In today’s digital age, accessibility is not just a courtesy—it’s a legal obligation. With millions of users relying on assistive technologies to navigate the internet, ensuring your website is accessible is crucial. ADA non-compliant websites are not only at risk of alienating a large portion of the population but also face significant legal and financial repercussions.
Understanding how to identify and fix ADA issues on your website quickly can save you from potential lawsuits and enhance user experience for all visitors. In this blog, we’ll break down how to detect compliance issues, the tools you can use, and the steps you need to take to meet the standards outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What Does ADA Compliance Mean?
The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that businesses and public entities provide equal access to services, including digital platforms like websites. In essence, this means that your website must be navigable and functional for users with disabilities—whether they use screen readers, voice navigation, or other assistive tools.
While the ADA itself doesn’t list specific web accessibility guidelines, the ADA compliant website law is widely interpreted to align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. These include principles such as making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users.
Why ADA Non-Compliance Is a Serious Risk
Ignoring digital accessibility isn’t just poor customer service—it’s a legal risk. Companies across various industries have faced lawsuits and hefty settlements due to their websites not being accessible to users with disabilities.
This is where ADA compliance attorneys often come into the picture. Their job is to enforce compliance and litigate against businesses that fall short of ADA standards. Plaintiffs don’t need to prove intentional discrimination—just non-compliance. That means even unintentional design flaws can make your business vulnerable.
How to Spot ADA Non-Compliant Websites
1. Automated Scanning Tools
Online tools like WAVE, Axe, and Lighthouse can perform a quick audit of your website. These platforms highlight common accessibility errors such as missing alt text, low contrast ratios, and unlabeled form fields.
2. Manual Testing
Automated tools only detect about 30% of all accessibility issues. Manual testing is essential for evaluating real-world usability. This involves using your site with a screen reader like NVDA or VoiceOver and navigating without a mouse to simulate keyboard-only access.
3. User Testing with Individuals with Disabilities
Nothing replaces feedback from actual users. Engaging people with disabilities to test your site can reveal barriers that tools and developers might miss.
4. Lack of Text Alternatives
Images without descriptive alternative text, videos without captions, and infographics without data summaries are all red flags.
5. Navigation Issues
If your website cannot be fully navigated via keyboard alone, or if the tab order is illogical, it likely fails to meet accessibility requirements.
How to Fix ADA Non-Compliant Websites Fast
Addressing accessibility issues quickly requires a structured approach:
Step 1: Conduct a Full Accessibility Audit
Start with an in-depth scan using both automated tools and manual testing. Create a comprehensive list of issues categorized by severity and frequency.
Step 2: Prioritize Fixes
Focus first on high-impact elements such as navigation, color contrast, and form accessibility. These issues typically affect the most users and pose the highest risk of legal trouble.
Step 3: Update Code and Content
- Add descriptive alt text for all images.
- Ensure all form fields have associated labels.
- Use headings (<h1>, <h2>, etc.) to organize content logically.
- Make sure links are descriptive and not just labeled as “click here.”
Step 4: Integrate ARIA Roles
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) roles can enhance the user experience for assistive technologies. Used correctly, they provide semantic meaning where standard HTML falls short.
Step 5: Review Third-Party Content
If your website integrates content like plugins, videos, or social feeds, ensure they also meet accessibility standards. Vendors should provide VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) documentation.
Legal Support and Strategic Compliance
If you’re unsure where to begin or how to ensure full compliance, consulting ADA compliance attorneys can be beneficial. They can assess your exposure to risk, guide remediation strategies, and assist if your business is already facing legal challenges.
Interestingly, in some legal cases involving inaccessible digital platforms, businesses that also operate in highly regulated areas—like financial services—face even greater scrutiny. For example, debt collection lawyers in California have seen intersections between ADA violations and financial non-disclosures, showing how legal obligations can compound.
Proactive Maintenance Is Key
Accessibility isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s a continuous process. Your website should be tested and updated regularly—especially when you roll out new features, pages, or designs.
Some companies incorporate accessibility into their development pipelines using CI/CD tools that scan for issues automatically during deployment. This prevents regressions and ensures ongoing compliance.
The Business Benefits of Compliance
While the legal risk is a compelling motivator, compliance also makes good business sense:
- Increased Market Reach: More than 61 million adults in the U.S. live with a disability. Making your site accessible taps into this underserved market.
- Enhanced SEO: Many accessibility features—like proper use of headings and alt text—also improve search engine rankings.
- Better User Experience for All: Accessible websites are generally cleaner, more organized, and easier to navigate for everyone, not just users with disabilities.
- Brand Reputation: Demonstrating inclusivity boosts your brand’s credibility and aligns with corporate social responsibility values, especially as companies focus more on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks.
Conclusion
Navigating the landscape of web accessibility may seem daunting, but the risks of ignoring it far outweigh the effort of making improvements. ADA non-compliant websites expose businesses to lawsuits, alienate potential customers, and damage reputations. By taking a proactive approach—through audits, thoughtful design, and legal guidance—you can bring your website into compliance and foster inclusivity. In a world that increasingly values digital accessibility, being compliant isn’t just a legal necessity—it’s a smart business strategy. If you haven’t reviewed your website for accessibility yet, there’s no better time to start than now. Don’t let your site become the next target—ensure your digital presence is inclusive, user-friendly, and legally sound.
