web accessibility solutions

Top 5 Web Accessibility Solutions to Comply with ADA and WCAG

The internet is no longer a luxury and is used by people belonging to all strata and learning abilities. If your website is not ADA or WCAG compliant in this age, you are doing a complete disservice to the community with special needs.

Don’t you get it? Think about it this way. If you were an owner of a building, wouldn’t you put dedicated staircases and bathroom accessibility solutions for the disabled? In the same way, some people have difficulty accessing web content, but they surely need it anyway.

Enter web accessibility solutions. These tools can help you make your website accessible to people who need it. Read through this discourse for further details.

What is Web Accessibility?

What is Web Accessibility

If you’re a newbie to the concept, let’s get this out of the way before starting our list. The term ‘accessibility’ denotes the ease with which a person can approach and use an object. Similarly, web accessibility means that the design and development of your website should allow everyone to access it with ease.

We know what you’re thinking. What kind of disability would stop a person from being able to access a website? Believe it or not, around 15% of the global population currently has some unique ability. Moreover, only 40% of differently-abled Americans use the internet.

A wide range of visual, auditory, speech, neurological, and learning impairments make a person incapable of accessing your website unless it is designed accordingly. 

Visual disabilities include partial, complete, or color blindness while hearing disabilities have hyperacusis. Similarly, learning and developmental disabilities might hinder full access to the web, such as dyslexia, autism, cerebral palsy, dexterity, or paralysis.

By using the right software to enable web accessibility on your website, you can make it compliant with the regulations set by the concerned authorities. Namely, the ADA and the WCAG have several laws regarding web accessibility. If your website matches their standards, most people with special abilities will be able to process the content you present.

Why Is It Important to Make Your Website ADA and WCAG Compliant?

Nowadays, our life is incomplete without the internet. Every minute, we engage with or consume online content in one way or another. An average user spends almost 140 minutes per day on the internet.

Now, take a moment to think about the people who cannot consume this content or access this outburst of information.

These people with physical, auditory, visual, speech, or cognitive impairments are missing out on precious resources that most of our lives depend on. And let’s face it, no one deserves that.

Remember, most government and international organizations have also shifted their operations to the internet. By failing to access online websites, these people may also miss out on receiving essential healthcare, education, employment, and eCommerce.

Bottom line, web accessibility compliance is a necessary concept that every website owner should heed. Whether you own an eCommerce website or an online blog, maximizing web accessibility will benefit you.

For example, complying with regulatory guidelines will reduce your chances of falling into legal soup. Similarly, you can ensure that many people can view your services, products, and content.

Besides that, there are many aspects in which web accessibility compliance is essential for website owners.

Social Relevance

With the increasing awareness and empathy regarding developmental and learning disabilities, the last thing you want is to seem ignorant and insensitive as an online brand. Remember, if you ignore web accessibility compliance clauses, you miss the 15% of people willing to consume your content but unable to.

Going the extra mile and taking the proper measures to ensure web accessibility on your website becomes a testimony of your social responsibility and relevance. This, in turn, will benefit your brand and help you do your part for society.

Legal Compliance

When running a physical business, most people ensure their business assets are void of legal issues and disputes. The same goes for online real estate as well.

Since the advent of the ADA and WCAG, web accessibility is not protected by the law in several parts of the world. These include developed countries such as the US, EU, and Canada. If your website or online brand is based on these locations or strives to attract an audience from the same, you will need to comply with their legal requirements. Failing to do so might land you in trouble with the authorities and incur legal penalties.

Increasing Business Opportunities

As mentioned, complying with web accessibility requirements is beneficial for your website. Currently, without the proper web accessibility measures, you are missing out on 15% of the people who might be interested in your products and services.

Thus, making your website compliant will increase your leads and help you enhance conversions and sales.

In a nutshell, web accessibility is essential for you as a website owner. But, how can you implement it on your website effectively?

Don’t worry; there are many online tools you can use to diagnose accessibility problems and solve them within your website. Check out this list below for further insight.

5 Web Accessibility Solutions to Comply with ADA and WCAG

If you have decided to make your website accessible for specially-abled people, you have various options. However, the long list of options can easily confuse you when choosing the right one for your business. Luckily, we have rounded up the best web accessibility solutions so you can make your website available for anyone who wants to become socially responsible as well

1.   Accessibility Spark

Accessibility Spark

Do you own a Shopify store and want your products and services to reach the maximum audience? Then you should consult with the experts at Accessibility Spark to ensure complete ADA and WCAG compliance within your website.

The tool evaluates your website from all aspects and provides creative suggestions to increase web accessibility. It also points out any issues that can get you into legal trouble with the ADA, WCAG, and Section 508.

Not only does it help your business save money on legal penalties, and helps increase your revenue by bringing more leads and sales. You can start by installing the Shopify application and initiate your website scanning.

After the detailed scan, the tool will identify the accessibility issues within your site and provide expert analysis. Once you receive a heads-up, the device starts making necessary adjustments to your website according to your local regulations.

The tool works to make amends in various aspects of your website, including content, images, forms, videos, and widgets. Ultimately, it makes your website easy to operate for differently-abled individuals.

Most importantly, the tool is affordable compared to other accessibility solutions from its league. This means you can become compliant without burning a massive hole in your pocket.

Also read: 10 Reasons you Should Get the Web Accessibility Icon on your Website

2.   AccessiBe

AccessiBe

Integrated with cutting-edge AI technology, AccessiBe is an all-in-one solution that can make your website ADA and WCAG compliant in no time. It offers a fully-automated system with which you can skip tedious and costly manual processes and make your website accessible.

The tool scans your website using contextual understanding and image recognition functions. After that, it gives you an overview of the diagnostics. Once you finalize the changes, the tool will automatically adjust the icons, buttons, controls, and tags to fit the unique needs of disabled viewers.

Additionally, it also helps adjust various elements of your website. For example, it lets you introduce keyboard functions for on-site operations such as menus, links, forms, and buttons.

Similarly, AccessiBe supports multiple graphic design elements to help you display content in an accessible way. In this case, it adjusts your animations, sounds, colors, and contrasts to make it friendly for people with special needs.

Most importantly, it provides an accessibility statement for your website after adjusting all the necessary elements. Your online real estate will be legally safe from any disputes and penalties.

Moreover, it monitors your website constantly to remain compliant even after updates. AccessiBe conducts an automatic audit every month so you can be concern-free when adding new content to your website.

You may also like: Top 5 Web Accessibility Examples for an Inspiring Website

3.   UserWay

UserWay

UserWay is another reliable solution for those looking to integrate web accessibility into their websites. Whether you have used Shopify, WordPress, or Wix to create your website, UserWay is compatible and will work flawlessly on all software.

Furthermore, the tool is equipped with the latest AI and machine learning technology. This automatically lets you improve the overall user experience for specially-abled people willing to interact with your content.

With more than 800 websites already on their client list, UserWay uses the Document Object Model to identify issues and suggest remedial actions for your website. The best part is that it offers a free version where you can start with beginning customizations. These include increasing the font size, improving text spaces, adjusting the contrast, and implementing a reading guide.

Then, if you want to carry on with advanced adjustments, you can subscribe to its paid version for other upgrades. The advanced compliance upgrades include keyboard navigation, broken links, video captions, form labels, and content moderation.

Apart from the ADA and WCAG, UserWay also helps your website comply with FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, and HIPAA.

4.   EqualWeb

EqualWeb

EqualWeb is another renowned web accessibility solution used by hundreds of website owners worldwide. The tool helps website owners stay compliant with ADA and WCAG regulations and Section 508, IS 5568, and EN 301549.

It uses its artificial intelligence technology to scan your entire domain. Then, it identifies any issues with your website that might hinder the accessibility of differently-abled individuals.

Besides that, this tool takes care of your website security as well. With McAfee, SHA 512, and ON PREM certifications, the device provides a trustworthy platform for you to work with. As a result, you don’t have to worry about third parties receiving information about your website.

The best part is, EqualWeb can easily connect with your website regardless of your development software. You can start by entering your domain name, and its machine learning technology analyzes the data within to track accessibility issues in your coding, design, and content.

After that, the tool deploys corrective measures that can fix up to 95% of all accessibility issues and ensure full compliance. Finally, if you’re still unsure, they have a panel of experts who you can consult for manual audits. This way, you can ensure complete legal and functional compliance.

Apart from keyboard navigation techniques, EqualWeb also lets you integrate voice commands to let specially-abled users browse your site effortlessly.

5.   Accessible360

Accessible360

Acessible360 is one of the best web accessibility compliance tools compatible with various web portals, including websites, web apps, and mobile apps. Besides automated diagnosis and prompt amends, this tool also conducts accurate expert audits of your digital assets so that differently-abled people can use them efficiently.

Whether you’re looking to design your digital project in compliance with ADA and WCAG or wish to take remedial measures for an already existing website, Accessible360 has tailor-made solutions for you.

The best way to ensure complete compliance of your digital assets is by testing them before launching them to the masses. This shows your utmost social responsibility while extending your asset to a wider audience. Accessible360 prepares your website for that phase through thorough QA testing and providing alerts regarding any upgrades in the system.

Another appealing aspect of this tool is its live support system. The software will continue to monitor the workings of your website and provide technical and legal support where needed.

Final Words

Web accessibility solutions can be game-changers for your digital assets. They protect you from violating legal regulations while enhancing your user experience at the same time.

Ultimately, it is a win-win situation for you. First, however, you should conduct thorough due diligence before choosing the right web accessibility solution for your website.

Make sure you check the crucial aspects such as its automatic evaluation system, development software compatibility, and customization options.

Besides that, features such as color checking, voice recognition, screen reader, and keyboard navigation work to increase accessibility. Check whether the platform you choose offers these options before purchasing a plan.

Also read: A Comprehensive ADA Compliance Checklist for a More Inclusive Website