What is web accessibility?
Web accessibility is about reducing the barriers that prevent interaction of websites for those with disabilities. Disability represents a broad array of situations, often in physical or psychological limitations such as: Auditory, Cognitive, neurological, Speech, visual.
Why Is Digital Accessibility Important?
Accommodation and inclusion are important values in the hospitality industry as nearly 1 in 5 in the United States lives with a disability. Adults with disabilities or special needs are booking online, engaging in website content, and using apps to improve their day-to-day.
Don`t miss out on this valuable user base by closing the door on them, welcome all types of users and increase your conversions by prioritizing web accessibility today. Creating more accessibility in travel, both in physical spaces and the digital sphere, makes the world a better place for all. The ADA has begun implementing accessibility standards around the world and we are here to keep you one step ahead.
General Concept & Guidelines
WCAG stands for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines are the basis for web accessibility legislation in most countries in the world. The WCAG was created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
W3C’s history includes creating standards for web protocols that allow compatibility between sites and tools. Every W3C standard includes rigorous review, tests, and analysis before it’s approved by expert members. W3C typically has 3 levels of compliance, from A to AAA.
As more countries around the world implement legislation relating to accessibility, it will be important to maintain accordance with industry standards to avoid legal issues.
ADA stands for The Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA Complicance is a civil rights law that was formed in 1990 to prevent discrimination against people with disabilies in any area of public life. The ADA assures equality for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, and other areas of life.
In 2008, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) was created which included significant changes to the definition of disability. The ADA definition of disability:
a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes people who have a record of such impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person’s association with a person with a disability.
In the context of the ADA, “disability” is a legal term rather than a medical one and so the definition is different from how disability is defined in other situations.
In 2018, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) became an official W3C Recommendation (World Wide Web Consortium). WCAG 2.1 Compliance incorporates one new guideline and seventeen new success criteria to the existing WCAG 2.0. WCAG 2.1 improves accessibility for people using mobile devices and for people with low vision or cognitive impairments.
This act requires agencies to develop, obtain, maintain and utilize information and communications technology (ICT) that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. The US Access Board established the Section 508 standards that implement the law and provides the requirements for accessibility.
Our solution is also compliant with the following regulations: AODA EN 301549 5568 AA