ADA Compliance
ADA Compliance became compulsory when the Department of Justice (DOJ), USA, brought out an Act of the Government of USA, known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design in September 2010. These standards stipulate that all data related to electronic and information technology must be accessible to those people who have disabilities. The ADA is different from Section 508 regulations, which seek to amend the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and is applicable to all sections of information technology, including computer hardware, software and documentation. The ADA standards are also applicable to commercial and public entities that have “places of public accommodation” which includes the internet. The DOJ is presently considering specific regulations but in the meantime, DOJ has stated that any discrimination on the website will not be tolerated.
Coverage of ADA
All Americans having disabilities and their families, friends and caregivers
Private companies employing more than 15 or more employees.
Businesses organizations working for the betterment of the public.
All state and local government agencies
How Does a Company Comply With ADA?
The ADA compliance rule encourages organizations to exercise self-regulation as far as implementation of accessibility standards are concerned till the Department of Justice has completed the development of regulations to provide specific guidance to the entities covered by the ADA. Organizations are encouraged to use the WCAG 2.0 level AA guidelines as a guide on how to become accessible until the DOJ defines the regulations.
The accessibility training is tailor-made to prepare you for ADA compliance formalities and is handled by experts in accessibility. The training is in different in formats, like on-site classes and webinars.
Many technical and general accessibility topics are covered. Some of them are:
Accessibility 101, W3C WCAG 2.0 guidelines, HTML5 & ARIA, Section 508 compliance standards,
Software Accessibility, Accessibility for Agile Development, Word, InDesign, PowerPoint & Excel Accessibility, and Mobile accessibility
An accessibility certification is a testimonial which briefly states at what level of compliance of section 508 Standards or WCAG guidelines you are on a definite date.
Those developing websites for mobiles or applications for mobile phones or for tablets must ensure that your iOS, Android and Windows applications should meet the Section 508, WCAG 2.0 and ADA accessibility requirements.
It is recommended that you update your application certification or website minimum once a year.
Web Accessibility Conformance Evaluation for ADA Compliance
A statement of accessibility is issued after a web accessibility conformance evaluation which certifies the level of your commitment to accessibility and makes available the details to users with disabilities. This will help them take considered decisions about the level of your ADA compliance and your products which in turn will enable you to improve your sales and customer loyalty.