Having a website that’s accessible to all users is not just a box to check to keep the legal team happy — it's a strategic advantage for your business.
Infomedia’s accessibility solutions empower businesses to create inclusive online experiences that do more than just comply with legal standards.
Understanding Website Accessibility
The goal of website accessibility is to ensure that all users, regardless of physical or cognitive impairments, can perceive, navigate and interact with a website’s content.
Think about these examples:
- If someone has a color vision deficiency to red, green or yellow, could they see the “Sign Up for Service” button on your utility website?
- If someone is deaf, will they still be able to understand your main video with the use of captions?
These are just a few examples of how accessibility can affect your website.
Why Website Accessibility Matters
The importance of website accessibility essentially boils down to one point: user experience.
Ensuring that your website is accessible means creating an online environment where everyone can engage with your content, regardless of their abilities.
While every industry needs to think about website accessibility, there are a few that need to pay special attention. Utility companies, government entities, banking institutions and construction companies are just a few examples. Because these companies provide essential services, they can often face higher criticism from both regular visitors and legal professionals.
Here are a few other reasons why website accessibility matters:
Legal Compliance
Yes, we said that website accessibility is more than just a legal checkbox — and we meant it. But it is still a legal checkbox. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that businesses offer equal access to their goods and services, including their websites, to individuals with disabilities. Failure to comply with ADA regulations can result in costly lawsuits, fines and reputational damage. Creating an accessible website doesn’t guarantee you won’t be sued, but it goes a long way in resolving potential legal issues.
Expanded Audience
By making your website accessible, you’re not only complying with legal requirements but also expanding your audience. Statistics show that approximately 1 in 4 adults in the United States live with some form of disability. By ensuring your website is accessible, you’re opening your digital doors to a significant portion of the population that may have otherwise been excluded.
Improved SEO
Accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO) go hand in hand. Search engines, like Google, prioritize user-friendly websites in their rankings, with accessible websites typically delivering better user experiences. These positive experiences translate into longer visit durations, higher engagement rates and higher search engine rankings. That means investing in website accessibility can enhance your site’s visibility and attract more organic traffic.
Voice Search Compatibility
The rise of voice search technology shows the importance of optimizing websites for accessibility. Websites created with accessibility features, like descriptive alt text for images and structured content, are inherently compatible with voice-activated virtual assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. This compatibility makes for a seamless user experience across various platforms and devices.
Infomedia’s Accessibility Solutions
Infomedia’s Accessibility solutions offer businesses a straightforward and confident approach to tackle the complexities of website accessibility. Our AI-powered software solution combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of accessibility standards to deliver comprehensive solutions tailored to your specific needs.
Application Features
- Screen Reader: Reads website content aloud without external tools, supporting 40 languages and multiple reading speeds.
- Text Accessibility: Corrects ambiguous links, button text and repetitive text through visible tags for screen readers and search engines.
- Link Descriptions: Automatically generates descriptive link descriptions to enhance understanding for disabled users.
- Skip Navigation Link: Allows users to bypass repeated content blocks like navigation menus for a smoother browsing experience.
- Keyboard Navigation: Optimizes website navigation for keyboard-only users without affecting site design.
- Image Alt Text: AI-generated alt text and descriptions for non-text content, with admin approval for accuracy.
- Language Attributes: Automatically remedies missing language attributes for compatibility with assistive technologies.
- Headings Restructuring: Automatically restructures headings for improved navigation without altering site design.
- Broken Links: Identifies and addresses broken links to enhance the user experience.
- Video Controls: Provides play/pause control over videos to prevent distractions and triggers.
- Color Contrast: Automatically adjusts color contrast to meet accessibility parameters.
- iFrame Labeling: Labels iFrame elements for easy distinction and exploration.
- Empty Controls: Labels empty controls for user understanding.
- Speech Support: Includes non-standard speech support within the application.
- Translations: Supports translations in over 40 languages for global accessibility.
Additional Items
- Client Review: Clients can review and approve automated remediations for accuracy.
- Automated Remediations: Automatic remediations cover a range of accessibility enhancements.
- Content Scanning: Scans and remediates new content within 72 hours of addition.
- Detailed Reporting: Download detailed reports for accessibility monitoring.
- Aria-Labels: Automatically generated Aria-Labels enhance accessibility without content alteration.
- VPAT and Embedded Content: Request VPAT from any third-party providers linked to, embedded in or otherwise present on the site.
- Inaccessible PDFs: Flagged but require additional manual remediation.
- Accessibility Statement: Inclusion facilitated by Infomedia upon client request, subject to legal review.
- Customization Options: Tailor the user experience through layout and feature selections.
- Legal Remediation: The first three hours of the Legal Support Program (LSP) are included free in your plan; additional help may be purchased for an additional fee.
Glossary of Terms
Website accessibility can be confusing, but we’re here to demystify it. We’ve listed out some of the most essential concepts surrounding website accessibility. These terms represent the cornerstone of accessibility standards and are necessary to understanding how to create inclusive digital experiences.
ADA:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law enacted in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation and public and private places open to the general public. In the context of websites, ADA compliance refers to ensuring that websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
WCAG:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of guidelines published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG provides recommendations for making web content accessible to a wide range of people with disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.
A, AA, AAA:
These are conformance levels defined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to indicate the level of compliance with accessibility standards.
Level A: The lowest level of compliance, covering basic accessibility requirements.
Level AA: The mid-level of compliance, including all Level A requirements plus additional criteria that enhance accessibility.
Level AAA: The highest level of compliance, encompassing all Level A and Level AA requirements, as well as additional criteria for advanced accessibility.
VPAT:
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a document that outlines how a product or service conforms to accessibility standards, such as the Section 508 standards in the United States or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). It provides transparency and information to buyers about the accessibility features of a product or service.
ARIA:
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) is a set of attributes that can be added to HTML elements to make web content more accessible to users with disabilities who use assistive technologies, such as screen readers. ARIA helps improve the accessibility and usability of dynamic content and web applications.
Get in Touch With Our Team
Ready to make your website accessible to all users? Whether you’re new to accessibility or seeking to deepen your knowledge, we’re here to help. Contact our team today to learn more about Infomedia’s Accessibility solutions and how they can benefit your business.
