Accessibility (ADA Compliance) — Definition
Web accessibility means designing your site so people with disabilities — visual, auditory, motor, cognitive — can use it. ADA compliance refers to meet...
What it is
Web accessibility means designing your site so people with disabilities — visual, auditory, motor, cognitive — can use it. ADA compliance refers to meeting the legal standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act as applied to websites. The technical standard most follow is WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
Why it matters
About 26% of U.S. adults have some form of disability. If your site doesn't account for them, you're excluding a quarter of your potential customers. Beyond the ethical issue, ADA lawsuits targeting inaccessible websites have increased sharply — and small businesses are not exempt.
The mistake most people make
Treating accessibility as optional or a compliance checkbox rather than a design practice. The things that make a site accessible — clear headings, sufficient color contrast, keyboard navigability — also make it better for everyone. Accessibility and good design overlap more than most people realize.