Digital accessibility is the law, but most websites aren’t compliant

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures that everyone has equal access to the same opportunities. This law mandates things like wheelchair-accessible entries in public buildings and prohibits employment discrimination based on disability. But did you know it also mandates website accessibility ?

Digital accessibility is just as important as physical accessibility. Think of it this way: when you visit a government, e-commerce, educational, or other website, you’re essentially getting the same products, services, and benefits as you would if you physically visited a town hall, retail store, school, or other building — if not more. So why should a digital experience provide any less accessibility than an in-person one?

Unfortunately, most websites are not accessible , including many of Connecticut’s municipal websites — with some even having dozens of violations on their homepage alone.

Remember, digital accessibility doesn’t only serve individuals with vision, hearing, or mobility impairments. It also helps users with epilepsy, autism, dyslexia, speech impairments, and more.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Typeface with a poor contrast ratio makes it difficult for people with a vision impairment to read. Think of it like reading a book with yellow text instead of black.
• Inadequate coding can make web pages confusing or unusable. For example, certain tags are needed for people who use screen readers to understand pages and complete digital forms. Pages without these tags are like assembling a piece of furniture with 100 pieces and no instruction booklet.
• Some users rely on keyboard navigation to move through a website. Inaccessible websites with “keyboard traps” prohibit users from moving beyond a page, rendering your website inoperable.
• Videos without closed captioning or transcripts may not be accessible for people with hearing impairments. Videos and animated gifs must have the option to be turned off, as they can cause seizures for some people with epilepsy.

Early this year, the United State Department of Justice passed a new federal law requiring all state and local websites and mobile apps to be ADA compliant by 2026 or 2027 (deadline depends on each district’s population).

Accessibility law doesn’t only include governmental agencies — it’s businesses, too. Companies need to know whether their site is required to be ADA compliant or risk being sued.

The prevalence of ADA lawsuits against non-compliant websites has been steadily rising, with e-commerce sites getting hit the hardest . So, in addition to eliminating the risk of a lawsuit, fully compliant websites enable better useability (to drive higher sales), better Google rankings, and a smoother customer experience for all users, regardless of how they use your site.

Disability rights are human rights. If you own or maintain a website, please spend some time to ensure your site is accessible to all. If not, make the necessary adjustments or invest in a comprehensive audit and remediation.

Lisa Wright is the founder of Reify Creative , a digital marketing agency.