One of the toughest challenges for site owners when developing a website is making sure that their website is fully accessible to those who are differently-abled. Businesses that want to make their web content and other digital communications accessible to such groups must comply with Section 508 and the current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
Section 508 covers federal agencies, all organizations that do business with federal agencies, and all organizations that receive funding from federal agencies. This amendment is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and makes it mandatory for federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. Meanwhile, (WCAG) 2.1 is designed to help site owners optimize their websites and related code to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
For existing websites, it’s essential to conduct compliance audits to ensure that they’re fully compliant with both Section 508 and WCAG 2.1. New websites, in contrast, will have to be designed and developed with web accessibility in mind.
Think Design Offers WCAG Compliance Audits & Site Optimization
We’re a New York-based website optimization company that offers businesses and nonprofits WCAG compliance audits and site optimization. A WCAG compliance audit is needed to help us identify the navigational, informational, and audiovisual issues that could make it hard for people with disabilities to access and use your website.
Is your website coded to promote navigation from a keyboard alone so that users who cannot use a mouse can still use your website? Is your website coded with semantically meaningful HTML, textual equivalents for images, and links with proper descriptions? These elements will help blind users who rely on text-to-speech software or text-to-Braille hardware fully understand and utilize your website. These are just some considerations when conducting a WCAG compliance audit of your website.
If you’re building a new website from scratch, Think Design’s web optimization experts can provide you with a checklist to ensure your website’s adherence to WCAG 2.1 A, AA, or AAA. These levels correspond to the various levels of compliance needed to keep your website WCAG-compliant.
Optimize Your Site for WCAG Accessibility with Think Design
Think Design has the knowledge and expertise needed to keep your website compliant with WCAG 2.1. Our website optimization company has over 20 years of experience building results-driven, custom web-based solutions for businesses and nonprofits—including Fortune 100 companies.
Do you have questions about keeping your website compliant with the different levels of WCAG accessibility? Do you need a viable action plan to bring your website to WCAG 2.1 compliance? If your business is committed to removing barriers preventing differently-abled people from fully accessing your website, contact our web design consulting service for an action plan today.