What Is Website Accessibility?
An accessible website is one that is designed, built, and maintained so that everyone can use it, including people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive disabilities. In the United States, one in four adults lives with some type of disability, making accessibility a concern that impacts a large portion of the population. Website accessibility also benefits users beyond those with documented disabilities, including mobile users, aging individuals, and people in situationally limiting environments, such as bright outdoor settings or loud rooms where audio is not an option. Following accessibility guidelines can also improve site health, search engine visibility, and overall user experience.
ADA-compliant Website Checklist
An ADA-compliant website ensures that the site is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, the four core principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). For those wondering how to make a website ADA-compliant, the following steps are a good place to start to avoid the most common violations:
- Add alt text to all images. Alt text is a brief written description embedded in an image that allows screen readers to describe the image to users who are blind or visually impaired.
- Ensure all form fields have descriptive input labels. Labels tell users exactly what information is expected in each field, which is essential for screen reader users who cannot rely on visual placement or placeholder text alone.
- Include skip navigation links. A skip navigation link allows keyboard and screen reader users to bypass the main navigation menu and jump directly to the page content, saving them from having to tab through every nav item on every page
- Maintain high color contrast between text, icons, and background. WCAG requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text to ensure that users with low vision or color blindness can read content clearly. Use a tool like the WebAIM contrast checker to verify your color combinations before publishing.
- Use proper heading hierarchy. Headings should follow a logical order, starting with a single H1 and proceeding through H2s and H3s, so that screen reader users can navigate the page structure efficiently.
- Write descriptive anchor text for all links and calls to action buttons. Vague link text, such as “click here” or “read more,” provides no context for screen reader users; descriptive text like “download our accessibility checklist” clearly communicates the destination or action.
- Perform an in-depth accessibility audit. While the steps above address the most common issues, a full audit will surface deeper technical issues that automated tools and manual review can catch together.
Performing a Website Accessibility Audit
A comprehensive accessibility audit involves two steps. First, begin by using free automated tools such as axe DevTools, WAVE, or Google Lighthouse — these quickly identify the most common problems and provide an initial overview of your site’s accessibility status.
Then continue with manual testing: ensure all interactive elements, such as buttons, forms, and menus, are accessible via keyboard, that screen readers can correctly interpret your content, and that your layout remains stable across different zoom levels. While automated tools are quick, manual testing helps identify issues they might overlook.
Odd Dog Media provides a free scan of up to five pages for a detailed review, including a compliance score and an itemized list of issues requiring attention. Afterward, our team will guide you through the next steps and suggest the most suitable course of action. Contact us to get started.
Is ADA Website Compliance Mandatory?
If you serve the public, the window for treating accessibility as optional is closing.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires certain businesses to make accommodations for people with disabilities, and courts have increasingly applied this standard to business websites as well. Currently, there are different requirements for government entities and private businesses regarding compliance and compliance deadlines.
Title II of the ADA has held government entities, such as state and local agencies, public schools, universities, transit systems, and courts, to a high bar for accessible websites. In April 2024, the Department of Justice published a final rule under Title II of the ADA that formally requires state and local government websites and mobile apps to meet Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
Government entities must meet compliance by the following deadlines:
- April 24, 2026 — Title II entities serving populations of 50,000 or more
- April 26, 2027 — Title II entities serving populations under 50,000, and special district governments
Title III of the ADA applies to private businesses that serve the public. Courts have repeatedly held that a business’s website is part of its public-facing presence, requiring it to meet the same accessibility standards as a physical location. If a customer can visit your location, call, or make a purchase, your website probably qualifies under Title III. This applies to retailers, restaurants, hotels, medical and dental offices, law firms, financial advisors, gyms, salons, and most other businesses serving the public. Even businesses without a storefront open to customers have encountered ADA website lawsuits.
There is no strict federal deadline for private businesses under Title III yet, but courts are still ruling against non-compliant businesses. The Department of Justice has indicated that WCAG 2.1 AA should be the standard for compliance. Relying on a formal deadline could be risky because liability begins immediately.
Thousands of ADA website accessibility lawsuits are filed every year, targeting businesses of all sizes. Serial plaintiffs and plaintiff law firms actively scan for inaccessible sites and send demand letters. Settling these cases can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $75,000 or more. Beyond the user experience benefits an accessible website provides, avoiding legal liability is a significant incentive for businesses to make a website ADA-compliant.
The industries most frequently targeted by ADA website lawsuits include:
- Healthcare and medical practices
- E-commerce and retail
- Hospitality (hotels, restaurants, travel)
- Financial services and insurance
- Food and beverage
Do Accessibility Widgets Actually Make Your Site Compliant?
Overlay widgets, such as AccessiBe, UserWay, and similar solutions, claim to improve website accessibility by inserting a small script that automatically detects and “fixes” issues for users. These tools are popular because they are quick to set up and cost-effective. However, they don’t work reliably enough to provide legal protection.
The National Federation of the Blind and other major disability groups have voiced their opposition to overlay tools, arguing that these can interfere with the assistive technologies that disabled users depend on. Several companies have faced successful lawsuits despite having an overlay widget in place, as courts tend to scrutinize the website’s underlying code rather than the third-party plugins.
Accessibility overlays can be a useful supplemental layer, but they do not replace proper remediation. If a demand letter arrives, claiming “we installed an overlay” is generally not a strong or reliable defense in court.
The right approach is fixing the underlying code — and that’s exactly what our team at Odd Dog does!
Keeping Your Website Compliant
Website accessibility is not a one-time fix. As content is updated, technology evolves, and regulations change, it is important to monitor your website’s compliance on an ongoing basis to ensure all users have equal access to your information. Our team recommends quarterly accessibility check-ins to address new issues and stay current with changing tools and standards.
Whether you need ongoing ADA compliance monitoring or a brand-new website built with accessibility best practices in mind, our website design and development services prioritize inclusive design from the start. A well-built site and an accessible site go hand in hand, and we can help you work toward both. Looking for help with website accessibility? Schedule a time to meet with our team to discuss your website’s accessibility, ongoing maintenance, and next steps. We look forward to helping you maintain a website that works for everyone!
