Who should have an Accessible Website?

The present day world functions immensely online; it is often where people work, study, organize, interact and receive the news. Organizations and companies are regularly aiming to design the flashiest and most high tech internet site, attempting to make their web-page quick to find and attractive to clients. Now it’s time for organizations and businesses to take into account the customers they may be missing out on and verify that their web site allows access to people that have disabilities. If an enterprise or organizations are not aware of web accessibility, it's time to start considering it.

What does having an accessible site mean?

A well-made website is accessible to anyone navigating the web and fulfills The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Sections 504 and Section 508). This implies textual content, pics, films and hyperlinks are accessible to any individual who visits a webpage, in spite of their physical capacity.

Web accessibility incorporates impairments such as:

Visual

Auditory

Physical

Speech

Cognitive

Neurological impairments (W3C Initiative http://www.w3.org)

Who is site should be accessible?

Web accessibility laws require all federal and government establishments to maintain a usable site for disabled individuals. In the United States, there is presently no major regulation demanding all web pages be compliant, but this does not mean websites can ignore accessibility. They are still vulnerable to legal actions and discrimination situations. In recent years, many civil rights lawsuits against organizations for having inaccessible web pages have been filed.

Laws dealing with online accessibility are under examination with a push to enforce and expand the laws to cover more areas on the web.

For business entities and organizations, it is improbable the current or upcoming web accessibility legal guidelines will instantly have an impact on the business. It is, however, wise to be proactive and defend businesses from having to handle legal consequence. It is apparent the United States is heading toward requiring all web pages be compliant with American with Disabilities Act and other regulations. Businesses should move in the direction of ensuring their site is user friendly for disabled individuals by testing their site with accessibility tools.

Do Businesses Need To Be Concerned With Web Accessibility?

Today’s world performs largely online. It is often where people work, research, strategist, communicate and keep up with current events. Corporations and organizations have a tendency to aim to build the latest and most high tech web-page, making sure their internet site is easy to locate and attractive to prospective clients. Now, it’s time for businesses to step back and carefully consider who they are missing online and asses if their web page allows access to individuals who have impairments. If a company is not concerned with web accessibility, it is time to start considering it.

Exactly what does it mean to have an accessible web-page?

A properly designed internet website is in fact accessible to everyone online. It satisfies World-wide-web Consortium (W3C) guidelines, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Sections 504 and Section 508. This suggests desired content, images, movies in addition to hyperlinks are accessible to anybody who can browse to a webpage, no matter their physical capability.

Web accessibility involves disabilities such as:

Visual

Auditory

Physical

Speech

Cognitive

Neurological disabilities (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative http://www.w3.org)

Should a company have an accessible site?

Accessibility laws will require all federal as well as government programs to be accessible. In the United States, there is presently no universal law that enforces all websites to be compliant. This does not mean a company will not be faced with discrimination or legal issues for having an inaccessible website. Recently, there has been countless civil rights lawsuits against establishments for having inaccessible company websites. Federal laws that deal with accessibility and web pages are under examination, with a focus on expanding legal guidelines to cover a broader range of places online.

For a small business or organization, it is less likely that the existing legal guidelines will immediately affect a company, but there are benefits to being proactive and protecting a business by making sure the website is accessible. It is undoubtedly clear the United States is shifting to demand all web pages be compliant with ADA regulations. Companies can use online validation tools to test their site and work with web developers to generate a site that works for everyone.