Understanding web accessibility standards: ADA, Section 508, and WCAG compliance

A common question I get from people is "What do I need to do in order to comply with web accessibility standards?". The answer is, it really depends on the standard. There are three types of standards for website accessibility and they pertain to different aspects of a website. ADA is American Disabilities Act, Section 508 is a United States law that requires federal agencies and some federal contractors to make their websites accessible, and WCAG is Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

ADA compliance means that your site is compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 (a US law).

WCAG compliance means your website adheres to the standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Section 508 compliance means your website meets the criteria required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

American Disabilities Act

ADA compliance ensures that your website conforms to the standards set by the American Disabilities Act. Organizations and businesses with 25 or more employees are subject to ADA, and those with 15 or more employees must comply with Section 508. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, and telecommunications.

Section 508

Section 508 is a law that requires federal agencies and some federal contractors to make their websites accessible. This includes making public documents available on the internet, providing electronic and information technology, and web-based training. Most state governments and public entities also adhere to Section 508 standards for their digital products.

To comply with Section 508 standards, you need to meet the Section 508 standards and guidelines. However, Section 508 guidelines "incorporate by reference the WCAG 2.0 Level AA Success Criteria." This means that by following WCAG AA or AAA standards, your site will be in compliance with Section 508 guidelines.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a set of standards that outline best practices for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG standards are published by the Web Accessibility Institute (WAI) and offer designers, developers, and anyone interested in building more accessible digital products an easy-to-use framework.

Web accessibility principles

The goal of any web accessibility standard is to make websites accessible for all users. Websites are considered "accessible" when they meet the following three principles:

1. The content on the website is available to everyone;
2. The information provided by the website is comprehensible and easy to use for people with disabilities; and
3. It's easy to navigate from page to page without being disoriented by the layout or navigation elements.

WCAG guideline conformance

WCAG is a set of requirements that covers the following:

• Perceivable: Your site must be perceivable to people who have different disabilities or impairments. This includes contrast and color, voice-over text, and alternative text for images, videos, and animations.
• Operable: Your site must be operable with keyboard navigation and by people who use assistive technology such as screen readers and point sticks.
• Understandable: Your site must meet certain criteria for how content is organized and labeled.

WCAG success criteria

There are several levels of WCAG Success Criteria compliance. These criteria are divided into 3 levels of compliance: A, AA, and AAA.

A: Minimal compliance.

This most basic compliance level. Some A compliance guidelines include:

• No keyboard traps
• Navigable with a keyboard
• Non-text content alternatives
• Video captions
• Meaning is not conveyed through shape, size, color, etc. alone

AA: Acceptable compliance.

AA compliance is the accepted standard that designers and developers can meet. Some of the basic requirements include:

• Color contrast is, in most instances, at least 4.5:1
• Alt text or a similar solution is used for images that convey meaning
• Navigation elements are consistent throughout the site
• Form fields have accurate labels
• Status updates can be conveyed through a screen reader
• Headings are used in a logical order

AAA: Optimal compliance.

Typically, to achieve AAA compliance, you'll need to get outside help. Some AAA standards include:

• Sign language interpretation for audio or video content
• Color contrast is at least 7:1 in most instances
• Timing is not an essential part of any activity
• Context-sensitive help is available

Conclusion

Web accessibility is the practice of making the web more accessible to people with disabilities. A great place to start is to understand and adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The WCAG AA guidelines will help you build a product that is in compliance with current standards. Accessibility isn't just a buzzword, it's the right thing to do.