For millions of people living with disabilities, whether visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive, browsing the internet can be a frustrating, unpleasant, in some cases, even an impossible experience. When a website isn’t designed with accessibility in mind, it can alienate potential customers, lead to bad word of mouth, and put your business at risk of legal action.
With increased scrutiny, the rising number of lawsuits targeting big and small names from a diverse range of industries, and greater awareness of European Accessibility Act (EAA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance’s meaning, more and more companies are looking for the best way to apply a suitable, reliable, and lasting fix.
In today’s post, we break down the usual stumbling blocks to website accessibility and how you can start fixing them today without redesigning your entire web presentation.
What makes a website inaccessible?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandate that websites have to be usable for everyone, and failing to meet those standards could cost you big time. But beyond the potential lawsuits and bad rep that’s hard to shake, the real loss is the customer. In a ruthless marketplace, no company can afford to alienate potential clients in influential European and US markets. The disabled community represents billions of dollars in spending power on both sides of the Atlantic. Without an accessible website, you run the risk of narrowing your reach and influence and getting left behind by forward-thinking competition.
A lot of accessibility issues boil down to diminished user experience for people with disabilities. Here’s a list of the usual suspects you need to keep an eye on:
1. Missing or improper alt text
Screen readers rely on alt text to describe images to users with visual impairments. When alt text is missing, vague, or stuffed with keywords, it creates a gap in user experience, leading to frustration or loss of customers.
2. Low color contrast
Have you tried reading gray text on a light background? Not a pleasant experience. Now imagine doing it with low vision. Poor contrast between text and background can make content unreadable for a great number of users who have poor vision.
3. Keyboard navigation failures
Many users can’t use a mouse to browse through content and rely on the keyboard instead. If your website doesn’t support tab navigation or doesn’t include important elements like modals or dropdowns, some people will just be excluded from whatever it is you’re offering.
4. Lack of screen reader compatibility
Just because something looks good doesn’t mean it will sound good too. If your website structure, including headings, buttons, and forms, isn’t properly coded to support assistive software technology, screen readers won’t be able to interpret it and pass on the message to the user.
5. Unlabeled forms & buttons
Forms that ask for user information without clearly delineated fields and buttons that say ‘Click Here’ without any context are classic examples of online dead ends. Screen reader users who depend on descriptive cues and people with cognitive issues or neurodiverse conditions will be forced to leave your website disappointed.
6. Auto-playing media with no controls
Don’t you just hate it when you open a webpage only to get blasted by an aggressive video or sound? The only thing worse is when there is no way to pause it. According to provisions in both EAA and ADA, that is a serious issue for users with sensory sensitivities and cognitive conditions.
7. Inconsistent site structure
Skipping heading levels, using headings just for decoration, including large blocks of endless text, or stuffing entire paragraphs into <div> tags is a sure way to wreck the logical flow that assistive tools rely on. It’s enough to confuse anyone, let alone people who need assistance browsing the web.
Who should I call to help me understand the EAA & ADA compliance meaning & apply the fix?
There’s no way of sugarcoating it, noncompliance with ADA and EAA is a potential lawsuit and PR disaster waiting to happen. If you don’t want your business to make its way in the legal crosshairs, you should contact specialists at includeUs or one of our competitors to help you avoid protracted legal battles.
Whether you want to learn how to become EAA and ADA compliant, why it’s not smart to risk compliance lawsuits, or what’s included in the ADA and EAA compliance checklist, all you have to do is give us a call. We’ll help you create a web presentation where everyone gets a fair shot at engaging with your brand so reach out to us today!
