The Americans with Disabilities Act has been around for over 30 years now. The law aims to prevent discrimination among people with disabilities. They need accommodation in schools, workplaces, and other public places. Over time, this law extended to other aspects of life. Since the internet is now a part of everyone’s lives, people with disabilities should also have access to it. Websites have to be compliant with this law to accommodate people with disabilities. Therefore, business owners should find a way to redesign the website to make it suitable for these individuals. Asking for expert help from a reputable Nashville web design agency will also make the job easier. They understand the law and will find a way to modify the website to help people with disabilities.
Here are some tips for designing an ADA-compliant website.
Review the guidelines
There’s a website content accessibility guideline to follow. It offers recommendations on how to make the website more accessible. For business owners who don’t know where to begin, the guidelines lay out a clear foundation to accommodate people with disabilities.
Audit the website
Before starting any changes, it’s important to conduct an audit of the website using the Accessi web accessibility tool. It helps determine accessibility issues such as missing alt tags and inappropriate styles. It’s easier to identify which changes to make depending on the results of the audit. The tool is easy to use and understand.
Provide descriptions to images
Blind people won’t see the images. They need the descriptive alt tags. They are useful to screen readers and voice-overs in describing the elements present in a website. People who can’t see the content clearly will use this feature. It also helps in ranking the website in search engines. Google’s algorithms can’t read pictures, so they will depend on the alt tags.
Make the content more visible
When designing the website, it shouldn’t only be about the aesthetic appeal. Focus on the overall style in the visibility of the elements. For instance, navigating the website with smaller fonts and lighter backgrounds might be difficult. Some users won’t see the content at all. Headings should be clear enough. The colors used should also be bold and in contrast with their background. Optimizing the website for mobile device use is also important. Some websites might look good on desktop computers, but unclear for mobile devices. People with disabilities use different devices for browsing the Internet. Therefore, the website should look good regardless of their choice of device.
Simplify the information
People who can’t see the web content might ask for help from screen readers. They’re responsible for making it easier for people with disabilities to understand the website. To help them, it would be great if the information is simple and easy to understand. Try to break it down according to the most useful details. It also helps to use bullet points for emphasis. The punctuations should also be big enough for the screen readers to use them appropriately.
Make sure the call to action button is big enough
After understanding the information presented on the website, the next step is to hit the call to action button. It needs to be big enough for the user to know where to click. The button should also provide more details instead of the words “click here” or “learn more.” This strategy is useful not only for users with disabilities but other people as well. When the website convinces users to hit the call to action button, it will lead to a conversion rate increase.
Analyze the site logic flow
The website should be easy to use for people who don’t have complete control of their faculties. For instance, some people can only use their left hand when browsing the internet. Therefore, it’s important to have a button that allows them to browse the page using only one hand. Other users can’t use the mouse at all. They only rely on keyboards to navigate the website. There should be a feature that allows them to ditch the mouse in going through the website.
Provide subtitles
Video content is becoming more popular. Most websites rely on videos to explain certain information. Videos can help provide details about the products and services. They may also be entertaining for the viewers. Since some people can’t hear the audio, there should be subtitles for them to follow. A voice feature will also help those who can’t see the video by reading the description out loud.
Start the compliance check
Even without the law forcing business owners to adjust, it’s vital to implement these changes. It helps people with disabilities in navigating the website and making them feel included. No one deserves exclusion in society because they have disabilities. Start now by looking at the compliance checklist. Understanding what else the company can do to improve the website is helpful. It takes time to understand the full extent of the law and the changes required.
Seek help from web design experts
The good thing is that there are experts who understand the Americans with Disabilities Act. They know how to adjust the website to help these people. Web design experts also helped other companies redesign their pages. They understand the spirit of the law and the importance of making these adjustments.
If the company is yet to launch a website, it helps to partner with an experienced Nashville web design company. After browsing the information and it’s online reputation management, it’s vital to read reviews and testimonials. They provide information about the quality of the services given by the web design company.
Set up a meeting with the shortlisted agencies. There should be a discussion regarding the details of the web design process and the overall cost of the services provided. During the initial interview, it helps to ask questions related to ADA compliance. If the agency can’t provide clear responses, it’s time to move on to other options. The company needs a partner in web design who understands the needs of people with disabilities. Experienced web designers that offer affordable services should be the top choice.
