If you’re new to ADA compliance, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. However, the good news is that building your ADA compliance checklist from scratch is not as difficult as it may seem. In fact, with a little guidance, anyone can create an ADA compliance checklist with ease.

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the essential steps of creating an ADA compliance checklist that will benefit your website, improve user experience, and avoid potential liabilities.

Step 1: Understand ADA Compliance

Before you begin to build your ADA compliance checklist, it’s important to have a good understanding of what ADA compliance is and why it’s important. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a U.S. law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Under the ADA, businesses and organizations that offer services to the public must make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

Regarding websites, making sure your website is accessible to people with disabilities is an essential part of complying with the ADA. This includes individuals with different types of disabilities, such as visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, and neurological.

A person using a screen reader to access a website.

Step 2: Determine Your Website’s Accessibility Level

To determine your website’s accessibility level, you should perform an accessibility audit. An audit examines your website’s code, design, and content to identify the areas that need improvement.

You can use a website accessibility checker tool like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) to give you an idea of what accessibility issues your website has.

After the audit, you will know what issues are present on your website and how severe they are.

A website accessibility audit being performed.

Step 3: Create Your ADA Compliance Checklist

With your accessibility audit results, you can start building your ADA compliance checklist. The checklist should be comprehensive and outline all the areas where your website needs to be improved.

In general, your ADA compliance checklist should include the following items:

  • Text alternatives for non-text elements
  • Captions and audio descriptions for multimedia
  • Keyboard accessibility
  • Clear headings and content structure
  • Color contrast
  • Forms and inputs
  • Consistent navigation

Also, keep in mind that your website’s compliance status should be reviewed regularly, so you should include a check of compliance status in your checklist.

A checklist being filled out with a pen and paper.

Step 4: Implement Changes to Your Website

Once you have your checklist, it’s time to implement the changes. Remember, the goal is to make your website accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Review your checklist item by item and prioritize what you need to address first.

You can hire a web developer or use online tools to implement the changes. Many website building platforms offer accessibility features and plugins that can help you meet compliance standards.

Finally, be sure to test your website accessibility regularly by having users with disabilities test your site and making the appropriate adjustments as necessary.

A web developer working on a website's code.

Conclusion

Creating an ADA compliance checklist from scratch can seem like a daunting task at first, but it’s worth the effort. Ensuring your website is accessible to all users is a legal responsibility and represents good business practice. The checklist helps ensure that you are meeting the requirements and your website is user-friendly for everyone.

#Image Description An image of a computer screen with a website being accessed by a person with a disability. </Image Description>