A website is a significant representation of an organization or business in the online world. While it showcases the presence of a company in a certain industry, it also serves as a space for connecting with online users and audiences. It is among the best ways to present your brand identity to the public.
Although it is certainly easy to build a website with today’s technology, there are actually a series of laws and regulations surrounding in this area. These laws and regulations ensure that all users and customers are able to receive the services, products, or information that they want from the website, place or accommodation, without being inconvenienced. As such, such laws give priority to users with disabilities.
If you’re looking for ways on how to make your website compliant with laws and regulations, here are a few things you need to know.
What Is ADA Website Compliance?
If you’re looking to avoid laws and regulations against audiences or users with disabilities, you’re probably looking at making your website ADA website compliant.
ADA website compliance simply refers to adhering to the requirements as well as guidelines that are set by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). This law ensures that websites are simply accessible to users with disabilities. among the users with disabilities include those with visual and hearing impairments, cognitive disabilities, and motor impairments.
Compliance requires implementing certain designs and features where users with disabilities can access the website with comfort and ease. Furthermore, all features, pages, or services should be accessed with the use of assistive technologies which include screen readers, virtual keyboards, keyboard navigators, and other input devices designed for users with disabilities.
By making a website ADA website compliant, the website is creating an inclusive online environment where all individuals regardless of their disabilities can fully engage with.
What Does It Cost to Make a Website ADA Compliant?
What would it take you to make your website ADA Compliant? In addition, how much would it cost to actually create or recreate your website into becoming ADA Compliant? When it comes to the cost, there are actually a lot of factors involved which include size of the website, complexity of the design, the current level accessibility (for existing websites), and the requirements for compliance.
Regarding the cost, these few factors can provide a major contribution.
Website Evaluation
a website evaluation or audit can help you identify areas in your website that needs tweaking or remodeling. Furthermore, evaluating your website can help you pinpoint issues that needs to be addressed and improvements to be made. When conducting audits or evaluation, make sure to hire an experienced professional and make use of reliable tools to scan your pages for any accessibility issues.
Web Development and Design
Rendering your website ADA compliant may require a series of changes, updates, and modifications to its design and coding. The price can range from minor expenses from adding or changing a few designs, to major changes and even totally building a new website from scratch, should there be a need to do so. Furthermore, the cost can depend on the complexity of the changes, and also the rates of the developers.
Content Remediation
Content remediation or restructuring is the daunting task of adding elements to your existing media. If you have inaccessible content such as videos, images, audios and others, you may need to provide alternative ways on how users with disabilities can access your content. Among the things you can do include creating alternative texts, captions, and other accessibility elements. Cost for content remediation will also depend on the factors mentioned in the web development and design factor.
Training and Education
Its not just your website which you need to consider when rendering your website ADA compliant – you’ll have to work on the training and education of your developers and staff as well. Your website will not be maintaining itself forever. It will always need fresh and updated content that is compliant to any new regulations and laws regarding ADA compliance. A good step to take in this regard is to hire reliable trainers or coaches to train your team. Another means of educating and training your staff would be to enroll them in online courses or seminars.
What You Get from Making Your Website ADA Compliant
Now when it comes to the benefits of making your website ADA compliant, there are actually a lot to gain, which include the following:
Expanded audience
Making your website ADA compliant immediately converts to expanding your audiences. According to research and statistics, more and more online users are found to be disabled or having disabilities every year. simply making your website ADA compliant provides opportunities for users that belong in such sector thus also increasing your website audiences.
Better User Experience
Making modifications and changes in your website to comply with ADA requirements ensures your website to be much easier to use and navigate – especially towards users with disabilities. With clear and easy access to your website or pages, you are delivering improved satisfaction as well as loyalty to your users.
Legal Compliance
Last but definitely not the least, you get to stay away from lawsuits and hefty fines from breaking ADA compliance laws and regulations. Penalties and getting involved with lawsuits are the worst things to handle since it doesn’t only cost much money but also time and effort.
Our Final Thoughts
So, when it comes to the cost of achieving ADA website compliance, you should not consider the amount. What you need bear in mind are the benefits as well as the future trouble that you’ll be avoiding. As they say, “prevention is better than cure.” So, if you want to stay away from ridiculous penalty fees, fines, website reconstruction and remodeling, and so on, you need to invest and work on your websites’ compliance to such laws.
Ultimately, making your website ADA compliant is a great step toward making your website more inclusive as well as user-friendly for both the general user and users with disabilities. not only does it benefit your users, but also your organization as well.
