Many businesses are hitting the panic button, scrambling to become ‘ADA Compliant.’ But, to whom are they running in their hysteria, how are they vetting them, and are they going about 508 compliance properly?
ADA Compliance is following the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide equal access to goods, services, and information. Believe it or not, this rush to compliance is actually a slow crawl with a sprint at the end.
Related: What does being “ADA Compliant” even mean?
In 2017, Winn-Dixie was found liable in a landmark case, for not having an accessible website. The argument was, if a third party creates the site would they be liable? Well, the court ruled that, ultimately, it was Winn-Dixie’s responsibility to follow the law; not the company that created its website. After the Winn-Dixie ruling, the rush to partial ADA compliance was off and running.
But companies need to realize that partial compliance is NOT a substitute for being ADA compliant.
With the uptick in website accessibility lawsuits, we’ve also seen an increase in companies offering accessibility solutions. These companies offer “fast and cheap” ways to remediate documents and claim to help you become ADA compliant. Beware, these companies rarely provide full ADA compliance. Also, there is more to accessibility than websites. And, with the Winn-Dixie ruling, we know it is the organization that is liable for ADA compliance, not a third party company.
Search “ADA compliance” and you will see a flood of ads for website accessibility. There is no shortage of DIY automated accessibility tools and ADA accessibility companies. They seem to have popped up overnight. Almost all of these companies provide a minimal level of ADA compliance, and what they do offer often leaves companies at risk.
There is a lot to consider when contracting with an accessibility company. Selecting the right company, even if the cost is a little higher, means the job should be right the first time.
This blog is a brief overview of the ADA requirements, and this information is not legal advice, it is a starting point for understanding ADA Compliance and selecting a quality document provider.
When you receive a request for braille documents, your business has an important decision: should…
It’s time to start a movement. An Accessible Document Revolution, if you will. I recently…
Welcome to January, a month that's more than just chilly weather and New Year's resolutions.…
Accessibility is the heart of everything we do here at Braille Works. Because of the…
This December, we had the wonderful opportunity to help Santa Claus. We delivered his letters…
“Please fill out this paperwork and someone will call your name soon.” The standard phrase…