Ensuring your website is accessible and usable to all users is a noble thought. It is essential to initiate a website accessibility audit process soon. With our free website accessibility audit, you can identify any barriers or issues that may prevent individuals with disabilities from accessing your site.
This audit will help guide you on the path towards WCAG and ADA compliance to establish that your website is inclusive for all users. Making your website accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is not only the right thing to do, but it is also a legal requirement.
Legal Landscape of Website Audit
Our team ensures compliance with the recommended laws and regulations. We take note of:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- The ADA was signed into law in 1990. The legislation is a detailed civil rights law that forbids discrimination of people with disabilities.
- Title III of the ADA extends its provisions to public accommodations, including businesses operating websites and online services.
- Under Title III, websites must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. It includes making web content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (as per WCAG guidelines).
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
- While not a law itself, WCAG is an internationally recognized set of guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure digital content is accessible to all.
- WCAG is often used as a reference point in legal cases related to website accessibility.
- It provides a detailed framework for making web content, including text, images, multimedia, and interactive elements, accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Legal Consequences of Non-Compliance with Accessibility Standards
The potential legal consequences of non-compliance with accessibility standards are:
- This can lead to lawsuits and legal actions filed by individuals with disabilities.
- Courts may impose financial penalties and fines on organizations found guilty of accessibility violations.
- Organizations may incur significant legal costs to defend themselves in accessibility-related lawsuits.
- Public awareness of accessibility lawsuits can harm an organization's reputation, leading to loss of trust and potential loss of customers.
- In addition to legal penalties, organizations may have to invest substantial resources in remediation efforts to make their websites accessible.
- Courts can issue injunctions and orders compelling organizations to make their websites accessible within a specified timeframe.
To help you assess your website's accessibility and identify areas for improvement, we offer Free Website Accessibility Audit. This audit is a valuable initiative in your journey towards ADA compliance, providing you with insights into the accessibility barriers present on your site and actionable recommendations for addressing them.
Benefits of Utilizing Acdecraft’s FREE Accessibility Audit
There are various benefits to utilize our free website accessibility audits for businesses. The most prominent ones are listed below:
- Identify Accessibility Issues: A free audit helps in pinpointing accessibility barriers on the website that may exclude individuals with disabilities. It provides a comprehensive assessment of issues related to navigation, content, and functionality.
- Enhance User Experience: Improving accessibility isn't just for compliance; it also enhances the user experience for all visitors. A more user-friendly website can lead to increased engagement, reduced bounce rates, and higher customer satisfaction.
- Wider Audience Reach: An accessible website welcomes a broader audience, including individuals with disabilities who may become valuable customers, clients, or users. It also makes sure that the web content can be accessed on various devices and platforms.
- Improved SEO: Accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO) go hand in hand. A well-structured, accessible website often ranks higher in search engine results, potentially boosting your site’s online visibility and traffic.
- Positive Brand Image: Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity can enhance your brand's reputation. It shows that you value diversity and are dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all users.
- Competitive Advantage: In a competitive online landscape, having an accessible website can set you apart from competitors. It can be a unique selling point that attracts customers who prioritize accessibility.
- Cost Savings: Identifying and addressing accessibility issues early through a free audit can save you money in the long run. It's more cost-effective to make changes proactively than to retrofit your site after legal issues arise.
- Continuous Improvement: The audit serves as a starting point for ongoing improvement. It helps you establish a roadmap for enhancing extra accessibility, ensuring that your website remains inclusive as technology evolves.
How to Get Started?
There are various steps to start the website accessibility audit process.
1. Contact Us
We offer free website audits. Look for providers with experience in ADA compliance and accessibility standards like WCAG.
2. Visit Our Website
Go to our website. Navigate to the "Services" or "Request an Audit" page.
3. Fill Out the Request Form
Fill out the required information, which may include your name, organization, email address, and website URL.
4. Provide Additional Details
The request forms may ask for additional details about your website, such as the number of web pages, content management system (CMS), and any specific concerns or goals you have regarding accessibility.
5. Submit Your Request
After completing the form, click the "Submit" or "Request Audit" button. Your request will be sent to our team.
6. Confirmation and Contact
After you submit the audit request, you can expect to receive an email confirmation. This email may also include an estimated timeline for when you can expect the audit to be conducted.
7. Audit Process
Acadecraft will initiate the audit of your website. This process involves automated and manual testing to identify accessibility issues.
8. Audit Report
Once the accessibility audit process is completed successfully, you will receive a thorough report summarizing the accessibility issues found on your website. This report generally includes suggestions for improvements.
9. Review and Action
Our team reviews the audit report carefully. Prioritize the discovered issues based on their strength and impact. Determine the steps required to address each concern.
10. Implement Changes
We take action to make the necessary changes to your website to address accessibility issues. It may involve web development, content updates, and design adjustments.
11. Retest and Verify
After implementing changes, we will retest your website to ensure that the accessibility issues have been resolved.
12. Ongoing Accessibility Maintenance
Accessibility is an ongoing commitment and we are devoted to monitor and maintain accessibility on your website to ensure compliance and a positive user experience.
By following these steps, you can start the process of improving the accessibility of your website through an accessibility audit, ensuring that it is inclusive and compliant with accessibility standards.
To Conclude
Website accessibility is not a one-time task. Regularly reviewing and updating your website is necessary to address new accessibility issues. By prioritizing and utilizing our free website accessibility audit and making it a part of your website maintenance routine, you can ensure that it remains accessible to every user, irrespective of their abilities.