The American Disabilities Act or the ADA is made to secure the inclusivity of those who are differently abled. The ADA has a really huge scope to ensure that accessibility is achieved in different aspects of their lives. The scope of the ADA includes places of accommodation, workplaces, public places, and more. Improving the day to day lives of people with disabilities allows them to go about their day with ease. The ADA is also a way to avoid discrimination towards those with disabilities.
The ADA was made before the creation of the Internet so it does not directly address websites. Although there is a part in the ADA which concerns public businesses and some public businesses, usually most, has a website. Also there have been instances where a business with an inaccessible website has faced civil lawsuits. So those businesses with websites have to make their websites ADA compliant. It is also worth mentioning that under the ADA local and state government websites have to be accessible and they must follow the requirements of ADA compliance. There are actually consultants that are really knowledgeable in ADA compliance that can help with this matter. They can also help with verification if your business is ADA compliant. Check out adacompliancepros.com for more.
So that it is less confusing, here is a conclusion to take away. If the website is for a business that is considered a “public accommodation” it has to be ADA compliant. A business considered for public accommodation if it has a physical location that serves the public. So no, not every website is required to follow the rules of the ADA.
The unestablished regulations towards websites in the ADA puts them in a grey area. For now, in the case of a civil lawsuit, the interpretation and decision is left to the court. It will be handled in where the lawsuit is filed, generally a state court.
It is also worth discussing that allowing proper professionals to create your website can push your website to be ADA compliant, at least a little, without even trying. Website designers are very knowledgeable and skilled in what they do. They know color theory, so they know what colors are good together and what are bad. They know the right placement of texts and images that would make it easier for people to read the content of the website. When it comes to ADA compliance in websites consulting website designers is also a good solution.
The proper clarification of ADA and its connection to websites has been through a roller coaster of a journey. Though the legal definitions are somewhat unclear, providing accessibility for the purpose of inclusivity is also just common sense. It is basic human decency to allow people with disabilities to do anything that a person without a disability can. Whether or not it is the law or not it is a good thing to make your website ADA compliant. So if you own or operate a business make sure that you abide by the American Disabilities Act not just because you want to avoid lawsuits but because it’s the right thing to do.