Sensory Characteristics and How They Impact ADA Web Accessibility

There’s one thing I’ve seen trip up businesses again and again when it comes to ADA compliance: they build websites that depend on how things look, without stopping to ask whether everyone can actually perceive those visuals. If you’ve ever labeled something only by color — like marking a button “green for yes” and “red for no” — you’ve already stepped into risky territory.

This isn’t just a design issue. It’s the kind of mistake that gets businesses hit with accessibility complaints or lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And yes, I’ve seen those complaints firsthand. If you’re relying on visual or auditory cues alone, it’s worth asking yourself: what happens when the user can’t see or hear what you’ve built?

What Sensory Characteristics Are — and Why They Matter

Sensory characteristics are the things on your website that rely on color, shape, size, sound, or spatial placement. Think:

• A red circle that means “stop”
• A loud “ding” when a form is submitted
• A larger button meant to draw attention
• A message that appears only in a certain spot on the page

These cues make sense to many users. But for someone who’s blind, colorblind, hard of hearing, or using assistive technology, those details may never register. The ADA requires websites to be usable by everyone — and when key information or instructions can’t be detected by assistive tech, you’re not meeting that standard.

That’s where an ADA defense law firm becomes essential. Most violations aren’t caused by bad intentions — they’re caused by businesses simply not knowing the rules.

A Common Mistake That Leads to Real Trouble

A client once came to me with a website that had beautiful design — sleek, clean, very modern. Problem was, it relied entirely on color-coded icons for navigation. No text, no labels. Sighted users loved it. But a colorblind visitor couldn’t tell one menu item from another.

Within weeks, they received an ADA demand letter.

We resolved it. But that case could’ve been avoided with one small change: pairing color cues with text. That’s the sort of fix that takes minutes on the frontend and can save thousands in legal fees.

What You Can Do Right Now

If your site uses color to indicate required fields, confirmation messages, or error states — stop and ask whether there’s also a non-visual way to convey that information. You don’t need to ditch color completely. You just can’t rely on it alone.

Here’s where I start when reviewing websites:

• Are links underlined or just colored?
• Do error messages have text and icons?
• Are important buttons labeled with clear, readable copy?
• Can screen readers access the same content a sighted user sees?

I also check whether ARIA labels and HTML structure support screen readers properly. These aren’t luxury features — they’re baseline requirements under WCAG and the ADA.

If your site fails these tests, it may not be ADA-compliant — and that puts your business at legal risk.

Why This Matters for Business Owners

Most of the ADA defense work I handle involves companies that didn’t realize their design choices were discriminatory. They thought their site looked clean or professional — and it probably did. But good design isn’t just what looks nice. It’s what works for everyone.

An ADA lawsuit or complaint doesn’t just hurt financially. It can damage your reputation — and it forces you into reactive mode when you could’ve prevented the problem altogether.

The best time to check for these issues is before a letter arrives. The second-best time? Right now.

Let’s Review Your Site Before Someone Else Does

If you’re unsure whether your website relies too heavily on visual or audio cues, I can help you figure it out. I work with businesses across New York and beyond on proactive, strategic ADA defense — reviewing websites, fixing risks, and handling claims when they come.

You can learn more about what our ADA defense lawyers do — and if you want help before a demand letter lands on your desk, contact us here.