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Asher’s Take on Web Accessibility

Hands holding blocks that say ADA

Did you know that websites are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and must meet a specific criteria to be compliant and accessible?

What Does This Mean?

Everyone has the right to access information and should be able to use a website regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. This is called accessibility, and it applies to websites, digital ads, mobile apps, and other technology. Just as buildings provide ramps and elevators for wheelchair users, websites must follow specific guidelines to be accessible.

What Is Accessibility?

Website accessibility means making your website usable and equally accessible by removing barriers for people with various disabilities or impairments. Here at Asher, we follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 to the AA level by default (or higher as needed). This helps remove barriers on the websites we design and build. These guidelines are organized around four principles (POUR):

  • Perceivable

    Content must be presented in ways that can be perceived through sight, hearing, or touch, making it accessible to users with different sensory abilities.

  • Operable

    All forms, controls, and navigation must be usable by people with disabilities, allowing them to interact with the website effectively.

  • Understandable

    The interface should be easy to comprehend, with clear instructions and consistent design to prevent user confusion.

  • Robust

    Content must be compatible with various technologies, including assistive devices like screen readers, ensuring it works across current and future tools.

People stacking their hands together

Why Is Accessibility Important?

Between 15-25% of the U.S. population lives with some form of disability—an important market segment that shouldn’t be overlooked. And as I already mentioned, web accessibility is legally required under the ADA. Thousands of accessibility lawsuits happen every year, with the number continuing to rise exponentially. Accessibility is better for your users, and also protects your business.

At Asher, we also believe there’s a moral and ethical aspect to this. Building accessible websites shows we care about our clients and their users. We believe that creating ADA-compliant (accessible) websites is simply the right thing to do.

Web accessibility is increasingly important, especially in our digital world. Ensuring our websites are accessible today helps pave the way for a more inclusive physical and digital environment for future generations.

People raising their hands and cheering

Who Benefits From an Accessible Website?

Well, everyone! Everyone benefits from accessible websites and technology—not just those with disabilities.

“Web accessibility: Essential for some, useful for all.” – W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

There are four main categories of conditions that are considered when designing and coding accessible websites: visual, auditory, mobility, and neurological/cognitive.

Here are some examples:

  • Visual

    High color contrast helps not only those who are colorblind or have low vision but also anyone reading text on their phone on a very bright and sunny day.

  • Auditory

    Video captions are helpful for people with partial or profound hearing loss/deafness, and also for someone sitting in a loud cafe or someone who doesn’t have access to headphones. 

  • Mobility

    Accessible menus that are easy to tab through with a keyboard assist people with conditions such as arthritis, or who have suffered a stroke and no longer have full mobility, but can also help someone who broke their arm or just had surgery and is temporarily unable to use a mouse. 

  • Neurological/Cognitive

    Providing pause/stop buttons on autoplay videos or elements with motion can help people with epilepsy, ADHD, ASD, migraines, and more.

Here’s a great video on Colors with Good Contrast:

How Can Asher Help With Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility influences how we design, format content, and code websites.

  • At Asher, we build websites to WCAG 2.2 AA standards to mitigate legal risks. Our code framework addresses accessibility issues from the start, ensuring a strong foundation.
  • We also follow best practices for writing and organizing content to ensure that copy, links, headings, images, and videos are also compliant.
  • We provide accessibility training to our clients so they can feel empowered to write accessible content.
  • Additionally, we perform monthly accessibility reporting to flag any compliance issues that may occur before they cause problems for our clients’ users or legal teams.

If you’re interested in learning more web accessibility, or want to see if your site is accessible, we’d love to chat! Reach out to Asher for any of your website needs.

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Written by Jeanie Creekmur, Asher Agency Web Project Manager

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