Expand your Audience, Improve Compliance with Digital Accessibility

Article
Expand your audience, improve compliance with digital accessibility

Society increasingly relies on websites, apps, and digital devices for critical services, information, and commercial transactions. That’s why everyone, including people with disabilities, needs access to these essential environments and tools. As a business, you also face unavoidable legal obligations according to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

Digital accessibility is more critical than ever and increasingly prioritized by organizations of all sizes. Beyond legal compliance, it's about helping everyone have equal access to the information, products, and services they need. This article explores the related regulations, business benefits, and industry-leading technology that help check and implement digital accessibility.

More about the ADA and WCAG

ADA and WCAG compliance regulations help make digital content and platforms more accessible to people with disabilities. These laws require that websites and digital content be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities. These regulations have been in place for some time, but their enforcement and implementation often play catch up with the rapid pace of technology.

The business and website performance advantages

One key benefit of ADA and WCAG compliance is expanding and improving your customer base. A more accessible website can help you tap into a sizable demographic otherwise excluded from your services or products. According to the World Health Organization, over 15 percent of the global population (over one billion people) has a disability, making them the largest global minority. They also represent a significant market segment you can’t afford to ignore.

Importantly, accessible websites not only cater to people with disabilities but also enhance the user experience (UX) for all users. Features such as straightforward navigation, readable text, and alternative text for images benefit everyone, regardless of ability. These tools and strategies increase customer satisfaction and engagement while improving brand reputation.

Check your accessibility with UserWay

Businesses and website owners should regularly check the accessibility of their digital properties to pursue ADA and WCAG compliance. Automated solutions like UserWay's Accessibility Checker quickly evaluate your website's accessibility based on WCAG guidelines so you can diagnose any barriers at a glance.

There’s no better place to jumpstart your accessibility initiatives. Just enter your URL and get results that show what areas need fixing, your overall accessibility score, and your lawsuit risk level. You can also follow up and reinforce your accessibility efforts with the UserWay Accessibility Checker.

The UserWay Accessibility Widget

In addition to its Accessibility Checker, UserWay offers other solutions to help businesses achieve and maintain ADA and WCAG compliance. The UserWay Accessibility Widget does most of the work for you at the code level, relieving the burden on your internal teams and resources. In addition to doing automated website remediation behind the scenes, it offers user-triggered personalization options.

The Widget has a framework of AI-powered tools for various disability profiles with user preferences that simplify overall site navigation. It instantly accommodates everything from motor and vision impairments to dyslexia and cognitive and learning challenges. Its personalization features easily integrate into any website, allowing users to adjust settings like font size, color contrast, and keyboard navigation to suit their needs.

For companies, the Widget is the first step to addressing accessibility. In addition to its powerful remediations, companies benefit from:

  • Customized branding options

  • Integration on over 20 platforms

  • Support for over 50 languages

  • Continuous accessibility updates

  • Free, live installation support

  • 24/7 chat

  • And attorney-led legal services

Accessibility paves a future path for the digital world

Prioritizing digital accessibility is a legal, ethical, and business obligation. Adhering to the ADA and WCAG and leveraging UserWay’s tools can help enhance your UX, broaden your audience, and create a more inclusive digital environment for all users.

Today’s technologies make it easier than ever for companies to prioritize accessibility, no matter their resources. With automation, we can pave the way for all brands to embrace accessibility as a fundamental web principle and create a more inclusive and equitable digital future.

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