Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about the American Disability Act and its impact on website usage. If you are keen to learn about this, we have curated a crisp copy for you; have a read.

What is the American Disability Act?
Established in 1990, the American Disability Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that protects individuals with disabilities from any discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or national origin. It applies to all areas of public life; jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the public.
The purpose of the law is to ensure the same rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. In 2008, the act had some significant changes to the definition of “disability” that was in effect from January 1, 2009. The law became Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), which applied to all titles of the ADA.
What is ADA compliance?
ADA went a step further and asked organizations to provide “reasonable accommodations” to employees with disabilities. The revolutionary addition led to the widespread adoption of wheelchair access ramps or accessible restroom facilities. Later the internet fell into its jurisdiction and became the backbone of global commerce.
How does the ADA affect websites?
The ADA does not explicitly address online compliance. Still, Title III of the ADA requires every owner, lessor, or operator at a public accommodation to provide equal access to users who meet ADA standards for disability.
Courts around America have ruled the plea where ADA regulations bind commercial websites as they deem to be the places of public accommodation. If there is a close “nexus” between the site and a physical location, the ADA rules are applicable.
The most famous example to support this claim that forms the basis to rule out the Winn-Dixie supermarket chain for not making its site accessible to users with low vision. Well, other courts have decided that it doesn’t offer any protection to online users. Thus, it is difficult to make a definitive statement of whether or not ADA accessibility rules govern any given website.
Is ADA compliance mandatory for my website?
Well, it’s not at all clear how or even if ADA rules apply to any website. Still, it’s good to err on the side of caution. The best measure available is WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines, which form the backbone of many online accessibility laws globally. It offers a reliable model for any American organization striving to provide equal access to people with disabilities.
What’s the role of WCAG 2.1 in ADA compliance?
WCAG guidelines break accessibility issues into three levels: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. Level A includes problems that can severely restrict a disabled visitor’s ability to navigate or use the website. Level AA addresses areas where improvement is needed to give disabled users that apply to most commercial websites. Level AAA is an expansion of issues identified as Level A and AA.
Areas of focus
Accessibility issues are categorized into four distinct groups named as P.O.U.R.
- Perceivable issues concern a user’s ability to find and process the information on a website.
- Operable issues address problems that influence a visitor’s ability to navigate and use a website.
- Understandable issues address problems that impact a user’s ability to discern and comprehend all information and navigation on a website.
- Robust issues include a website’s ability to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of users who are disabled.
The Americans with Disabilities Act on online accessibility doesn’t seem to impact much on the issue of equal access. But, abiding by WCAG accessibility standards is the best measure for organizations. It’s a smart way to avoid accessibility lawsuits and negative publicity.