Our Essential Website ADA Compliance Checklist

What Does this ADA Compliance Checklist Include?

Many believe website accessibility is a one-and-done deal. Yet, standards periodically evolve to reflect new technologies and diverse accessibility needs. A website that was compliant a year ago may not be on par today. In fact, a 2024 study revealed a staggering 88% of websites were not compliant with the latest web accessibility standards.

Reviewing your website yearly, alongside an ADA compliance checklist, is a great way to identify needed updates:

This website accessibility checklist will help your organization:

• Address common pain points associated with website accessibility.
• Determine where consistent website updates should be made.
• Understand why it is helpful to work with an ADA compliance agency.

Step 1: Perceivable

The first item on your ADA compliance checklist is to confirm your website is available to all. Anyone who comes in contact with your website should be able to understand it — regardless of their physical or sensory abilities. For example, if your website includes a variety of images, each must be labeled with adequate alternative (ALT) text.  

Here are perceivable elements to check off your list. 

1. Text alternatives — Your website must provide alt text for all images, graphs and non-text context.
2. Time-based media — Audio and/or video content includes captions and transcripts that are readily available.
3. Adaptability — Content is properly structured with headings, subheadings, lists and more.
4. Distinguishable — Color contrast must be 4:5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Additionally, avoid using color alone for meaning and enable text resizing options.
5. Sizing – Your website needs to include text resizing options, without loss of content across your website.

Step 2: Operable

An operable website ensures your content and navigation work with various input methods. These include keyboard shortcuts, voice commands or assistive technologies. Checking operable items off an ADA compliance checklist involves a careful review of functionality and navigation. 

Below are operable items to include in a compliant website. 

1. Navigational — Full keyboard navigation must be present and not require a mouse. 
2. Flashing — Avoid flashing content or reduce it to no more than three flashes per second. 
3. Moving Elements — Content with movement, like image carousels and videos, needs to have a visible play/pause button. 
4. Clear — Your website navigation structure should be clear. Skip links must be provided where necessary. 
5. Timing — Allow users extended time limits, as needed, to navigate your website and reduce unexpected timeout sessions. 

Step 3: Understandable

All elements of your website should be comprehensible to all. This may be achieved by using clear language, offering instructions and avoiding complex design elements. 

There are three major items for consideration when evaluating a user’s comprehension of your website. 

1. Simple — Use clear, concise language and design across your website. A good example is focusing on using directive, simple phrases in call-to-action buttons. 
2. Consistency — Stay consistent with your website navigation and layout. For example, the navigation stays in the same spot and order on all pages.   
3. Format — Provide error messages and input suggestions on all forms throughout your website. 

Step 4: Robust

Website accessibility is not only for the usual desktop and mobile devices. It must also accommodate a wide range of assistive technologies and devices, such as screen readers. The following three ADA compliance checklist items are imperative for robust, accessible websites. 

1. Semantic HTML — Utilize semantic HTML when building your website. 
2. ARIA Attributes — ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Attributes are a special type of HTML attributes that improve accessibility for users who use assistive technology devices. Apply these where necessary.   
3. Testing — Ensure the website compatibility with screen readers, device types and other accessibility tools. 

Need Help completing Your Website ADA Compliance Checklist?

Partnering with a website development agency will help your organization check important details off of your ADA compliance checklist. Through an audit and evaluation of the latest standards, they will identify and address potential issues before they become compliance risks. 

At Paradigm, we will help you address these elements on a website ADA compliance checklist before it’s too late. Connect with our team today to keep your website ahead of the compliance curve or completely redesign your website.