ADA Compliance – It’s More Than for the Blind Only
ADA Compliance – It’s More Than for the Blind Only
How much of your life is lived online? From ordering groceries and gifts to checking the news and your bank account to catching up with friends and family, the Internet has revolutionized the way we do things every day. Yet this reliance on the Internet can pose serious issues for the up to 25 percent of U.S. adults who live with a disability – and it’s their right to access the web just like anyone else.
Enter the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines for businesses, which were put in place so that websites are accessible to those with visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive disabilities. A common mistake businesses make is to tailor their website exclusively to those with visual impairments or blindness. Accommodations include screen readers for reading text out loud, features for increasing text size, and text descriptions of all imagery. But website accessibility doesn’t stop there. It’s crucial to keep in mind that ADA website compliance applies to many other types of disabilities as well.
Who should an ADA-compliant website be tailored to?
ADA-compliant websites increase readability for ALL users. This includes visual disabilities, but it also includes hearing, motor, and cognitive disabilities.
Those with hearing disabilities rely on tools like text transcriptions for videos, while those with motor disabilities who struggle using a mouse need keyboard only-navigation. Emphasizing features like straightforward and accessible call-to-action buttons assists users with cognitive disabilities.
When thinking of accessibility, it’s also important to consider senior citizens and their unique needs. This is especially true for the funeral industry, as baby boomers visit funeral home websites to read obituaries, track down service times, or preplan their own arrangements. If a senior citizen came to your website, could they navigate it with ease? Is the text size large enough – or is there an option to increase it as needed? Would someone who is new to using the web feel overwhelmed by the amount of copy and images as soon as they land on your home page?
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Read on to learn about just some of the features required for ADA compliance and to meet a variety of user needs.
What features should an ADA-compliant website have?
Here, we’ve outlined a handful of features that will empower those who visit your site to receive the assistance and information they need:
- Image descriptions - These appear if your images don’t load or get read aloud for those who need it. Plus, this boosts your search engine optimization by letting search engines better understand your content.
- Keyboard-only navigation - Users with disabilities benefit from keyboard-only navigation if they’re unable to work a mouse.
- Text transcripts for videos - Those with hearing disabilities rely on text transcripts for videos to understand the content. Oftentimes, auto-generated transcripts aren’t accurate, a more advanced transcription tool is needed.
- Light and dark contrast - Make sure users can read your text and see the color differences with the appropriate amount of light and dark color contrast.
- Dyslexia-friendly font - Certain fonts are easier to read than others. A fancy cursive may look pretty but it can be a real challenge for users with dyslexia. Present the option to switch to a dyslexia friendly font to avoid frustration.
- Adjusted time-constrained elements - If any of your site pages contain time limits, such as a lengthy preplanning form, allow users who need more time to adjust the time limit or turn it off completely.
- Simplified visuals – Elements like poorly defined images, crowded pages, and distracting ads make it difficult for users for many reasons. An ADA widget simplifies these visuals so they’re easier on the eyes.
- Avoid content that could trigger seizures - Content like blinking text and flashing animations could trigger seizures for some users. Avoid this risk by letting them skip over this content.
- Accessible call-to-action buttons - People using keyboard-only navigation shouldn’t need to struggle to find your call-to-action buttons. Make sure they're easily accessible for everyone, no matter if they’re using their mouse or keyboard to navigate your site.
How can I make sure my website is ADA-compliant?
Thanks to our partnership with UserWay, we’ve made it easy for funeral homes to be more ADA-compliant with Tribute Accessibility. Tribute Technology delivers this innovative product through its network of Premier Partners including leading providers such as FrontRunner Professional, MKJ Marketing, SRS Computing, Funeral Tech, CFS, and others. All you need is a single line of code inserted onto your site. UserWay automatically adds a layer of accessibility and routinely makes updates for ADA compliance so you offer a positive, user-friendly experience to all visitors.
UserWay even has Accessibility Profiles so website visitors can pick the user experience that best meets their needs. They can choose from profiles for motor impairments, color blindness, and more.
Whether you have questions about ADA compliance or how you can better serve those who visit your funeral home’s website, we have answers. Visit our webpage to learn more about our partnership with UserWay.
