ADA Website Compliance Checklist

To make a website ADA compliant, it’s essential to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. Here’s a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the process:

Perceivable Information and User Interface
- Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
- Provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia.
- Create content that can be presented in different ways without losing information or structure.
- Make it easier for users to see and hear content.
Operable User Interface and Navigation
- Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
- Give users enough time to read and use content.
- Do not use content that causes seizures or physical reactions.
- Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Understandable Information and User Interface
- Make text content readable and understandable.
- Make web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
- Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust Content and Reliable Interpretation
- Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools.
Text Alternatives: Provide alt attributes for all images, audio files, and video files.
Time-based Media: Offer alternatives for time-based media, such as audio descriptions for videos.
Adaptable: Ensure content is structured using proper markup that allows assistive technologies to present content in different forms.
Distinguishable: Use sufficient contrast for text and background colors. Avoid using color as the only means of conveying information.
Keyboard Accessible: Ensure that all actions can be performed with a keyboard interface.
Timing Adjustable: Provide users with enough time to read and use content.
Seizure Safe: Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.
Navigable: Provide clear navigation options.
Readable: Use clear and simple language.
Predictable: Maintain consistent navigation and identification of elements.
Input Assistance: Provide error identification, descriptions, and suggestions for correction.
Compatibility: Ensure compatibility with assistive technologies and current browsers.

This checklist is a summary of the key requirements for ADA compliance. For a complete list and further details, you should consult the full WCAG 2.1 guidelines and consider an accessibility audit by a qualified professional.

Remember, achieving ADA compliance is not just about ticking off items on a checklist; it’s about ensuring that your website is usable and accessible to all people, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.