Understanding Website Accessibility Standards: Navigating WCAG, ADA, and Section 508
02/27/2024
Similar Yet Vastly Different
At networking events, when I share my specialty, I’m often asked, what’s that? Accessibility is not the first topic on folks’ minds at these sorts of events, but as soon as I say something to the affect, “It’s like curb cuts, braille on signage, or buttons that automatically open doors for the internet,” the wheels start turning. Many small businesses with brick-and-mortar establishments take these aspects of construction into account, but when the internet branch of their business is born it’s much easier to move quickly to build something to point folks towards, but another to ensure it’s a viable member of the team, serving it’s actual purpose; to inform and grow business/funding/etc. This oversight can stem from the misconception that as long as a website is accessible on any device with internet access, it meets accessibility standards.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 508 seeks to address accessibility in some form or fashion, but the terms are not interchangeable. One refers to the actual standards by which the others are measured in the cyber spaces we’ve come to occupy, while the others help define specific audiences and consequences for non-compliance. The rules for the physical world of accessibility, while still challenging, are much more regulated and monitored, however, there are not agencies in place ensuring that businesses are contributing to an accessible internet experience. This is largely due to the complexity of digital accessibility itself. For instance, a version of WCAG compliance involves three levels, that take components of four principles, and thirteen guidelines, which businesses can ‘cherry-pick’ to meet the five requirements of accessibility.
Inspired by the table in WebFX article, I’ve created an enhanced version you can use to gain clarity a little more quickly and take immediate action to identify high level potential issues for your own digital presence. As a disclaimer, the information provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.
| QUESTIONS TO ASK | WCAG | ADA | SECTION 508 |
| What is it? | An International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard set of guidelines for creating an accessible website for people with disabilities. These standards often written with influence from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). There are 3 distinct levels: Level A: A site that some users can access. Level AA: A site that almost all users can access. Level AAA: A site that all users can access. | A civil rights law in the United States that prohibits the discrimination of people with disabilities in all areas of life, both implicitly and explicitly. Areas affected include not only physical spaces, but also when using electronic and information technology. | A United States federal law that requires their agencies to maintain and use information and communications technology that people with disabilities can use, ensuring that it is compatible with what W3C refers to as “… assistive technologies or special accessibility features in mainstream user agents (for example, a ‘show captions’ option in a media player)…”. |
| Who’s affected? | No easy answer as it largely depends on org size and annual revenue. | Local governments, State governments, Nonprofits, Businesses | Federal agencies, Federal Departments. |
| Aren’t these the same? | Serves as a reference for ADA or 508 website compliance, i.e., this is the rubric for accessibility on the web. | Applies to the public and private sector; think of this as state court houses, a non-profit organization, retailers, etc. | Applies only to federal agencies and departments; think of this as the White House, Social Security, Healthcare.gov marketplace, etc. |
| How’s non-compliance handled? | See the specific standard for how it is handled. | $55,000-$75,000 for first-time violation, $150,000 for repeat violations, Revoked funding if federally funded. | Formal complaints, Civil Lawsuits. |
| How can I ensure compliance? | From the start, build marketing sites with end users in mind, asking questions like those listed after this table. For existing sites, there automated tools you can use to test page by page, but almost all recommend hiring a human to manually audit and apply changes. | Hire a consultant or agency to perform manual audits and updates based on level desired to meet. | Hire a consultant or agency to perform manual audits and updates based on level desired to meet. |
Here’s a short, NOT comprehensive list of questions to get started:
- Do I have more than 15 employees and/or >= $1.5 million in annual revenue?
- How do my patrons access my site, i.e., what hardware is the businesses’ target audience using?
- Are there fancy videos and animations that affect function?
- Are the tools I want/do to use in my sales and marketing funnels compliant?
- Can I take immediate action if something proves under or non-compliant to my desired WCAG level?
#Accessibility #WebAccessibility #WCAG #ADA #Section508 #WebsiteCompliance #Inclusivity #DigitalAccessibility #MarketingWebsites #DEI #SEO #WebDevelopment