Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) is a certification administered by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), an organization founded ten years ago that has helped advance the landscape of online accessibility.&nbsp;A division of the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (Information and Computer Technologies), the IAAP self-describes as a membership-based organization with a mission to “define, promote, improve, and diversify the accessibility profession globally through certification, education, and networking in order to enable the creation of accessible products, content, services, and environments.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>CPACC Certification is Industry-Leading</h3>CPACC certification is currently recognized as the gold standard. Through certification, the goal is to foster a rich and diverse array of accessibility professionals with cohesive knowledge that can grow accessibility across various industries from the inside out. For instance, the areas of technology, industrial design, transportation, and architecture have all benefited from certifying individuals and organizations to create and implement ideas, designs, and operations that incorporate accessibility paradigms at a foundational level.&nbsp;<h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Why is CPACC certification important for website auditing services?&nbsp;</h2>CPACC certification is important for the provision of website auditing services in two critical ways.&nbsp;First, it signals a level of knowledge and understanding of the issues, advances, and best practices found at the intersection where technology and accessibility meet. Any company conducting website accessibility audits that relies on software alone and does not utilize CPACC-certified professionals falls short of this best-in-class standard. Specifically, the IAAP explains that CPACC certification signifies an in-depth knowledge of “disabilities, accessibility and universal design, and accessibility-related standards, laws, and management strategies.”Second, building a team with CPACC certification demonstrates a commitment to remain at the forefront of developing technologies and protocols for accessibility. Notably, this commitment is not just to clients but also to blind and low-vision consumers. It signifies a belief in the implementation of accessibility toward the tri-part goal of inclusivity, independence, and equity.&nbsp;So, when it comes to accessibility, CPACC-certified professionals don’t follow and play catch-up; they lead the way with authority.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Who should get a CPACC certificate?</h3>Ideally, every organization, profession, corporation, business, municipality, non-profit, etc., should require a certain number of individuals to achieve and maintain CPACC certification. By ensuring that people are becoming well-versed in the most contemporary accessibility knowledge, our society can begin to incorporate inclusive design considerations from the ground up.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>AllyADA Maintains CPACC Certification</h2>CPACC certification is a hallmark of AllyADA’s best-in-class website accessibility auditing services for blind and low-vision consumers. After all, one of the most unique, business-forward features of our service is the fact that we have engineered a review that incorporates authentic human experience.&nbsp;Our competitors rely on software and algorithms to review their client’s websites, which leaves gaps in usability analysis. By incorporating experiential knowledge gathered from blind and low-visibility consumers, our audits are comprehensive, accurate, and reliable in a way that outpaces the competition by a wide margin.&nbsp;By ensuring that CPACC-certified professionals are incorporating, analyzing, and utilizing this input to improve auditing and design capabilities, AllyADA is leading the way to a more inclusive and expansive model that benefits business as much as it benefits blind and low-visibility consumers.&nbsp;<h2>Interested in attaining CPACC certification? Here are some key things to know:</h2>Exams are given year-round, and the dates are posted on the IAAP website. However, applicants must apply and be accepted to participate in order to sit for an exam. Applicants must either have one year of experience already working with accessibility in some capacity or be transitioning into a position that requires this.&nbsp;CPACC exams are not free. Candidates pay for the exam and any retake, if necessary. However, discounts are offered for various reasons, including being an applicant from an IAAP member organization or from a small or emerging economy (as classified by the United Nations).&nbsp;If you, individually or on behalf of an organization or business, are interested in attaining CPACC certification, determine whether there is added value in becoming an IAAP member (yes, individuals can access memberships, not just organizations) and stay connected to the website for the most current information about schedules and policies.&nbsp;

What is CPACC

Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies

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At AllyADA, we offer a leading-edge tech and human-based solution to the persistent website accessibility problem impacting the global e-commerce space. Recognizing that our position is one of both tremendous opportunity and privilege, one of our favorite contributions is the ability to generate meaningful statistics to further the advancement of accessibility for blind and visually impaired internet users in the United States and beyond. Though targeted to a fractional subset of websites, this type of data-driven research sheds much-needed light on the extent of online barriers to accessibility, equity, and independence.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Summary of Findings</h2>We engaged with&nbsp;1344 websites during May and June 2024 to determine each website's level of ADA website accessibility compliance and draw conclusions about the categories of common accessibility issues present.&nbsp;We found that of the websites tested, the results were as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;Inaccessible: A total of&nbsp;926 websites tested (69%) were deemed inaccessible to blind and visually impaired users due to a failure to provide accessible core information about products or a failure to allow blind or visually impaired users to complete a purchase. This means the website lacked basic functionality or usability for blind or visually impaired users.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Semi-Accessible: A total of&nbsp;391 websites tested (29%) were deemed semi-accessible. This means the websites were minimally accessible to blind and visually impaired users who were able to navigate from the homepage to the checkout with at least a base-level understanding of what they were buying.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fully Accessible:&nbsp;27 websites tested (2%) were deemed to provide the level of access to information and navigation features necessary to comply with the ADA. This means that blind and visually impaired users were able to obtain all pertinent information about products, locations, and working hours and were able to find specific products, make selections for size and color, understand the purpose of each formfield, or book a table and select the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;Widget Accessibility:&nbsp;Only a total of&nbsp;61 websites tested (or&nbsp;5%) were deemed accessible with the use of widgets. A total of 143 websites tested (or&nbsp;11%) were deemed inaccessible with the use of widgets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="/media/shared/1720018454107_Infographics%20Allyada-02%20(1).png" alt="Chart of reviewed websites for may and june 2024" width="1200" height="1200">&nbsp;<h2>Most Common Accessibility Issues</h2>As blind and visually impaired users are well aware, there are a large number of issues that can render a site non-ADA-compliant and impede ease of use, navigation, comprehension, and accessibility from the homepage through checkout.&nbsp;The most common issues our testers encountered during this assessment were the following:<ol><li>Lack of alt text for images: This error is marked by the absence of a written narrative describing an associated image in words. This description is called “Atl Text” because it is entered in the “alt text attribute” on the page. Alt text is important for people who use screen readers because it allows them to understand the content of the image.</li><li>Pop-ups: This error refers to pop-up windows that appear on a webpage. Pop-ups can be disruptive to blind or visually impaired users and can also be difficult to close for users who use screen readers.&nbsp;</li><li>Bypass blocks: This error refers to elements that can be used to bypass the main content of a webpage. This can be problematic for users who use screen readers because they may not be able to access the bypassed content.&nbsp;</li><li>Form fields: This error refers to issues with form fields on a webpage. These issues can include missing labels, unclear error messages, or form fields that are not keyboard accessible.&nbsp;</li><li>Inaccurate landmark structure: This error refers to the incorrect use of HTML landmark elements. Landmark elements identify the different sections of a webpage, such as the header, navigation, and main content.&nbsp;</li><li>Inaccurate heading hierarchy: This error refers to the incorrect use of heading elements (H1, H2, H3, etc.). Heading elements create a hierarchy of headings on a webpage, which can help users understand the structure of the content.&nbsp;</li><li>Ambiguous link text: This error refers to link text that is not clear or descriptive. Link text should tell users what they can expect to find when they click on the link.&nbsp;</li><li>No notification when moving to an external website: For sighted people, the move to an external website is understood through visual confirmation, but people who are blind or visually impaired get easily confused when they are moved to an external website just by clicking a link.&nbsp;</li></ol><h2>Most Common Categories of Websites with Accessibility Issues</h2>Among the sites tested, we determined that the top categories of websites operating in violation of web accessibility requirements under the ADA are retail and service sites.The overall breakdown of non-compliant websites showed that the majority (69%) fell into the “Retail” category, with the remainder (31%) in the “Service” category. For clarity, retail websites are those devoted to the sale of physical goods and products, regardless of the nature of the goods. Retail includes the sale of things like shoes but also the sale of food commodities like a box of candy. By contrast, service websites are those devoted to the provision of a specified service, such as AllyADA or a law firm website, which allow prospective clients to make informed decisions and engage with the business to arrange payment and receipt of services.&nbsp;<img src="/media/shared/1720018625973_Infographics%20Allyada-04.png" alt="pie chart of retail reviewed with break down by categories" width="1200" height="1200">Taking an even closer look, the breakdown of non-compliant websites within the retail category was very nuanced:&nbsp;<ul><li>apparel (20.09%)</li><li>electronics (10.94%)</li><li>accessories (8.93%)</li><li>home accessories (7.14%)</li><li>pet (4.17%)</li><li>cosmetics (3.79%)</li><li>groceries (3.35%)</li><li>supplements (3.05%)</li><li>perfume (2.23%)</li><li>jewelry (2.23%)</li><li>other stuff (1.34%)</li><li>art (0.60%)</li><li>toys (0.45%)</li><li>sports (0.30%)</li><li>fishing (0.15%)</li><li>instruments (0.07%)</li></ul>The breakdown of non-compliant websites within the services category was less dispersed:<img src="/media/shared/1720018534415_Infographics%20Allyada-05.png" alt="pie chart of services reviewed with break down by categories" width="1200" height="1200"><ul><li>clinic (6.70%)</li><li>hotel (3.79%)</li><li>restaurant (6.40%)</li><li>cleaning (0.15%)</li><li>spa services (4.46%)</li><li>barbershop (0.89%)</li><li>gym (0.22%)</li><li>flower delivery (5.51%)</li><li>nail salon (1.86%)</li><li>entertainment (0.52%)&nbsp;</li></ul>Work with us to Improve Your Website’s AccessibilityAfter we audit your website, we provide a complete report, including a list of all issues that need to be fixed to bring your website into compliance. Once you have the information, it usually only takes two to three days to fix 80% of the accessibility issues identified, with minimal investment on your part.&nbsp;In addition, blind and visually impaired consumers also generate high rates of brand loyalty among sites that are ADA-compliant and easily accessible. The active online sight-impaired community regularly shares favored sites locally and broadly via social media and other forums.&nbsp;With the ease of making corrections and the full complement of benefits that come along with it, accessibility compliance is a no-brainer!Contact us today to get your quote and useful tips on claiming lucrative tax credits. Act now to save an extra 50% on accessibility upgrades!

AllyADA Website Accessibility Review for May and June, 2024

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You’re a business owner committed to meeting or exceeding baseline web accessibility standards, but your site just failed a manual accessibility audit using blind and visually impaired consumers, and now you’ve got questions. One of the biggest issues tripping up online accessibility in a situation like yours is the use of third-party services that inadvertently act as roadblocks to what would otherwise be a well-designed and smooth navigation experience. Let’s explore.&nbsp;What do we mean by third-party services?Third-party services in this context refer to apps, add-ons, and plug-ins that are essentially targeted software overlays for your website meant to enhance the user experience or improve functionality. A basic example is adding a functional calendar to your website so clients can easily book appointments. But the spectrum of what these services offer is broad.&nbsp;Examples range from relatively minor sounding things like adding calendars, privacy notices, and fillable forms, to more impactful things like live chat features, upgraded cart and checkout experiences, and video players.The big advantage of using third-party services is that it allows you to continuously evolve your website into a better, faster, friendly version of itself without having to recode it at a foundational level. You can just agree to the terms of the third-party service, pay a fee if applicable, download, install, and go! (Or, for bigger services, you may work with an integration team.) This allows you to harness the development prowess of a third-party company with a seamless pre-packaged solution.But is the result actually seamless? Or is it a matter of perspective?&nbsp;Did the add-on just inadvertently subtract from your website’s accessibility? Unfortunately, accessibility disruption is a frequent problem resulting from the addition of third-party enhancements.&nbsp;Even though lawsuits and regulatory fines are slowly bringing the web around to ADA compliance, third-party apps, add-ons, and plug-ins are just as far behind on ADA compliance as the rest of the web, and the most impacted consumers are those with vision impairments. So, what creates an increase in functionality and user experience for one consumer base, becomes an impediment to functionality and user experience for the 10% of the consumer population that is blind or visually impaired. .&nbsp;&nbsp;How does this impact your website?Third-party developers are held to the same Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and ADA standards as your website, but their failure to meet these compliance standards can end up being your problem. This is because legally, if it’s your website, your business is liable for any ADA-compliance failures. There are limits to your website’s liability to some degree, but not in any meaningful way. For instance, if your website incorporates a third-party service that ultimately navigates users to another domain, you are not liable by extension for any compliance failures hosted at the other domain. But you are liable for any compliance failures hosted on your own domain, even if those failures are due to accessibility roadblocks created by an app, add-on, or plug-in that you didn’t develop.&nbsp;This means that every new third-party service you use exposes your business to an increased likelihood of failing to meet current regulatory standards, and to the lawsuits and fines that follow suit.&nbsp;&nbsp;So, how do you stay current on compliance?In a sea of non-compliant app, add-on, and plug-in developers, it isn’t necessarily easy to stay current on ADA website accessibility compliance, but there are two key things that you can do.(1) Investigate accessibility upfront.&nbsp;As a first line of defense, be proactive. When your website is looking to enhance functionality or user experience in some way and you’re in the process of exploring third-party services, ask about ADA compliance initiatives built into the platform.&nbsp;If accessibility is on their radar and they can explain the built-in design features that enhance, rather than inhibit, accessibility, you’re on the right track. Can they identify ADA, Section 508, or WCAG compliance integrations? Great! There may still be issues to work out on your particular website once the service is installed, but with like-minded developers keeping an eye on accessibility, you’re sure to make a smooth transition.If accessibility is not on their radar, not accounted for in their design platform, or only discussed as something future-looking rather than current, you can almost be certain that this service is going to be an accessibility disrupter once it’s incorporated into your website. Does this mean that you shouldn’t use it? No, not necessarily. But, it does mean that you’ll have to incorporate step 2 (below) into your overall upgrade plan.An added bonus of having this conversation with the third-party developer is that it puts the topic on their radar. By inviting a discussion of accessibility, regulatory compliance, and lawsuits, it sows the seeds of change. Chances are good that the developer will either add accessibility improvements in future versions or updates, or will develop additional software with regulatory compliance in mind. Which is a win for everyone.&nbsp;(2) Work with an auditing service.&nbsp;After every website alteration or upgrade with a third-party service, you should have a manual ADA compliance audit performed. This will screen for unintended accessibility barriers that pop up in light of the new addition. You can opt for just an audit and compliance report to bring to your own developers, or an audit plus a remediation that brings your website back into compliance. Some auditing services, like AllyADA, offer subscription plans for this exact reason.&nbsp;Remember that the types of third-party services that cause accessibility compliance problems are broad. So, again, it’s better to take a pro-active approach rather than assume that everything is fine. Being on the other end of an accessibility lawsuit or regulatory fine that you didn’t expect, or even actively tried to prevent, is an unfortunate way to be reminded of just how important ADA compliance is in the modern e-commerce industry.&nbsp;

How Third-Party Services and Products Affect Your Site’s Accessibility

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At AllyADA, we are part of the tech and human-based solution to the very real website accessibility problem that impacts the e-commerce space globally. Recognizing that this position is one of both tremendous opportunity and privilege, one of our favorite contributions is the ability to generate meaningful statistics to further the advancement of accessibility for blind and visually impaired internet users in the United States and beyond. Though targeted to a fractional subset of websites, this type of data-driven research sheds much-needed light on the extent of the accessibility barriers impacting users daily.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>Summary of Findings</h2>We engaged with&nbsp;1530 websites during March and April 2024 to determine each website's level of ADA website accessibility compliance and draw conclusions about the categories of common accessibility issues present.&nbsp;We found that of the websites tested, the results were as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;Inaccessible: A total of&nbsp;751 websites tested (49%) were deemed inaccessible to blind and visually impaired users due to a failure to provide accessible core information about products or a failure to allow blind or visually impaired users to complete a purchase. This means the website lacked basic functionality or usability for blind or visually impaired users.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Semi-Accessible: A total of&nbsp;749 websites tested (49%) were deemed semi-accessible. This means the websites were minimally accessible to blind and visually impaired users who were able to navigate from the homepage to the checkout with at least a base-level understanding of what they were buying.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fully Accessible:&nbsp;30 websites tested (2%) were deemed to provide the level of access to information and navigation features necessary to comply with the ADA. This means that blind and visually impaired users were able to obtain all pertinent information about products, locations, and working hours and were able to find specific products, make selections for size and color, understand the purpose of each formfield, or book a table and select the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;Widget Accessibility:&nbsp;Only a total of&nbsp;77 websites tested (or&nbsp;5%) were deemed accessible with the use of widgets. A total of 119 websites tested (or&nbsp;8%) were deemed inaccessible with the use of widgets.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/jOVWFor0f4OcOncCOLWH8-EN8a6wQt_YDpXTDmrEm5wzW1NscCUMk0g2edyc3PrgaH1irKZWkI0VUoR4ZUATZheR4b5CsJjZIIRPGpaoBzu5kprXAj9g6ngEgIQClgEbXMICc9BrNSdBVSCOk1EH5I0" alt="jOVWFor0f4OcOncCOLWH8-EN8a6wQt_YDpXTDmrEm5wzW1NscCUMk0g2edyc3PrgaH1irKZWkI0VUoR4ZUATZheR4b5CsJjZIIRPGpaoBzu5kprXAj9g6ngEgIQClgEbXMICc9BrNSdBVSCOk1EH5I0" width="624" height="351">&nbsp;<h2>Most Common Accessibility Issues</h2>As blind and visually impaired users are well aware, there are a large number of issues that can render a site non-ADA-compliant and impede ease of use, navigation, comprehension, and accessibility from the homepage through checkout.&nbsp;The most common issues our testers encountered during this assessment were the following:<ol><li>Lack of alt text for images: This error is marked by the absence of a written narrative describing an associated image in words. This description is called “Atl Text” because it is entered in the “alt text attribute” on the page. Alt text is important for people who use screen readers because it allows them to understand the content of the image.</li><li>Pop-ups: This error refers to pop-up windows that appear on a webpage. Pop-ups can be disruptive to blind or visually impaired users and can also be difficult to close for users who use screen readers.&nbsp;</li><li>Bypass blocks: This error refers to elements that can be used to bypass the main content of a webpage. This can be problematic for users who use screen readers because they may not be able to access the bypassed content.&nbsp;</li><li>Form fields: This error refers to issues with form fields on a webpage. These issues can include missing labels, unclear error messages, or form fields that are not keyboard accessible.&nbsp;</li><li>Inaccurate landmark structure: This error refers to the incorrect use of HTML landmark elements. Landmark elements identify the different sections of a webpage, such as the header, navigation, and main content.&nbsp;</li><li>Inaccurate heading hierarchy: This error refers to the incorrect use of heading elements (H1, H2, H3, etc.). Heading elements are used to create a hierarchy of headings on a webpage, which can help users understand the structure of the content.&nbsp;</li><li>Ambiguous link text: This error refers to link text that is not clear or descriptive. Link text should tell users what they can expect to find when they click on the link.&nbsp;</li><li>No notification when moving to an external website: For sighted people, the move to an external website is understood through visual confirmation, but people who are blind or visually impaired get easily confused when they are moved to an external website just by clicking a link.&nbsp;</li></ol>&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>A Notable Improvement</h2>Our last assessment of a smaller subset of websites found that an additional issue, identified as “No skip to content,” was still problematic.&nbsp;No skip to content: This error refers to the absence of a "skip to content" link. A "skip to content" link allows users to skip over the navigation menu and go directly to the main content of the webpage. This is important for users who use screen readers, as it allows them to get to the content they are looking for more quickly.&nbsp;However, our broader sweep of websites this month showed an overall improvement in this metric, with very good dynamics demonstrated- 85% of websites passed this accessibility hurdle. We see this as an indication that website designers increasingly recognize that “skip to content” is very important in the world of website navigation and are embracing it as a core element.&nbsp;<h2> Most Common Categories of Websites with Accessibility Issues</h2>Among the sites tested, we determined that the top categories of websites operating in violation of web accessibility requirements under the ADA are retail and service sites, with the following breakdown:<ul><li>(Retail) Apparel and footwear 20%</li><li>(Services) Hotels 14%</li><li>(Services) Restaurants and bars 14%</li><li>(Retail) Jewelry 14%</li><li>(Retail) Groceries 12%</li><li>(Retail) Electronics 12%</li><li>(Services) Food delivery 9%</li><li>(Services) Clinics 8%</li></ul>The overall breakdown of non-compliant websites showed that the majority (58%) fell into the “Retail” category, with the remainder (42%) in the “Service” category. For clarity, retail websites are those devoted to the sale of physical goods and products, regardless of the nature of the goods. Retail includes the sale of things like shoes but also the sale of food commodities like a box of candy. By contrast, service websites are those devoted to the provision of a specified service, such as AllyADA or a law firm website, which allow prospective clients to make informed decisions and engage with the business to arrange payment and receipt of services.&nbsp;Taking an even closer look, the most non-compliant websites within the retail category were Apparel and Footwear (20%), Jewelry (14%), Groceries (12%), and Electronics (12%). The most non-compliant websites within the service categories were Hotels (14%), Restaurants (11%), Food Delivery (9%), and Clinics (8%).&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>Work with us to Improve Your Website’s Accessibility</h2>After we audit your website, we provide a complete report, including a list of all issues that need to be fixed to bring your website into compliance. Once you have the information, it usually only takes two to three days to fix 80% of the accessibility issues identified, with minimal investment on your part.&nbsp;In addition, blind and visually impaired consumers also generate high rates of brand loyalty among sites that are ADA-compliant and easily accessible. The active online sight-impaired community regularly shares favored sites locally and broadly via social media and other forums.&nbsp;With the ease of making corrections and the full complement of benefits that come along with it, accessibility compliance is a no-brainer!Contact us today to get your quote, along with useful tips on how to take advantage of lucrative tax credits to save an extra 50% on accessibility upgrades.

Accessibility Review for March & April, 2024

AllyADA Website Accessibility Review for March & April, 2024

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Making your website more accessible is only possible once you have a comprehensive understanding of the ways that it falls short of meeting current accessibility recommendations and requirements. Conducting an accessibility audit is the gold standard for determining your site’s level of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) compliance.&nbsp;Let’s take a look at three ways to audit your website’s accessibility.&nbsp;<h3>Automated Accessibility Testing</h3>Automated accessibility testing tools are software programs that scan websites for potential accessibility barriers based on established guidelines like the WCAG. These tools can identify a wide range of issues, from missing alternative text on images to insufficient color contrast, and provide actionable recommendations for remediation.However, it's important to note that automated tests might not catch all accessibility barriers and may generate false positives or miss certain nuanced issues.While automated tools offer several advantages, they do have limitations, including the:<ul><li>Inability to Capture All Issues: Automated tools might miss certain nuanced accessibility barriers that require human judgment and interpretation.</li><li>False Positives and Negatives: These tools might generate false positives (flagging non-issues as problems) or false negatives (missing actual accessibility barriers).</li><li>Lack of Contextual Understanding: Automated tools may not understand the context or intent behind certain design elements, potentially misidentifying accessibility barriers.</li></ul><h3>Manual Accessibility Testing:</h3>Manual accessibility testing involves a thorough human review of the website's elements, functionalities, and content. Manual testing helps in identifying complex accessibility issues that automated tools might overlook.While automated tools offer valuable assistance, manual accessibility testing remains an irreplaceable component of building a web that welcomes everyone. By combining human ingenuity with technical expertise, we can create digital spaces where everyone can thrive, leaving no one behind in the online world. Performing manual accessibility tests complements the results from automated tools.&nbsp;Manual testing checks for keyboard navigation functionality, ensures proper semantic structure (such as headings and lists), verifies forms and interactive elements, reviews multimedia content for captions or audio descriptions, and assesses color contrast for readability. This hands-on approach allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of the website's accessibility.&nbsp;<h3>User Testing with Individuals with Disabilities</h3>This form of testing involves engaging real users with disabilities, such as blind or visually impaired individuals, to test your website's accessibility. Observing how users with diverse needs interact with your site provides invaluable insights into its usability and effectiveness. This involves inviting individuals with disabilities to navigate the website using assistive technologies like screen readers or voice recognition software and encouraging them to perform typical tasks a user might do on the site. Their feedback highlights specific barriers they encounter, allowing you to address these issues directly.&nbsp;<h4>Follow-through by Addressing Audit Recommendations</h4>After conducting testing sessions with automated programs, manual reviewers, and individuals with disabilities, it's crucial to implement the feedback and insights gathered by:<ul><li>Prioritizing Accessibility Fixes: While there may be multiple deficiencies identified, focusing on improving the most critical areas first is important. Build a strategy for implementing changes based on this priority assessment.</li><li>Document Recommendations: Maintain a record of identified barriers and suggested improvements, aiding in continuous enhancement of accessibility.</li><li>Educate Development Teams: Share insights and recommendations across development teams to foster a culture of accessibility and inclusivity.</li><li>Iterative Design: Utilize an iterative design approach, continuously refining and improving the website based on user testing results and ongoing feedback.</li></ul>Website accessibility requires a three-fold approach: automated testing for initial checks, manual assessment for a deeper understanding, and involving users with diverse abilities for authentic feedback. These steps, covering automated scans, hands-on evaluation, and real user experiences, collectively ensure a more inclusive digital space. Embracing this triad isn't just about compliance; it's about fostering inclusivity, guaranteeing that every user can navigate and engage effortlessly in the online sphere, irrespective of their abilities.

3 Ways To Audit Your Website’s Accessibility

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At AllyADA, we are part of the tech and human-based solution to the very real website accessibility problem that impacts the e-commerce space globally. Recognizing that this position is one of both tremendous opportunity and privilege, one of our favorite contributions is the ability to generate meaningful statistics to further the advancement of accessibility for blind and visually impaired internet users in the United States and beyond. Though targeted to a fractional subset of websites, this type of data-driven research sheds much-needed light on the extent of the accessibility barriers impacting users daily.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Summary of Findings</h2>We engaged with 510 websites during January and February 2024 to determine each website's level of ADA website accessibility compliance and draw conclusions about the categories of common accessibility issues present.&nbsp;We found that of the websites tested, the results were as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;Inaccessible: A total of&nbsp;304 websites tested (60%) were deemed inaccessible to blind and visually impaired users due to a failure to provide accessible core information about products or a failure to allow blind or visually impaired users to complete a purchase. This means the website lacked basic functionality or usability for blind or visually impaired users.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Semi-Accessible: A total of&nbsp;198 websites tested (38%) were deemed semi-accessible. This means the websites were minimally accessible to blind and visually impaired users who were able to navigate from the homepage to the checkout with at least a base-level understanding of what they were buying.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fully Accessible:&nbsp;8 websites tested (2%) were deemed to provide the level of access to information and navigation features necessary to comply with the ADA. This means that blind and visually impaired users were able to obtain all pertinent information about products, locations, and working hours and were able to find specific products, make selections for size and color, understand the purpose of each formfield, or book a table and select the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;Widget Accessibility:&nbsp;Only a total of&nbsp;30 websites tested were deemed accessible with the use of widgets. A total of 44 websites tested were deemed inaccessible with the use of widgets.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:624/351;" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/wLcosYlbeXGTfhASEMqrsID_-R5cthMQ6vME5AeO7C-PA_SmX6nDckHcSaJG0fjw88MC5S4vBGp-J4m3U4uPtfWLzISS_yEjWwNB5dxy6vyN1Fu3_TWZcWwVofzvTf7hGLEkqUtQ1mWnm2Q3" alt="infographics of reviewed websites for January and February 2024" width="624" height="351"></figure><h2>Most Common Accessibility Issues</h2>As blind and visually impaired users are well aware, there are a large number of issues that can render a site non-ADA-compliant and impede ease of use, navigation, comprehension, and accessibility from the homepage through checkout.&nbsp;The most common issues our testers encountered during this assessment were the following:<ol><li>Lack of alt text for images: This error is marked by the absence of a written narrative describing an associated image in words. This description is called “Atl Text” because it is entered in the “alt text attribute” on the page. Alt text is important for people who use screen readers because it allows them to understand the content of the image.</li><li>Navigation problems: This error refers to a variety of issues that can make it difficult for users to navigate a website. These issues can include broken links, missing links, or unclear navigation menus.&nbsp;</li><li>Bypass blocks: This error refers to elements that can be used to bypass the main content of a webpage. This can be problematic for users who use screen readers because they may not be able to access the bypassed content.&nbsp;</li><li>Form fields: This error refers to issues with form fields on a webpage. These issues can include missing labels, unclear error messages, or form fields that are not keyboard accessible.&nbsp;</li><li>Pop-ups: This error refers to pop-up windows that appear on a webpage. Pop-ups can be disruptive to blind or visually impaired users and can also be difficult to close for users who use screen readers.&nbsp;</li><li>Inaccurate landmark structure: This error refers to the incorrect use of HTML landmark elements. Landmark elements identify the different sections of a webpage, such as the header, navigation, and main content.&nbsp;</li><li>Inaccurate heading hierarchy: This error refers to the incorrect use of heading elements (H1, H2, H3, etc.). Heading elements are used to create a hierarchy of headings on a webpage, which can help users understand the structure of the content.&nbsp;</li><li>Ambiguous link text: This error refers to link text that is not clear or descriptive. Link text should tell users what they can expect to find when they click on the link.&nbsp;</li><li>No skip to content: This error refers to the absence of a "skip to content" link. A "skip to content" link allows users to skip over the navigation menu and go directly to the main content of the webpage. This is important for users who use screen readers, as it allows them to get to the content they are looking for more quickly.&nbsp;</li><li>No notification when moving to an external website: For sighted people, the move to an external website is understood through visual confirmation, but people who are blind or visually impaired get easily confused when they are moved to an external website just by clicking a link.&nbsp;</li></ol><h2>Most Common Categories of Websites with Accessibility Issues</h2>Among the sites tested, we determined that the top categories of websites operating in violation of web accessibility requirements under the ADA are retail and services sites, with the following breakdown:<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:537/361;" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/nhrlA-_zXoy3scnUTLYiQ5EQt_-Wla8oqDZ-LYOlxNt9XOQrkaEYKJ-GDN0CQkUelUJCpuFrmD8mCUEDSP78YoMwOoHqlRjfvOB4ZAEOPNHYUprSKve5vq0gSomOxIssZgqV_SQMvxrr0Eu6" alt="chart of ada non-compliant categories of websites split by categories" width="537" height="361"></figure>The overall breakdown of non-compliant websites showed that the majority (63%) fell into the “Retail” category, with the remainder (37%) in the “Service” category. For clarity, retail websites are those devoted to the sale of physical goods and products, regardless of the nature of the goods. Retail includes the sale of things like shoes but also the sale of food commodities like a box of candy. By contrast, service websites are those devoted to the provision of a specified service, such as AllyADA or a law firm website, which allow prospective clients to make informed decisions and engage with the business to arrange payment and receipt of services.&nbsp;Taking an even closer look, the most non-compliant websites within the retail category were Apparel and Footwear (43.8%), Jewelry (15.1%), and Electronics (8.2%). The most non-compliant websites within the service categories were Restaurants (19.2%) and Food Delivery (13.7%).&nbsp;

Accessibility Review for January & February, 2024

AllyADA Website Accessibility Review for January & February, 2024

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Now that 2023 has come and gone, we look back on it with a new perspective to draw meaningful insight and inspiration and plan to carry the best of ourselves through 2024 and beyond. As a business owner, you are keenly aware of the analytical insights you can draw from the prior business year, and 2023 is no exception. So, when Forbes Magazine (online edition) pointed out that 2023 saw website accessibility lawsuits “rising exponentially,” we reviewed the data.According to Forbes, as of June 2023, the trajectory for the year was on track to hit 4,220 website accessibility lawsuits filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But guess what? This outsized number wasn’t just met; it was surpassed! According to web accessibility insights from UseableNet’s Year End Report, 2023 ended with approximately&nbsp;4,500 digital accessibility&nbsp;lawsuits under the ADA.&nbsp;This data is supported by other statistics indicating that 25% of all digital accessibility lawsuits filed under the ADA in 2023 targeted&nbsp;previously sued companies. In addition, the vast majority of the lawsuits sought forced regulatory compliance for e-commerce websites, most of which were operating at&nbsp;under 25 million in annual revenue. This means that small businesses were the primary target by a long shot.When the data was analyzed on a per-state basis, it was even more revealing, with certain states (such as New York) taking a solid lead in terms of web accessibility cases filed. The reason for the disparity among the states currently is disagreement in the various federal circuit courts about the best approach for enforcing conformity with ADA rules. As we’ve written about previously, some states are at the leading edge of website accessibility regulation, and others are still catching up.&nbsp;However, with the Department of Justice (DOJ) focusing on web accessibility for people with disabilities as a top priority and pushing to enforce compliance standards under the globally embraced Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG),&nbsp;2024 should see an even sharper increase in the number of small online businesses targeted by lawsuits or regulatory fines.&nbsp;What does this mean? With notable and persistent year-over-year increases in ADA lawsuits, 2023 was likely a harbinger of what lies ahead in the online business landscape. Website accessibility lawsuits and forced ADA compliance are clearly on trend to continue breaking records.&nbsp;As advocates for both people with disabilities and businesses, at&nbsp;Allyada, we bridge the gap between savvy business moves and greater accessibility for blind and visually impaired consumers in the world of e-commerce.&nbsp;Anyone who has to navigate the online world with a visual disability knows firsthand how difficult it can be to overcome some of the challenges that prevent free and easy access to the general flow of life. But after 2023, it is clear that the website accessibility compliance train has left the station, and there is no slowing it down. Get a ticket to board now, or get a lawsuit and a fine later!

ADA Lawsuit Statistics for 2023

Web Accessibility Lawsuits Statistics for 2023

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In the ever-evolving world of online commerce, communication, and engagement, operating a website that is not accessible to users with disabilities is a genuine problem. 
Across the nation, plaintiffs’ law firms have identified non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a lucrative vulnerability for online businesses, launching lawsuit after lawsuit at unwitting targets, sometimes striking the same business twice.
Key regulatory bodies are highlighting ADA-compliant digital accessibility as a primary goal and enforcing implementation of this civil rights standard through hefty fines. 
Congress is poised to take additional action to codify the modern understanding that ADA compliance means ensuring accessibility online in the same way that businesses must in the brick-and-mortar world.
The good news is that it is really easy to get ADA-compliant, which shields you from the worst of the bad stuff and supercharges your advancement into the good stuff! All it takes is working with a company like Allyada to complete a digital accessibility audit of your website. 
Let’s take a closer look.
<h2>What is An Accessibility Audit?</h2>
A digital accessibility audit is a comprehensive review and analysis of your website from the perspective of users with disabilities and in light of current regulatory standards, legal requirements, and tech advancements. Depending on the package you select, an audit identifies everything from critical errors on certain key web pages to comprehensive errors across your entire website.
Our experts perform the audit and prepare the report. Your designer can implement our suggestions to bring your website into compliance, or we can do it for you. 
<h3>Does My Website Need One?</h3>
Yes! Every website needs an accessibility audit! The most recently published data on website accessibility confirmed that almost 100% of websites are non-compliant. Are we exaggerating? Nope. Slightly over 96% of the top 1 million websites do not meet the current standards established by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The latter is a set of guidelines established to maintain global consistency for internet standards.
Though US-based businesses are not beholden to the WCAG, they are regulated under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that businesses ensure equal access to all consumers. The WCAG standards are a critical guidepost for identifying key digital accessibility impediments under the ADA.
So, unless you’ve intentionally brought your website into compliance (usually because you’ve already been targeted with a lawsuit or fines), then the likelihood is that you need to. 
<h2>What Does an Audit Involve?</h2>
Our inclusive team of sighted and visually impaired, CPACC-certified accessibility experts will conduct a comprehensive review of your website to identify impediments to unrestricted access by users with disabilities. We provide a full report of our findings, along with either a plan for remediation to be used by your designer or by our in-house remediation team to bring your website into compliance. 
<h3>Can I Choose What’s Right for Me?</h3>
Absolutely! Regardless of your business or your budget, we have several options for accessibility audits and packages, including a fully customizable approach. After pursuing our services, choose from our packages:
<ul>
<li>Starter Pack: Designed to ensure basic accessibility standards are met. Select pages across your site are audited by a visually impaired tester. We prepare and provide a report identifying critical errors on these key pages. Your designer does the rest. Flat Rate pricing. </li>
<li>Standard Pack: Designed to ensure ADA compliance. A full accessibility audit is completed, including manual testing by our CPACC-certified accessibility experts, along with an authentic user experience test by one of our visually impaired testers. We prepare and provide a report identifying the full scope of errors across the entire website. Your designer does the rest. You’re entitled to 50% off a check-up audit in 3 months. </li>
<li>Premium Pack: Designed to ensure your site becomes and stays ADA-compliant. You get all of the services of our Standard Pack plus enrollment in our discounted subscription plan. We do the remediation work for you. </li>
<li>Flexible Pack: Designed for the flexibility to meet your unique customization needs. We call you and design a compliance strategy together. </li>
</ul>
<h2>How Does an Audit Benefit My Business?</h2>
This is our favorite part! By auditing your website for ADA compliance issues and modernizing your user interface, you’ll shield yourself from legal repercussions, boost your SEO rankings, reach more customers, and gain a generous tax credit! 
<ul>
<li>Less legal exposure! Sleep well at night knowing that you won’t be served with a demand, lawsuit, or fine the next day because your website is ADA-compliant!</li>
<li>An expanded customer base! By eliminating barriers to use, you unlock the next level of UX wizardry, expanding your website’s reach to users with disabilities (one-quarter of the US population!) who were previously excluded from unhindered access.</li>
<li>Boost SEO rankings! Do you even know that search engine algorithms favor accessible websites? We do. That’s why we’re here. </li>
<li>Tax incentives! The government has essentially settled on two ways to get your website ADA-compliant: regulatory fines or tax breaks. What an easy choice! Don’t give money to the government; invest in your company instead!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Contact Allyada Today to Get Started!</h2>
There aren’t many situations in life where complying with the law and meeting regulatory standards is actually a win-win for your business. With a website accessibility audit, it’s a win-win-win-win! Speak with an accessibility expert today to see which plan works best for you. 
Email us at <a href="mailto:contact@allyada.com">contact@allyada.com</a> or call us at 1-844-ALLY-ADA

Getting an Accessibility Audit is like Giving Your Business a Shield and a JetPack.

Accessibility Audit: Your Business Superpower

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Wondering how big of a problem website accessibility actually is? There are several different ways to view this question. For instance, if you’re among the population of web users with disabilities prevented from enjoying the same online opportunities as everyone else, it is an all-encompassing problem with very little relief on the immediate horizon. 
But what if you’re a business owner or organization operating in the online domain, seemingly carefree? Is web accessibility a big problem? More to the point, is it your big problem? After all, maybe you haven’t received any complaints, demand letters, or lawsuits yet requesting that you make accessibility updates to your site. Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time before your business is targeted. 
At Allyada, we see things differently. By being at the forefront of website accessibility compliance, we know that you can reimagine this problem as a smart business solution instead. Keep reading to understand why. 
<h2>Your Website is Non-Compliant. Yes- we mean you!</h2>
According to WebAIM, a non-profit organization that has been at the forefront of web accessibility issues for fifteen years and counting, 96% of the top 1 million websites failed to meet the standards of accessibility compliance under the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The latter is a set of guidelines established by an international body dedicated to maintaining global consistency for internet standards. 
This sobering statistic highlights the fact that if you have not been intentional about modernizing your website from an accessibility perspective, then there is only a 4% chance that it randomly happens to be compliant. In other words, if your website were compliant, you would already know that because you would have decided to make it compliant through an audit and remediation. No one backs into compliance unknowingly. 
For the 4% of websites on the leading edge of compliance, kudos! You’re already reaping the rewards. 
For the rest of you, the time to come into compliance is now!
<h2>Why Does This Matter? </h2>
1. First, continued non-compliance means that your business is vulnerable! 
You’re vulnerable to regulatory fines! 
At present, while failure to comply with the WCAG does not violate US law, failure to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a violation of key civil rights legislation in the US. Increasingly, website accessibility is recognized as falling within the purview of the ADA. While not all jurisdictions have fully embraced this perspective yet, a significant number have. And, among those that haven’t, there are broad circumstances in which courts still apply the ADA to website accessibility requirements.
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has also issued clear guidance stating that “ensuring web accessibility for people with disabilities” is a top priority and that companies offering “programs, services, and goods” to the public, including through websites, must ensure accessibility compliance. 
What does this mean for you? It means that the legislative and regulatory bodies in the US are increasingly positioning accessibility as a paramount objective across the e-commerce industry and holding companies accountable by issuing hefty fines for non-compliance.
You’re vulnerable to lawsuits! 
Digital accessibility lawsuits are skyrocketing and increasing exponentially year over year! Nearly 90% of these lawsuits target the e-commerce industry (online retailers of goods and services). 
In some instances, these lawsuits even target the same companies repeatedly for continued violations. It is a fact that law firms specializing in ADA-related digital accessibility lawsuits are making bank on the back of non-compliance. These law firms are betting big that they’ll get to you before you get compliant. Every day that your business operates below ADA and WCAG standards could be the day that you get served and pay the price! 
2. Second, you’re missing out on lucrative and strategic business opportunities!
You’re missing out on boosting your SEO rankings! 
Search engine algorithms increasingly and decidedly favor accessibility as a key objective and boost visibility and access to those sites that are leading the way. Since only 4% of websites are actually achieving compliance, doing so elevates your website to elite status and improves your SEO rankings!
You’re missing out on reaching more consumers! 
The most recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau show that over one-quarter of US adults live with a disability. If your website is failing to capture, keep, or convert those users, then you’re needlessly throwing away access to a sizeable segment of the online market. 
You’re missing out on tax incentives! 
As proof that the federal government prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity, the tax code favors investments in these improvements. Generous tax credits can be claimed annually by companies investing in website accessibility compliance. Choosing not to get your tax credit is choosing to leave a source of investment money untapped. Don’t waste this money; put it to work for you instead!
3. Third, accessibility and diversity are morally and ethically on point!
You’ll be doing the right thing! 
Investing in website accessibility isn’t just smart business; it’s the right thing to do. Building a brand that favors accessibility and inclusivity by making practical, real-world improvements is one way for your company to play a valuable role in evolving humanity toward a better future. This is especially true as online engagement, communication, and commerce become the dominant norm. 
<h2>Automated Compliance Testing is Inadequate! Inclusive Human Compliance Testing is the Gold Standard. </h2>
While there are numerous automated compliance testing services available, relying on algorithms alone to audit and assess your website’s accessibility standards is inadequate at best. These programs are only capable of processing a cursory review of your website and are wholly ineffective at providing a deep-level, thorough analysis to actually and adequately bring your site into compliance. 
Imagine believing that you’d done what was needed to bring your website into compliance, only to learn that you were being served with demand letters, regulatory fines, and lawsuits for ADA violations. Not only is it outrageous, it’s completely avoidable!
The absolute gold standard in digital accessibility testing is a combination of automated review and a fully inclusive human testing protocol. What does this mean? It means that having a highly skilled, knowledgeable, and CPACC-certified team of sighted and visually impaired professionals conduct a comprehensive analysis of your website is the only way to ensure that you actually achieve and maintain accessibility compliance.
<h2>How Much Does Compliance Cost?</h2>
Cost is one way to look at it. Investment is another!
With a significant tax credit toward annual accessibility monitoring and improvements, a boost in SEO rankings, a sizeable increase in customer base, and a drastically lower risk of being targeted by ADA lawsuits and fines, an accessibility audit and remediation is simply a smart investment in your business’s bottom line. 
At Allyada, we know businesses and their budgets come in all sizes, so we have packages available to meet every need, including customizable options.
When you’re ready to harness the future, supercharge your business plan, and shield yourself from unnecessary legal risks, we’re ready to help you achieve your goals. 
Be among the savvy 4%, not the unprepared 96%. Your business will thank you.

How Big of a Problem is Website Accessibility

Is Website Accessibility Really Your Problem?

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In the current digital era, making websites accessible to individuals with disabilities—including the legally blind—is not only a morally sound decision but it is also a savvy business strategy with a generous payoff. The benefits include: <h2>1. Improving Usability</h2> Accessibility features implemented on the website not only help the legally blind but also make the website more user-friendly for everyone. A more user-friendly interface can result in decreased bounce rates and increased user satisfaction, which helps businesses keep more customers. <h2>2. Search Engine Optimization</h2> Though perhaps surprising, improved search engine ranking is an outcome of improved accessibility. Websites that are accessible frequently follow SEO best practices. This can cause a website's search engine ranking to rise, resulting in increased web traffic which can lead to increased sales and conversion rates. <h2>3. Strengthening the Brand Image</h2> Since consumers place a high value on corporate social responsibility, making a website accessible to all can greatly enhance a business's reputation. Customers are drawn to brands that are perceived as being inclusive and considerate of individuals with disabilities, which has the net effect of increasing customer loyalty and potentially driving additional purchases of the company’s goods or services. <h2>4. Enlarging the Customer Base</h2> Businesses reach a larger audience by providing legally blind users with access to their websites. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that 1 in 4 adults in the US has a disability. Clients who might not otherwise be able to use the website efficiently can be attracted to companies with websites that favor accessibility, which may lead to increased revenue and sales. <h2>5. Avoiding Legal Expenses</h2> Websites and other digital platforms must be accessible to individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Lawsuits related to web accessibility are becoming more common and can be expensive for companies impacted by litigation. These legal problems and the accompanying financial burdens can be avoided by proactively putting web accessibility standards into practice. There are numerous financial advantages that result from creating an accessible, ADA-compliant website. They include avoiding legal fees, growing the clientele, boosting SEO, building brand recognition, and ensuring you have a professional online presence. Thus, web accessibility provides a competitive advantage in the digital world, serving a social good and aligning with thoughtful business strategy.

How Will You Benefit If You Have an Accessible Website?

1. Improving Usability

2. Search Engine Optimization

3. Strengthening the Brand Image

4. Enlarging the Customer Base

5. Avoiding Legal Expenses

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