Website Accessibility – How To Comply With The Equality Act

Website accessibility ensures that websites can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. Making your website accessible is not just good practice but an essential part of creating an inclusive digital environment. This guide will help you understand how to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and why it matters.

The Equality Act 2010 and Websites

The Equality Act 2010 is legislation to legally protect people from discrimination in many scenarios, including websites that provide services. Prior to 2010, the Disability Discrimination Act 1996 (DDA) legislation included similar requirements for websites.

Disclaimer: Please note that we are not lawyers and this post does not constitute legal advice.

Understanding the Importance of Website Accessibility

Accessibility in web design is about more than just legal compliance; it’s about creating an inclusive digital environment. When websites are accessible:

• Everyone Can Participate: People with disabilities can navigate your site, access content, and engage with your services.
• Wider Audience Reach: By making your website accessible, you can reach a larger audience, including older adults and people with temporary disabilities.
• Enhanced User Experience: A user-friendly site benefits all visitors, not just those with disabilities. This can lead to longer visits and higher engagement rates.
• Better Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Search engines like Google prioritise websites that offer a good user experience. Accessible sites tend to be better structured, which can improve your search rankings.

Why Should you Comply?

Complying with the Equality Act is essential for several reasons:

• Competitive Advantage: Many businesses are still unaware of accessibility requirements. By being proactive, you can differentiate yourself from competitors.
• Legal Compliance: Non-compliance can lead to legal consequences, including lawsuits and fines.
• Reputation Management: A commitment to accessibility demonstrates social responsibility and can enhance your brand’s reputation.
• Customer Trust and Loyalty: By prioritising accessibility, you foster trust and loyalty among customers, showing that you value all users equally.
• Business Growth: An accessible website can attract new customers and clients, leading to increased revenue.

Website Accessibility Levels

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) have produced Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) that are a shared standard for web content accessibility. WCAG 2.2 is the current standard and each guideline has three levels of compliance:

• Level A: The minimum level of accessibility that websites should achieve.
• Level AA: A higher standard, typically targeted by most organisations and required for public sector websites.
• Level AAA: The highest level of accessibility, often difficult to achieve fully but a worthy goal for organisations committed to inclusivity.

Key Areas of WCAG Compliance

The four key areas of the WCAG are listed below, with the top level guidelines for each. Beside each top level guideline, we have included an example of level ‘A’ compliance for a sub-guideline. Please note – most categories have several sub-guidelines that you’d need to comply with.

Perceivable

1. Text alternatives – Provide ‘alt’ text for all images. For example, if you have a photo of a cat on your site, the alt text might read: “A fluffy cat sitting in a garden.”
2. Time-based media (e.g. audio/video) – If video is used, provide a text based equivalent of that information.
3. Adaptability – Use H1 to H6 to identify headings, to help users understand the hierarchy.
4. Distinguishable – Ensure that colour is not the only means of conveying information. For example, if you use red to indicate errors, also include text that describes the error.

Operable

1. Keyboard Accessible – Ensure your website can be navigated using only a keyboard, which is crucial for users who cannot use a mouse.
2. Enough Time – Ensure there are controls to stop moving or blinking content
3. Seizures and Physical Reactions – Do not use anything that flashes more than three times in a one second period.
4. Navigable – Use descriptive link text to clarify where the link will lead. For example, instead of “Click here,” use “Learn more about our services.”
5. Input Modalities – Allow for single-point navigation, making it easy for users to interact without needing multiple fingers or complex gestures.

Understandable

1. Readable – Specify the language of your website in the HTML code, helping screen readers provide the correct pronunciation.
2. Predictable – Don’t perform actions on focus – e.g. do instead with button click
3. Input Assistance – Clearly identify errors and provide suggestions for correction. If a user enters an incorrect password, display a message such as, “Your password must be at least eight characters long.”

Robust

1. Compatible – Use clean, valid HTML with properly nested elements to ensure compatibility with screen readers and other assistive technologies.

How to Comply With The WCAG?

1. Conduct an Accessibility Audit

Start by performing a thorough audit of your existing website that includes accessibility compliance. This audit should assess your site against the WCAG guidelines to identify areas of non-compliance. You could consider using automated tools, but remember that manual testing is also essential, as some issues may not be detected by software alone.

2. Implement Necessary Changes

Once you’ve identified areas needing improvement, work with your development team or a web accessibility expert to implement changes. This process may involve:

• Improving Navigation: Ensure that menus are clearly labelled and easy to navigate using keyboard shortcuts.
• Updating Content: Revise any text that is overly complex or uses jargon, making it more accessible to all users.
• Testing Compatibility: Regularly test your site with various assistive technologies, including screen readers and voice recognition software.

3. Choose an Experienced Web Development Agency

If you’re launching a new website, select an agency experienced in web accessibility. Discuss your compliance goals—A, AA, or AAA—and ensure that the agency has a strong portfolio of accessible web design. Collaboration during the design and development phases is crucial to ensure that accessibility is integrated from the outset.

4. Maintain Compliance with New Content

Ensuring accessibility is an ongoing commitment. When adding new content or features, keep accessibility in mind. Always check that:

• New images include descriptive ‘alt’ text.
• Links are labelled with meaningful text.
• Videos have captions or transcripts available.

Training and Awareness

Investing in training for your team can significantly enhance your website’s accessibility. Consider offering workshops on best practices for accessibility in content creation. Increasing awareness among your team members about the importance of accessibility will lead to a more inclusive online presence.

Final Thoughts

Complying with the Equality Act 2010 and adhering to WCAG guidelines is more than just a legal obligation. It’s a commitment to inclusivity that benefits all users. By making your website accessible, you enhance the user experience, protect your reputation, and potentially improve your search engine ranking.

Making accessibility a priority may require effort, but it leads to a better, more inclusive web for everyone.

LAST UPDATED November 6, 2024