What is ADA Compliance?

Making your website accessible to people with disabilities, as covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and interpreted through web accessibility guidelines (WCAG). While the ADA was written before the web existed, courts have ruled that websites are "places of public accommodation" and must be accessible. An accessible website works with screen readers (software that reads pages aloud), allows keyboard-only navigation (for those who can't use a mouse), provides captions for videos, uses sufficient color contrast (for low vision), and includes alt text on images. Beyond legal compliance, Accessibility is good business. 15% of the world has some disability, and accessible sites often have better Search Engine Optimization and User Experience for everyone. Common accessibility issues: missing alt text, poor color contrast, forms without labels, content only accessible via mouse hover, and auto-playing media. ADA website lawsuits have increased dramatically, particularly targeting e-commerce and service businesses. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the practical standard; tools like WAVE, axe, and Lighthouse help identify issues. Full compliance often requires professional auditing, but addressing common issues reduces risk significantly.