General principles to follow to make a website ADA accessible:
Creating a website that is accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities, is not only a legal requirement in many jurisdictions, but it also makes good business sense. A more accessible website will reach a wider audience and provide a better user experience for all users.
Perceivable: Users must be able to perceive the information being presented, it can't be invisible to all of their senses.
- Providing text alternatives for any non-text content
- Providing captions and other alternatives for multimedia
- Presenting content in different ways without losing information or structure
- Making sure content is easy to see and hear
Operable: Users must be able to operate the interface. The interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform. This involves:
- Making all functionality available from a keyboard
- Giving users enough time to read and use the content
- Not using content that causes seizures or physical reactions
- Helping users navigate and find content
Understandable: Users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface. The operation of the interface cannot be beyond their understanding.
- Making text readable and understandable
- Making content appear and operate in predictable ways
- Helping users avoid and correct mistakes
Robust: Users must be able to access the content as technologies advance. As technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain accessible. This involves:
- Maximizing compatibility with current and future user tools
Additional measures to improve accessibility include:
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Design for Different Devices: Websites should be designed to work on a variety of devices and screen sizes, from desktop monitors to mobile phones.
- Use of ARIA Landmarks: Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) landmarks to identify the roles of different areas of a page (such as navigation, main content, etc.) to assistive technology.
- Keyboard Navigation: The site should be navigable via a keyboard, not just a mouse.
- Color Contrast: There should be sufficient contrast between text and background colors.
- Resizable Text: Text should be resizable without loss of content or functionality.
- Avoid Automatic Media: Avoid media that starts automatically, particularly those with sound.
- Provide Alternative Text for Images: Provide text alternatives for images and other non-text content.
- Forms and Inputs: Ensure that all form elements have labels, and that forms can be navigated using the keyboard.
- Captions and Transcripts for Media: Provide captions for videos, and transcripts for video and audio content.