

On the other hand, an inability to see may cause a severe limitation for that person, which would be considered a disability. A person with a disability would also benefit from digital accessibility options throughout a website, such as proper headings for their screen reader and tab navigation capabilities (we’ll go over different accessibility barriers later on).

Let’s change our example and consider web users who are deaf, instead. Digital accessibility is just as important for any person who falls on the auditory spectrum as well — whether they’re partially deaf, can’t hear certain pitches, or are fully deaf. Users who have any sort of hearing loss would benefit from closed captions on videos, for example, even if they still have partial hearing.

The main takeaway: digital accessibility doesn’t solely help people who experience the extremes — it helps all people across the entire spectrum of ability.

**Please note: Some people tend to use the words “impairment” and “disability” interchangeably — but not everyone does, especially since they have different technical meanings. You should always use the term that a person is most comfortable with when referencing someone directly.**

Degrees of Impairment

The severity of an impairment and/or the period of time in which a person experiences their impairment also affects a web user’s ability to navigate and engage with a website. Since web users are so diverse, understanding this distinction is another way to showcase just how far reaching digital accessibility is. 

The standard degrees of impairment are: 

Either from birth or injury, a permanent impairment or disability won’t go away over time. Permanent impairments can be broken down into two further types of impairments, depending on how much a single function has been affected or compromised.

  • Total – Total impairments correspond to a complete loss of function in a certain part of the body. Permanent and total impairments / disabilities make the individual unable to complete certain tasks without some sort of assistance. Since it is lifelong, individuals with a permanent and total impairment must learn different — and often more complex and time consuming — ways to complete various tasks and activities. Examples of permanent impairments / disabilities include:
    • Being born completely deaf
    • Having a spinal injury that leaves you unable to move your legs
  • Partial – A disability or impairment that lessens certain functions but does not stop/make a function go away completely. A permanent and partial impairment or disability results in a lessened ability to complete certain tasks — or at the very least, increases the difficulty of completing those tasks. Partial impairments do not always make tasks impossible, although they typically make the task more difficult. Examples of partial impairments / disabilities include:
    • Blindness in one eye
    • Being born with dyslexia

When certain functions do not work correctly for a certain period of time, impairments would be considered either temporary or episodic. After that period, those movements or capabilities will return. Temporary or episodic impairments have a very broad range, and include both less severe impairments and episodic disabilities — Temporary impairments will heal or go away after a length of time, but episodic impairments are typically lifelong. It is encouraged to refrain from calling a temporary limitation or impairment a “temporary disability,” as it can be considered disingenuous, insulting, or rude to others who experience more permanent conditions.

Examples of temporary or episodic impairments / disabilities include:

  • Breaking your dominant hand (temporary)
  • Having seizures in response to certain stimuli (episodic)

While not considered a disability, any individual can experience situational limitations. Situational limitations are when a person is unable to interact in certain ways due to their surroundings, but they do not have a particular disability or impairment to hinder that action. Including web users with situational limitations when considering digital accessibility will help ensure that you are reaching the widest audience possible. 

Examples of situational limitations include:

  • Being in a room that’s too loud to hear a video, so a person uses the video’s closed captions.
  • Trying to use a phone in bright sunlight but the screen is too dark to see, so a person adjusts their screen’s color contrast and brightness in order to see the page.

Types of Impairments & Individual Conditions

It might sound slightly repetitive when we say, again, that web users are diverse — but they are! And since learning just how diverse your users are will benefit both your company and your site visitors themselves, it’s necessary to highlight the diverse types of impairments your web users have, too. Each type of impairment boasts a multitude of web users who rely on digital accessibility to receive the information they need. 

Impairments are sorted into various categories dependent on what system or function of the body has been impaired.

Each specific condition falls within one of the following types of impairments: 

Visual impairments include focusing issues, low vision, color blindness, complete blindness, etc. 

Auditory impairments include low hearing, being unable to hear certain frequencies, complete deafness, etc. 

Speech impairments include stuttering, muscle weakness that makes it difficult to produce speech (dysarthria), muteness, etc. 

Cognitive / Intellectual / Learning impairments include seizures, autism, ADHD, down syndrome, dyslexia, etc. 

Mobility impairments include tremors, losing a limb, muscular dystrophy, restrictions due to cerebral palsy, paraplegia, quadriplegia, etc. 

Keep in mind that impairments and disabilities are not only part of a spectrum, but that some impairments and disabilities can also be invisible — just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. 

When applied to digital accessibility: 

Just because you can’t see who your site visitors are doesn’t mean they aren’t there trying to engage with your content!

Types of Assistive Technology Devices Used for Digital Spaces

Some web users who have an impairment or disability use assistive technology to help them access digital content. Assistive technology refers to any equipment, whether a physical tool or software, that a person can use to assist them in the completion of a task. Just like a wheelchair will help a person who has a mobility problem, there are specific kinds of assistive technology to help web users access digital content. 

Here are a few examples of digital assistive tech and what they’re used for: 

One of the more commonly known assistive technology devices for using a computer. They read content off of a screen to the user, which is particularly useful for people who have vision impairments.

Examples of screen readers include: 

  • Jaws
  • NVDA
  • VoiceOver

Speech recognition software is software that recognizes a person’s speech and turns it into text. Individuals use them to speak commands to the device, and the device then completes the actions on a computer for them, such as clicking a button or filling out a form. They are particularly useful for people who have mobility issues and are unable to use a traditional keyboard or mouse.

Examples of speech recognition software includes: 

  • Dragon Naturally Speaking
  • Windows Speech Recognition

A Braille translation display will interpret the text on a computer screen and systematically display it in Braille on a tactile, refreshable keyboard. Users who are both blind and deaf — and are subsequently unable to use screen readers — use Braille translation displays. 

Examples of Braille translation displays include:

  • Duxbury Braille Translator
  • BrailleMaster

Magnifying softwares or programs allow users to zoom the screen in or out in order to better see information on a computer screen. They are particularly useful for individuals with vision impairments. 

Examples of magnifiers include: 

  • Magnifying Glass Pro
  • Zoomtext
  • iMax for Mac

There are various types of alternative input devices, but they all share the same concept: allowing a web user to use some other action besides using a traditional mouse or keyboard to move around a computer screen and give commands. Different input devices rely on actions like blinking, moving a joystick, or a using a specialty keyboard with larger keys. Alternative input devices benefit a wide range of people, especially those with mobility or cognitive impairments. 

Examples of alternative input devices include: 

  • Brando’s Triple Foot Switch
  • Cadan Assistive Technology’s Eye Blink Switch
  • Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller

Closed Captioning, transcripts, and ASL translations aren’t technically an assitive device — but they are essential accessibility components that web users rely on to engage with digital content. The main difference about these audio alternatives in comparison to the assistive tech listed above is that they must be supplied by the site owner, not operated by the users themselves. No matter what kind of assistive technology a person with a hearing impairment may have, if there isn’t text associated with a video, then that person can’t access the information. 

Assistive technology is absolutely crucial in allowing an individual with an impairment to have access to digital content…but using those devices will only get someone so far if the website they’re trying to navigate is inaccessible in the first place. 

Digital accessibility allows assistive technology devices to work correctly. 

**Please note:  The assistive technology devices that are listed above as examples are solely references to give the reader an idea of what devices are available. Online ADA was not paid to promote those devices and is in no way affiliated with those devices. **

Digital Barriers on Inaccessible Websites

So what types of barriers can inaccessible websites pose to users who have an impairment or disability? And what needs to change in order to fix it? 

Digital accessibility covers a lot of ground, and with that there’s bound to be questions. Below are five examples — broken down into the five categories of impairments — in order to elaborate on what barriers people may face and what accessibility components a website needs to include in order to address them. 

  • Impairment: This person is colorblind. She has trouble seeing the difference between blue and green particularly, although other colors are challenging too.
  • Barrier: Sometimes websites like to use several colors in the same color scheme, which might look good but doesn’t offer much contrast for text, images, and backgrounds. If the words and backgrounds don’t have good enough contrast, this person will just see a blank area. She even misses some important prompts and actions, like buttons telling her what to click or do next, because she simply can’t see them. Websites are getting better about having good color contrast…but individual images, graphs, and PDFs on a website? Not so much.
  • What to include in a website: It’s always best to follow the widely accepted WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standard — the rules are specific and go into exact detail of how to make a website accessible. For this person specifically though, make sure that your website meets minimum WCAG contrast requirements, which is usually a 4.5:1 ratio. Allowing site visitors to change the contrast to low or high is also good, and offering a dark mode is recommended. Including proper color contrast in all components of your business is important, even your creative content like graphs and PDFs. 
  • Impairment: This person lost his hearing over the years from going to loud concerts. He is barely able to hear and is considered mostly deaf. He uses hearing aids, but they only help him hear louder sounds.
  • Barrier: Although websites have been getting better about this, some of them have videos without closed captioning. This person finds that super frustrating, because that means he won’t be able to fully understand the video. He also really hates it when websites only have a phone number to call for customer support, instead of a form to fill out. He has even more difficulty hearing voices over a phone than he does in person — especially softer, higher pitched voices. Options that are only provided as voice-based interactions are a huge problem.
  • What to include in a website: Offering closed captions on all video content is essential. Consider offering a transcript of the video, as well; just make sure that the transcript itself or a link to the transcript is positioned near the video for people to find. Businesses should make sure that web users or customers have multiple ways to contact them, particularly through both verbal and written means. 
  • Impairment: This person found out they had throat cancer last year and is now unable to talk. On top of that, one of the side effects of their chemo treatment makes them weaker than usual, and they are unable to stay mentally focused for long periods of time. They rely on their spouse for a lot of assistance.
  • Barrier: Similarly to the person who has an auditory impairment above, this person gets frustrated when businesses only offer a phone number to call in order to complete certain transactions or get customer support. If it’s an automated call and they can punch in numbers on the keypad, this person can usually make it through — as long as they can concentrate long enough. Most of the time they feel defeated, especially when they try to complete a simple task and the business asks them to verbally confirm something or talk to a representative. Longer forms also pose a problem, as they can be too exhausting to fill out in one sitting.
  • What to include in a website: Make all forms that a person needs to fill out short and to the point — discard any information or questions that aren’t absolutely essential to what you are trying to achieve. As stated above, you should also ensure that web visitors have multiple ways to contact your business in order to best suit their needs. Including site navigation that is simple and obvious will also help make it clear where users need to go in order to get the information they need, which is great for someone who suffers from extreme fatigue.
  • Impairment: This person has dyslexia and has struggled to read since he was young. He gets frustrated with how long it takes him to read, but he needs to read slowly in order to catch a lot of words. He tries to stay calm, but can sometimes lose his patience. He prefers to listen to audiobooks and watch videos over reading actual text.
  • Barrier: Some websites use a small font size or a font that has little space between the individual letters, which jumbles up the words even easier while he reads. On top of that, he has trouble reading long or complex pages on a website, making reading directions particularly difficult when it’s a longer process. One of his biggest pet peeves is a long list of directions or a long form to fill out — the first, which can be too complex to read, and the second, which can be too hard and time consuming to submit. His dyslexia is bad enough that he’s started using a screen reader at times, even though he can see — the problem is, some websites don’t have proper labels associated with focusable elements for his screen reader to read, so he can miss entire sections of essential content. When that happens, he’s forced to struggle through and try to read it.
  • What to include in a website: Always make your fonts on your website large enough for people to read with ease — and keep your fonts at least size 16pt on the mobile version, particularly. Keep forms short, simple, and to the point. Offering a screen magnifier would be beneficial to make the words even bigger, and consider adding a component to customize the font and letter spacing. Include proper labels on your website too so a screen reader can navigate through it easily. 
  • Impairment: This person has Parkinson’s disease, which affects her ability to move. Her body is stiff, especially in the mornings, and she has tremors in both her hands — but her dominant hand is worse. Because of her stiffness and tremors, she moves more slowly than most people. She also experiences severe fatigue and sometimes gets dizzy or feels like she will fall.
  • Barrier: People may typically be able to navigate a website by using a mouse, but that’s hard for someone with fatigue and tremors like this person. She doesn’t have a specialty mouse to stabilize her tremors yet, so she mostly relies on voice commands and a keyboard with larger buttons to navigate websites. The problem is, she’s noticing a lot of websites aren’t keyboard accessible — when she tries to get to buttons and form fields with the keyboard, not all of them are in the right order. Sometimes they don’t even show up at all. Another big problem she has is when there are time limits on forms — fatigue and tremors cause her to move slowly, so forms that time out only cause more frustration and more unnecessary fatigue.
  • What to include in a website:  It is especially important to make sure your website is tab navigable for people who use a keyboard. Every part of the user interface that can be accessed and operated with a mouse should also be able to be accessed and operated solely using a keyboard. The structure of the website should follow the correct hierarchy so all the content goes in the right order as someone moves down the page. As a rule of thumb, don’t use time limits on any forms. 

The detailed examples above illustrate several problems that web users can encounter when trying to navigate through a website. Of course, there are more than five barriers people can encounter on a website — much more. Always consult the WCAG for detailed recommendations and best practices. 

By incorporating digital accessibility into as many websites as possible, web users will have increased (and hopefully complete) access to all digital content and information regardless of impairment or disability. 

Digital Accessibility is Beneficial for Everyone

At the beginning of this article we asked, “Who exactly benefits from digital accessibility?”

It was a bit of a trick question, because the answer is…everyone.

Accessibility benefits people with: 

  1. Impairments, disabilities, or both
  2. Permanent, total, partial, temporary, or episodic impairments/disabilities
  3. Situational limitations
  4. Visual, auditory, speech, cognitive, or mobility impairments/disabilities
  5. Assistive technology devices (and those without)
  6. No impairment or disability at all

Now, you might be thinking, “…wait. People without an impairment or disability benefit from digital accessibility too?”

And yes, they most definitely do. 

Digital accessibility benefits all web users because it enhances a website’s overall usability. Essentially, that means that by making specific components within your website accessible — such as creating explanatory text for buttons and links or proper hierarchical structure of your menu options and headings — all of your site visitors will have a better, easier, and quicker time gathering information. An accessible and usable website will lower people’s chances of getting frustrated, encountering problems, or being unable to accomplish an essential action like purchasing a product. 

Another reason why digital accessibility is beneficial for everyone is a little simpler: the probability of a person developing some form of impairment increases with age. And while the likelihood increases with age, there are people with disabilities and impairments of every age: the World Bank Organization states that there are roughly 1 billion people in the world who have some form of disability. Odds are, digital accessibility will affect you or someone you know at one point or another in your life. 

If you make necessary accessibility changes to your website, all users will benefit.

How to Become Digitally Accessible

In today’s day and age, everyday life is intertwined with online access — we work, learn, connect, engage, stream, and purchase online. Because of improved access and technology, web users today are more diverse than ever before, too — a trend that will only continue to grow as technology continues to advance. When digital use has become as intertwined with daily life as it is today, the last thing people should have to worry about, struggle to do, or be forced to advocate for is the ability to complete normal, daily tasks. 

Too often, companies emphasize how digital accessibility helps blind users, only to gloss over all of the other individuals who benefit from — and rely on — accessible content. It’s extremely important to recognize how digital accessibility helps blind users, but it’s just as crucial to recognize the very wide and diverse range of people who are unable to access essential content. By understanding the variety of people who rely on accessible content, more businesses will be pushed to recognize them — and their right to equal treatment and access to public information — as essential. Without implementing digital accessibility, unequal access and a lack of inclusion will continue. 

So how do we fix it? 

The responsibility to provide all individuals with equal digital access — and subsequently incorporating digital accessibility into their practices — typically falls upon businesses themselves. To do that, a business must ensure that all parts of its website are carefully scanned and that all problematic elements they find are fixed. 

The best way to make your website accessible is to go through the digital accessibility certification process, which will typically involve both automatic and manual auditing in order to find all of the inaccessible points in a website. While other solutions — particularly ones that rely solely on automated remediation — can find a percentage of accessibility issues, they will never be able to find them all. Manual, human auditing and remediation is the only way to guarantee that your website is accessible, which is what sets the certification process apart. After your website has been scanned and remediated, you will receive a certification of accessibility — giving your web users the essential access they need and cementing your position as a supporter of inclusion, to boot. 

Not only will improving your accessibility make everyone’s experience easier and more efficient — you’ll also be including essential support for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to interact with your website at all. 

Why trust Online ADA’s certification process?

  • We’re members of the W3C, the organization that wrote the go-to accessibility standards across the globe: the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
  • We’re also members of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). 
  • We’re a leader in digital accessibility and have years of experience working with companies large and small — all while supporting digital accessibility and advocating for equal access and inclusion for all users. 
  • We not only identify accessibility issues for other companies — we also cheer on, support, and teach affiliated companies about digital accessibility standards and strategies, too.

Learn more about Online ADA’s certification process or contact us to discuss your accessibility needs and options today. 

***Please note: We are not tax experts and this does not constitute legal advice in any way. To confirm your eligibility, we recommend you contact your tax advisor. 

As the number of ADA accessibility lawsuits continues to rise, more and more companies are racing to update their websites and web content in order to get proper legal protection. For smaller businesses in particular, however, another dilemma can prove even more problematic:

How are you supposed to afford to fix all of the accessibility issues in the first place?

The price tag associated with web accessibility updates is a barrier in and of itself to many small businesses, preventing them from providing essential accessibility options and obtaining valuable legal protection. Attempting to force or find space within a budget can be tricky though, not to mention stressful — and sometimes impossible.

With the looming threat of litigation and a hefty accessibility price tag providing a sturdy barrier, it’s no wonder that some businesses feel overwhelmed and trapped. Luckily, there’s a way to tackle both issues at once.

The IRS offers a tax incentive called the Disabled Access Credit to eligible small businesses that make necessary accessibility modifications to support people with disabilities. Even better, it applies to both physical and digital spaces — meaning that any accessibility updates a small business makes to its website would likely qualify.

What business would refuse an opportunity to save some money?

If you’re a small business that has spent money in the past year on updating your website’s accessibility, you could qualify for the Disabled Access Credit.

And if you’re a company that’s been wanting to address accessibility issues — or know that you need to — this information might be just the push you need to jump right in.

What is the Disabled Access Credit, and Who Qualifies for it?

The Disabled Access Credit is an IRS tax credit that can be claimed annually by eligible companies. The purpose of the credit is to help small businesses pay for their accessibility modifications in order to become more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

According to the IRS, “any business that for the previous tax year had either revenues of $1 million or less OR 30 or fewer full-time workers may take advantage of this credit.”

It is important to note that this is a tax credit, not a tax deduction, meaning that the IRS will reimburse a company for associated expenses from that year. For more information on the differences between credits and deductions, the ADA offers a Tax Incentive & Compliance Fact Sheet. For information about different ADA tax incentives in general, view the ADA’s Quick Tips.

What Expenses are Covered?

Most work done to improve upon a company’s existing accessibility will be covered by the credit, as long as the company meets the eligibility requirements listed above. It’s very important to note that the tax credit can only be used for modifications to a business’s accessibility, not for new construction overall.

Specifically, the following expenses are covered by the Disabled Access Credit:

  • The removal of barriers that prevent a business from being accessible to or usable by individuals with disabilities
  • Providing qualified interpreters or other methods of making audio materials available to hearing-impaired individuals
  • Providing qualified readers, taped texts, and other methods of making visual materials available to individuals with visual impairments, or
  • Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices for individuals with disabilities.

Websites that aren’t accessible can limit the options available to users with disabilities, sometimes preventing them from completing a transaction or accessing the website completely. Addressing a website’s accessibility involves finding and then remediating any issues within the code of the website itself, resulting in a barrier-free experience for all users.

A truly accessible website will also provide alternative methods of interaction or materials for users with different impairments. With the distinct results and support that it provides, digital accessibility modifications clearly qualify as a covered expense.

How Do I Calculate and Claim My Credit?

The Disabled Access Credit comes with certain parameters to keep in mind: a business can only claim 50% of its accessibility expenses for the credit, businesses have to spend a minimum of $250 for the credit to go into effect, and all potential credit is capped at $5,000 maximum.

In order to calculate the credit, simply subtract $250 from your business’s total spending, and then divide that amount by 2.

Here’s a more in-depth example:

  1. Calculate your total annual amount spent on accessibility modifications.
    • Ex: $7,500
  2. Subtract the minimum amount required ($250) from the total.
    • Ex: $7,500 – $250 = $7,250
  3. Divide your total from Step 2 in half.
    • Ex: $7,250 / 2 = $3,625
  4. You’ve got your total claim amount!
    • Ex: $3,625

If you spent over $10,250 in accessibility updates in the last year, keep in mind that the tax credit caps at $5,000. Since the Disabled Access Credit is an annual credit, businesses may claim it each year as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

To claim the credit, businesses need to fill out the IRS Form 8826. All businesses should confirm their eligibility with their tax advisor before claiming.

How Can I Make My Website Accessible?

If you’re a small business, the threat of litigation can be especially scary — expensive lawsuits can be more than enough to force a business into bankruptcy. Even further, it is essential that web users with disabilities have access to the same digital spaces and content as users without disabilities. The Disabled Access Credit will allow small businesses to provide the necessary support to all users and help create a more inclusive world.

The best way to make your website accessible is to go through full, manual remediation and receive an official accessibility certification. While the price may vary, the Disabled Access Credit will significantly reduce your total cost — and with certification being the only solution that offers 100% ADA compliance by conforming to the internationally accepted Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), there’s no better answer to search for.

Online ADA will help your company through the certification process. Our process includes manual auditing done by human auditors, and will make your website comply with the ADA to the highest degree possible — a result that only certification can guarantee. At the end of the year, your company will then be able to claim the remediation work done on your website as part of the Disabled Access Credit, and the IRS will reimburse you for your accessibility costs.

After claiming the tax credit from your certification process, the total cost will be nothing compared to the compliance and litigation protection you’ll receive from addressing your accessibility!

Why trust Online ADA’s certification process?

  • We’re members of the W3C, the organization that wrote the go-to accessibility standards across the globe: the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
  • We’re also members of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).
  • We’re a global leader in digital accessibility, and have years of experience working with companies large and small — all while supporting digital accessibility and advocating for equal access and inclusion for all users.
  • We not only identify accessibility issues for other companies — we also cheer on, support, and teach affiliated companies about digital accessibility standards and strategies, too.

Learn more about Online ADA’s certification process or contact us to discuss your accessibility needs and options today.