Accessibility is good UX and good business. Clear labels help rushed shoppers, captions help late-night scrollers, and consistent structure helps Google. This guide translates WCAG 2.2 AA into plain-English checks and a 30-day plan for Florida small businesses. (Not legal advice—consult counsel for specifics.)
What ADA compliance means online
The ADA prohibits disability discrimination; websites typically demonstrate compliance by aligning with WCAG. The four pillars are Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust—in short: can people find, use, and trust your content across devices and assistive tech?
Perceivable (people can read your content)
Ensure color contrast (4.5:1 for body text; 3:1 for large text), maintain usability at 200% zoom, write descriptive alt text, use single H1 with logical H2/H3 order, add captions for videos and transcripts for audio, and tag PDFs for reading order if you host them.
Operable (people can navigate with keyboard)
Every interactive element should be reachable and usable with Tab/Shift+Tab. Provide visible focus states. Add a “Skip to main content” link. Enlarge touch targets (~44×44 px). Respect prefers-reduced-motion and avoid auto-playing carousels. Don’t require complex gestures without simple alternatives.
Understandable (people know what happens next)
Keep navigation consistent. Use plain language. Write descriptive links (“Get an accessibility audit,” not “click here”). Add real <label> elements to forms, give helpful error messages, and set lang="en" on pages. Provide polite confirmations and progress indicators.
Robust (works well with assistive technology)
Prefer semantic HTML. Use accessible components for menus, modals, tabs, and accordions; manage focus correctly. Use ARIA to enhance, not replace, semantics. Announce dynamic updates with aria-live when needed.
Manual testing workflow (30 minutes)
Keyboard-only pass, zoom to 200%, check contrast, verify captions/transcripts, and do a quick screen reader pass to navigate by headings and links. Document issues and prioritize by user impact.
30-day remediation plan
Week 1: Run automated scans for low-hanging issues, then manually test the homepage, top services, contact, and checkout/booking.
Week 2: Fix global components—header/nav, buttons, forms, focus styles, skip link.
Week 3: Normalize headings and links, add alt text, clean tables and PDFs.
Week 4: Re-test, publish an accessibility statement, set a monthly check in your Website Maintenance Plans.
Pitfalls to avoid
Sliders with tiny text, icon-only buttons without labels, placeholder-only forms, low-contrast palettes, and third-party widgets with poor focus management. Audit embeds like chat or booking tools; swap if they fail basic keyboard tests.
Accessibility + performance + SEO
Accessible sites are generally faster and better structured, which supports search and conversion. For speed and infrastructure, see Core Web Vitals in the Green and Fast, Secure Hosting.
