Your Website Must Be ADA Compliant
Before we review the three common barriers to ADA web accessibility compliance, we must clarify the four key requirements of ADA web-accessible design that your website must satisfy.
Your website must be:
-Operable
-Perceivable
-Robust
-Understandable
If your website is not those things, then it is not ADA accessible, which puts you and your business at risk of an ADA web accessibility lawsuit.
The 3 Common Barriers To ADA Web Accessibility Compliance
Barrier 01: Being Unable To Use A Keyboard To Navigate
Many disabled people rely on keyboards to use their computers and, in turn, to navigate websites. But, many websites do not allow disabled people to use a keyboard to navigate their website.
If a website cannot be navigated with just a keyboard, then it is not ADA accessible, and, as such, it violates the ADA. This can lead to a valid ADA web accessibility lawsuit.
No matter what, your website must be accessible through devices that extend beyond “mouse-only” functionality.
Barrier 02: A Lack Of Transcripts
Many of those who use the internet are hard of hearing or deaf. Given this fact, it is of the utmost importance that websites with audio content offer transcripts.
For example, if your website contains a video, then this video must come with a transcript that includes what is said within this video.
A transcript allows those who cannot hear to understand the contents of the video. But, if there is no transcript, then a person who cannot hear will be unable to understand the video.
Your website must offer transcripts to ensure that those who cannot hear can still understand the content on your website. This is equally true of closed-captioning and other forms of transcription.
Barrier 03: No Support For Assistive Technologies
Many people with disabilities rely upon assistive technologies to navigate the internet. But, if a particular website doesn’t support certain assistive technologies, then a disabled person cannot make use of that website.
Just as an example, if your website doesn’t support assistive technologies, then someone who is blind may not be able to convert the text on your site to Braille.
If this is the case, then you can be sued for an ADA web accessibility violation. But, if you make sure your website does support assistive technologies, then you significantly reduce the risk of a lawsuit.
