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.
Below you’ll find an overview of these three standards, what they entail, and tips for ensuring your website or web app complies.
IMPORTANT SIDE-NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN: Making a website or application accessible for everyone isn’t just a “cool” thing to do; it’s the right thing to do.
The web was built to help facilitate the free flow of information for EVERYONE, not just a privileged few or by people with means. As designers and developers, it’s important that we think about the people behind the screen and create applications that they can use, regardless of their background or ability.
Alright, with that out of the way, let’s jump in.
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. It also mandates that any newly constructed buildings that are leased by public entities be accessible as well as any alteration to an existing building leased by a public entity.
Further reading on how the ADA outlines best practices for web accessibility can be found here.
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. Section 508 compliance is primarily concerned with ensuring that certain web content is accessible for those with disabilities.
Most state governments and public entities also adhere to Section 508 standards for their digital products.
To comply with Section 508 standards, you need must meet the Section 508 standards and guidelines. However, Section 508 guidelines “incorporate by reference the WCAG 2.0 Level AA Success Criteria, and apply the WCAG 2.0 Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements to both web and non-web electronic content.” 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. This standard is especially important for businesses that cater to the public because it ensures that your website can be used by all users.
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 to help them build accessible products measured against a set of accepted standards and best practices. By adhering to specific levels of WCAG compliance, level AA, or better (we’ll talk about those in a minute), designers can meet Section 508 standards for their websites.
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:
The content on the website is available to everyone;
The information provided by the website is comprehensible and easy to use for people with disabilities; and
It’s easy to navigate from page to page without being disoriented by the layout or navigation elements.
All three of these principles are equally important, but one, in particular, stands out: making your site content available to everyone. This means that people should have access to multimedia content, interactive features, and other content that requires a plug-in or a special service in order to view it. In general, this includes video games, audio-only files, and other types of media that require a plug-in in order to work properly.
Achieving web accessibility standards can be difficult because there are different standards for different aspects of a website — ADA compliance for mobile devices with screen reader software, Section 508 compliance for desktop computers with screen readers or other accessibility software, WCAG compliance for mobile devices without screen reader software — but it’s not impossible! Below you’ll find tips on how you can make your site more accessible if it isn’t already compliant with web accessibility standards.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR MY FELLOW DESIGNERS IN THE ROOM
DO NOT just check the contrast and text sizing of page layouts and elements and call it a day. It is important that you have a solid grasp and foundational working knowledge of WCAG standards and accessibility best practices.
It is a common trap that I often see designers, some developers, and project managers fall into — people will check the color contrast of elements on a site they are designing and call it good. Don’t be that person or organization.
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. Any time you include text on your page, it should be understandable to those who speak the language you’re presenting it in as well as those who don’t (such as translated into English).
WCAG success criteria
There are several levels of WCAG Success Criteria compliance that need to be met in order for a website to be deemed accessible or within standards. These criteria are divided into 3 levels of compliance: A, AA, and AAA.
A: Minimal compliance.
This most basic compliance level. While it’s a good start to ensuring your product is accessible, compliance doesn’t ensure that it will meet various web and regulatory standards. 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 to ensure a usable experience for all users and meet various regulatory standards (i.e. Section 508). 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 such as hiring a web designer or developer that specializes in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) compliance. It’s worth considering meeting some of these standards to reach a broader audience. Also, AAA compliance will ensure your website meets public requirements for accessibility. 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. It involves a range of standards, techniques, and technologies to improve the accessibility of a website. While there are several different standards that organizations, depending on their market segment, need to conform to
A great place to start with making your website more accessible is to understand and adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines. The WCAG AA guidelines will help you build a product that is in compliance with current standards and ensure that it is usable for people with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities.
Accessibility, or making your website or application usable for all users, regardless of situation or ability, isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the right thing to do. It is important that we design our applications for all people, not just a select few.
