Website ADA Compliance: Understanding WCAG Level AA

Website ADA Compliance: Why WCAG Matters

The ADA does not explicitly mention websites because it was enacted in 1990, before the internet was a staple of commerce. However, federal courts have increasingly interpreted Title III—which prohibits discrimination in "places of public accommodation"—to apply to websites and mobile applications.

Because the ADA itself does not provide a technical checklist for website ADA compliance, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and federal courts frequently reference the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), these guidelines are the international standard for web accessibility.

There are three levels of conformance within WCAG:

• Level A (Minimum): The most basic web accessibility features.

  
  

• Level AA (Target): Addresses the most common and problematic barriers for disabled users. This is the industry standard for commercial websites.

  
  

• Level AAA (Highest): The most demanding level of compliance. While beneficial, it is generally not required for Website ADA Compliance.

Level AA is the benchmark for commercial business websites.

Website ADA Compliance: Key Requirements of WCAG 2.1 Level AA

Achieving Level AA compliance requires addressing numerous accessibility issues. These guidelines ensure that content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, including those using assistive technologies like screen readers.

The following areas are properly addressed when evaluating website ADA compliance:

1. Color Contrast and Visual Presentation

• The Requirement: Text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. Large text (defined as 18pt or 14pt bold) should have a ratio of at least 3:1.

• The Impact: Low contrast makes content unreadable for users with visual impairments. Bringing this into compliance is often a straightforward design fix that significantly increases accessibility.

  
  

2. Alt Text for Non-Text Content

• The Requirement: Images, icons, and buttons must have descriptive tags that screen readers can voice to the user. Decorative images should be hidden from screen readers to avoid clutter.

• The Impact: Without alt text, a blind user has no way of knowing what an image represents or where a graphical button leads.

3. Keyboard Navigability

• The Requirement: Users must be able to navigate through all interactive elements (links, forms, buttons) using only the "Tab" key. The focus order must be logical, and there must be a visible focus indicator (a ring or outline) showing the user which element is currently selected.

• The Impact: Many users with motor disabilities rely exclusively on keyboard navigation. If a user gets "trapped" in a form or cannot access a "Buy Now" button via keyboard, then accessibility is not optimized.

4. Captions and Audio Descriptions

• The Requirement: Pre-recorded video content must have synchronized captions for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.

• The Impact: Providing video without captions excludes a significant portion of the population and does not comply with website ADA requirements.

5. Form Accessibility

• The Requirement: Form fields must have accurate labels associated with them. Error messages must be specific and helpful (e.g., "The email address is missing an '@' symbol" rather than just "Error").

• The Impact: If a screen reader cannot identify the purpose of a form field, the user cannot complete a purchase or contact the business.

Website ADA compliance requires conformance with WCAG standards. More detailed information regarding these standards is available by visiting the World Wide Web Consortium directly, at https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/