The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through ADA compliance policy ensures that people with disabilities are accommodated in business organizations through infrastructure such as wheelchair accessibility to the organization premises, access to aid such as service animals, the use of Braille and access of website resources in addition to the physical considerations that’s according to the Title III of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. According to Title I of the disabilities act any business with more than 15 employees and has been operational for over 20 weeks should be covered by the law hence ideal for compliance with the Americans with disabilities act (ADA).
The ADA compliance act was published by the USA justice department in 2010 September and the standards stated that all online technology, computer hardware, computer software, technological documentation, and electronic information must be availed to persons with disabilities.
Also Read: How can RPA help your business?
ADA compliance applies to commercial and public organizations which accommodate the public that’s including internet accommodation and other public services such as public transport, banks, and hotels. The ADA law applies to organizations within the following considerations:
- The disabled Americans as well as their families, caretakers, and friends.
- Private employers who run organizations of 15 or more employees.
- Business operating in fields effective in promoting the interest of the public.
- Local and state agencies.
Basically, the ADA compliance was enacted to provide people with disabilities equal opportunities when it comes to the organization and technology environment that’s by upholding the consideration of the disabled in physical and computer aspects interaction interfaces.
More importantly, ADA ensures people with disabilities are considered in employment opportunities, considered in purchasing of goods and services, and the ability of the disabled to participate in State and Local governments is also considered.
It is broken down into several categories which entail: Enforcements, technical assistance, guidance, regulations development and other federal initiatives specified within the ADA compliance act. It is effected based on the application of physical considerations and digital accommodation.
ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF ADA COMPLIANCE
ADA standards
- The Americans with disabilities act (ADA) compliance facilitates the access of the built environment by people with disabilities.
- ADA compliance standards put in place quality requirements for construction and alteration of facilities. The construction standards are enforced in places offering public accommodation, commercial facilities, State and local government’s infrastructure.
- The ADA access board is responsible for updating and developing the ADA accessibility guidelines. The set standards are used by different public administration departments such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of public transport in setting up standards to be complied to by members of the public. Currently, the Department of Justice and Department of public transport standards are based on the ADA accessibility guidelines of 2004.
- Department of Justice guidelines applies in all departments exclusive of the transportation sector which is a subject of the Department of Transport guidelines.
The DOJ ADA compliance standards are applicable to various areas; Assembly areas, Medical care facilities, lodging places, the housing of education centers, detention and correction facilities, social services centers, and the residential dwelling units.
ADA compliance on websites checklist
Although ADA doesn’t emphasize on websites, US courts interpreted Title III of the ADA accommodate websites. For websites to be ADA compliant, they must be accessible thus implying any of the two accessibility contexts; Process of designing websites so that there are resources facilitating people with disabilities to access its contents and finally there are is the accessibility level of the websites that’s, how accessible is your site? The department of justice uses the Web content accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)2.0 to determine whether websites are accessible. There are different levels of ADDA compliance standard measures that are Title I, Title II, and Title III that’s ADDA 1.0A, ADDA 2.0AA, and ADDA 3.0AA respectively. To ensure ADDA compliance on the website ensure that the platform meets the following accessibility testing criterion:
- Provide alternatives: Implement this functionality using Alt Text; to add alternative text to images, closed captioning; to be applied on videos, Text Transcripts; add text transcripts below all videos and audio files, and finally. No images of text; All text must be clear and readable by a screen reader software.
- Limit on the automation of content: The best idea is to completely eliminate any automation on content but according to WCAG 2.0, it’s okay to add automated content provided users have control of the content that’s via options to pause, stop or hide the automation.
- Full accessibility via keyboard: The computer should be fully navigable without a mouse using the arrow, Tab and any other navigation keys on the computer keyboard.
- Full Intuitiveness of the website: Intuition should be facilitated via; language and title tags, skip to specific content, consistency in navigation and flow, descriptive and clear links, headings and subheadings, clear labeling of elements, multiple-access protocols, clear form, and clear code lines.
- Font limits: color ration should ensure that font contrasts from the background by a minimum of 4.5.1. Additionally, ensure that the content is scalable; there should be a functionality allowing the resizing of texts by up to 200% retaining the text functionality.
- Appropriate scheduling: ensure only the very necessary time limits are implemented. If not a necessity the developers should get rid of all time limitation constraints on websites.
ADA compliance: Conclusion
Based on the general overview of ADA compliance, it is clear that these laws are meant to protect the disabled while accessing public, private and technological resources. This is in-line with making the access of these resources easy and less straining for persons with disabilities who have been subject to discrimination and mishandling by the general public for quite a lot of time in the past.