ADA Compliance
Definition
Meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act for websites, ensuring equal access for people with disabilities.
What is ADA Compliance?
ADA compliance refers to meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. While the ADA was written before the web existed, courts have increasingly applied it to websites, requiring businesses to make their online presence accessible.
For UK businesses, ADA matters if you serve American customers or operate in the US market.
Why ADA Compliance Matters
Legal Risk
US lawsuits over website accessibility have increased dramatically. Businesses face lawsuits for inaccessible websites, often with significant settlements.
Market Access
To serve American customers effectively, your website needs to be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Alignment with WCAG
ADA compliance effectively means meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards – the same guidelines used internationally.
Business Case
Beyond legal requirements, accessible websites reach more customers and often provide better experiences for everyone.
Who Needs to Comply
US-Based Businesses
All businesses with 15+ employees fall under ADA Title III, which courts have applied to websites.
UK Businesses Serving US Customers
If you actively market to or serve American customers, you may face ADA exposure.
E-commerce Sites
Online stores accessible to US consumers have been frequent lawsuit targets.
Common ADA Accessibility Issues
Visual Content
- Images without alt text
- Videos without captions
- Poor colour contrast
- PDFs that aren't accessible
Navigation
- No keyboard accessibility
- Missing skip links
- Unclear link text
Forms
- Unlabelled form fields
- Poor error messages
- Time limits without extensions
Structure
- Missing heading hierarchy
- Unclear page organisation
- Non-descriptive page titles
Achieving ADA Compliance
Step 1: Audit
Assess your current site against WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Step 2: Remediate
Fix identified issues, prioritising by impact.
Step 3: Document
Publish an accessibility statement outlining your commitment and contact options.
Step 4: Maintain
Build accessibility into ongoing development and regularly re-audit.
Step 5: Train
Ensure content creators understand accessibility requirements.
UK Equivalent
The UK has the Equality Act 2010, which similarly requires websites to be accessible. For UK businesses, focus on WCAG compliance rather than ADA specifically – the practical requirements are largely the same.