Accessibility
Good website design also includes how accessible it is to everyone.
Are people with disabilities able to use your website? If your website doesn’t meet certain guidelines regarding web accessibility, you may find yourself the recipient of a legal document demanding compliance (or, in more serious cases, the unfortunate participant of a lawsuit).
Don’t panic – we know the guidelines, and we have the perfect, easily implemented solution.
Web Accessibility Guidelines: What you need to know
Created by the W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium), the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are sets of rules, behaviors, code standards, and design guidelines allowing people with disabilities to use websites effectively. They guide website designers and developers on how to make websites accessible.
These guidelines have been adopted by governments around the world, and are now a part of various legislations, such as the ADA, Section 508, EN 301549, and others.
Why You Care:
According to WHO (the World Health Organization), there are currently one-billion disabled people around the world. And over 20% “live with great functional difficulties in their day-to-day lives.” These are people who deserve the benefits of universal technology – people who wish to engage in the sharing of information, and in the vast online transactional economy (translation: they also want access to purchasing products and services).
And due to the legal incorporation of the WCAG guidelines, lawsuits and demand letters are on the rise for noncompliant websites:
- 300% increase in lawsuits and demand letters from 2018 to 2019
- DOJ affirmed that Title III of the ADA applies to websites in November 2018
- Estimated 265,000 demand letters sent only in 2020.
- 93% of demand letters are settled outside of court for $20,000 – $150,000 on average
How does Amity Digital make websites accessible – and compliant – according to WCAG guidelines?
We partnered with accessiBe — the producers of an AI-powered software solution that scans, analyzes, and fixes any accessibility compliance gaps in 48 hours. That’s right – in 48 hours, your website will feature access tools allowing disabled users to properly adjust said website according to their needs (and this occurs without affecting or altering a website’s codebase, loading times, UI, or design).
And the accessiBe software will re-scan and re-analyze a website every 24 hours to maintain ADA and WCAG compliance within any new content or additional pages.
What changes does the software make to your website?
An icon positioned at the bottom of the screen opens to a host of options. Here are a few examples:
Seizure Safe Profile: Eliminates flashes and reduces color.
Vision Impaired Profile: Enhances the website’s visuals.
Blind User: Works with a screen-reader to experience the website.
Keyboard Navigation: Allows one to use a keyboard in order to interact with the website.
Want to see it in action? Just click the person-shaped icon floating in the lower-right corner of your screen.
Which disabilities are served by this software?
Blind people using screen-readers (JAWS, NVDA), people with motor impairments who use only keyboards, and a variety of other disabilities such as color blindness, epilepsy, and minor visual impairments that are mainly focused on the UI and design of the website (color contrasts, animations)
Case Studies: How accessiBe Brings About Equality Through Accessibility
“You know, it is really funny how sometimes merchants don’t seem to be so interested in my money.”
Meet Sisi. Blind since birth, Sisi utilizes accessiBe to interact with her screen reader. If a website isn’t optimized for screen readers, Sisi can’t listen to and discover your sales; she can’t find your products or services, and she certainly can’t buy them.
“I’m constantly on the web engaging with software, like most of us today. But when I visit a website that is not accessible by keyboard navigation, I feel really stuck. Because every time I want to read something or buy something online, it’s a complex, frustrating nightmare.”
Meet Joseph. Suffering from quadriplegia, Joseph is paralyzed from the waist down. Due to very limited hand and wrist movement, Joseph uses accessiBe to navigate websites with a keyboard.
“It took me such a long time to move around the website, that I just said, ‘To hell with it,’ and I went and did something else.”
Meet Amy. Before her Parkinson’s diagnosis twelve years ago, Amy was a content writer for several high tech companies. With the onset of Parkinson’s, her ability to navigate websites became much more difficult. Thankfully, accessiBe’s keyboard navigation allows her to easily read, access, and navigate websites.
How much does it cost?
How much does it cost?
A one-time setup fee is necessary to properly integrate the software: $75.00
Offering consistent accessibility compliance updates, this service is billed once a year at $490.00
Want a free accessibility audit?
Want to see if your website is accessible to people with disabilities? Fill out the form below or call us at 610-871-4872 to get started. In 24 hours, we’ll email you a report showing any deficiencies regarding accessibility compliance.