How to Make Your Website ADA Compliant (& Why You Should!)

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. 

So what does this have to do with websites? In short, your website needs to be ADA-compliant. ADA compliance means that your website must be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes people who are blind, have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, have speech or mobility impairments, or have any other disability that limits their ability to use a website.

Why You Should Make Your Website ADA Compliant

There are a few reasons why you should make sure your website is ADA-compliant:

It’s the law

The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to all businesses with 15 or more employees. If you’re found to be in violation of the ADA, you could be subject to hefty fines.

It’s good for business

Making your website accessible to people with disabilities is not only the right thing to do—it’s also good for business. People with disabilities have a lot of spending power and they’re more likely to do business with companies that are inclusive and welcoming.

It’s easy to do 

There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure your website is accessible to everyone. We’ll go over those steps in the next section.

How to Make Your Website ADA Compliant

Making your website ADA compliant doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming—in fact, it can be pretty easy if you know what you’re doing. Here are a few simple steps you can take:

Use alt text for images 

Whenever you use an image on your website, always include alt text—a brief description of the image for people who are blind or have low vision. This ensures that everyone can understand what the image is conveying.

Use captions for videos

If you have any videos on your website, make sure they’re captioned so that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can understand them. You can either create your own captions or use automatic captioning services like Rev or 3Play Media.

Use clear and concise language

When writing content for your website, always use clear and concise language that everyone can understand—including people with cognitive disabilities like dyslexia or ADHD. Avoid jargon and technical terms whenever possible; if you do need to use them, make sure you explain them clearly so that everyone knows what you’re talking about.

Design your website for keyboard navigation

Many people with disabilities rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse—so it’s important to design your website accordingly. This means making sure all links and form fields can be accessed using a keyboard and that there’s enough contrast between text and background colors so that people with low vision can see everything clearly.  

Test your website regularly 

Once you’ve made all the necessary changes to your website, it’s important to test it regularly to make sure everything is still working properly. You can use online tools like WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool or ChromeVox screen reader extension  

Get help from an expert 

If you’re not sure how to make your website accessible, there are plenty of experts who can help. UCI Digital creates custom websites to help your business follow all ADA compliance regulations.     

UCI Digital

Making your website accessible is important for compliance with the ADA and state laws, but it’s also the right thing to do. By taking steps to ensure that everyone can access your site, you’re making the internet a better place for everyone. So what are you waiting for? Give us a call today! 806-553-5332