The List of DOJ Don’ts: Mistakes to Avoid in Website Accessibility
When the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released new guidance concerning the accessibility of websites to people with disabilities, it noted the following examples of website accessibility barriers to avoid: • Poor color contrast. People with limited vision or color blindness cannot read text if there is not enough contrast between the text and background (for example, light gray text on a light-colored background).
• Use of color alone to give information. People who are color-blind may not have access to information when that information is conveyed using only color cues because they cannot distinguish certain colors from others. Also, screen readers do not tell the user the color of text on a screen, so a person who is blind would not be able to know that color is meant to convey certain information (for example, using red text alone to show which fields are required on a form).
• Lack of text alternatives (“alt text”) on images. People who are blind will not be able to understand the content and purpose of images, such as pictures, illustrations, and charts, when no text alternative is pro- vided. Text alternatives convey the purpose of an image, including pictures, illustrations, charts, etc.
• No captions on videos. People with hearing disabilities may not be able to understand information com- municated in a video if the video does not have captions.
• Inaccessible online forms. People with disabilities may not be able to fill out, understand, and accurately submit forms without things like: • Labels that screen readers can convey to their users (such as text that reads “credit card number” where that number should be entered).
• Clear instructions. • Error indicators (such as alerts telling the user a form field is missing or incorrect).
• Mouse-only navigation (lack of keyboard navigation). People with disabilities who cannot use a mouse or trackpad will not be able to access web content if they cannot navigate a website using a keyboard. (Contributed by Rachael Zahn, Investis Digital.)
the cost and distraction of fighting web accessibility lawsuits can be especially damaging to small-to- medium-sized businesses. Te report points to the controversial decision
regarding retailer Winn-Dixie that highlighted the confusion created by the absence of official web accessibility regulations: “In March 2023, more than six years of litigation surrounding Winn-Dixie’s inaccessible website concluded when the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied the retailer’s request to revisit its previous dismissal of the case as moot.” Te potential threat of regulatory action should also be considered. “Title III of the ADA gives the DOJ the authority to engage in enforcement proceedings and investigations, the results of which can subject a company to regulatory oversight for years or force it to install an accessibility compliance officer, in addi-
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tion to remediating noncompliance,” Johnson notes. In addition, Johnson points out that not being in compliance can create public relations and reputa- tional risks, in addition to exposing companies to potential legal liability.
A Learning Journey “Two years ago, we were trying to push our clients to pay attention, with limited results,” Poor notes. “Now all our clients have policies regarding internal web content accessibility and processes in place to be ADA compliant.” Romano explains, “By following best practices
and continuously monitoring your IR website for accessibility issues, you can ensure that your IR website is accessible to all users and meets ADA legal requirements.
niri.org/ irupdate
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