Getting Your Website Accessibility Compliant
Karen Peters
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As well as my Coaching Practice, my professional background prior to this has been in IT working as a certified software tester and Test Manager for over 20 years.
Over those years I became increasingly frustrated with websites that ignore the fact that 15% percentage of our population are unable to access those websites due to visual or hearing impairments. And that it was only be a matter of time before someone with a disability would take a civil action against them for discrimination. However, websites were not part of the Discrimination or Disability Acts back then, and the technology could't support it. So even I stopped mentioning it!
However, with advances in technology has meant that there is no reason why businesses should now exclude those with disabilities and also why over the past couple of years businesses are now being sued for non-compliance.
I agree that there is external software that can be install to help improve the accessibility for the website such as screen readers etc. However, under the current Discrimination Act, WE as business owners are now accountable for ensuring our websites are accessible to everyone without them having to install anything. You see, under the latest Discrimination Act websites are classed as a 'business service'; and like business premises they must be accessible to those with disabilities.
Here in the UK, the Government Public Sector websites are to be compliant by September 2020 following the WCAG2.1 (Website Content Accessibility Guideline) standard website accessibility guidelines (which have been in place for years, I may add)
In America, the American Disability Act (ADA) has already changed to make it mandatory for websites to support people (potentional customers) with disabilities access to websites as well as other facilities. In fact, law suits in some states in America have increased by up to 54% over the past 2 years, and this has a major impact on those business finances!
Whether you write blogs or you sell a service, you must ensure that you have made every effort in meeting the minimal Website Accessibility guidelines.
As businesses continue to be held accountable and sued in the US, here in the UK it won't be long before a business (big or small) will suffer the same legal and financial losses. When I was training at Legal & General last year, they were already in the process of making their websites compliant.
It's really easy to get your website updated with basic compliance by adding a small snippet of code to your website for a minimum price.
As you see from this image, there is a discreet Accessibility Icon that sits on your webpage and once activated displays the menu screen as shown to allow those with disabilities better access to your website.
Check it Out For Yourself
If you want to check it out for yourself you can do by visiting either of my websites:
Just scroll down the page slightly and the accessibility icon will be displayed to the left of the screen. Click on it and play about with the settings. By the way, 'TTS' button is Text to Speech for those living with sight loss, but make sure your sound is not turn off on your computer or device other wise you can't hear it reading the text.
On a Mission to Help Get 1,000 Websites Compliant
This isn't about whether you want to become compliant, this is about when to become compliant.
You'll find 3 packages on my webpage, and until I complete my mission to get 1,000 websites compliant, I've reduced the Standard Package to an affordable price for all business owners. Click here to find out more from my website.
Please don't discriminate.
This is the simplest and quickest way towards compliance. So I urge you to take an ethical approach and get your site at least WCAG2.1 'A' rated compliant.
Your Mission Should You Chose to Accept it, is to start with Your Own Website
Thank you