Making your dental practice's website ADA compliant can seem daunting, but it's essential to ensure that all of your patients can access your website, regardless of ability.
In this blog post, you'll learn how to make your website ADA compliant and some best practices to follow.
Keep in mind that having an ADA compliant website is not only beneficial for patients but can also help protect your dental practice from any legal issues. So, read on to learn more.
What Is the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including websites. The ADA standards for website accessibility are set by the Department of Justice (DOJ), and they must be met by all businesses, regardless of size or industry.
What Are the Requirements for an ADA-Compliant Website?
There are three main types of web content that must be accessible to those with disabilities:
- Static content: This includes things like images, videos, and infographics. All static content must be tagged appropriately so that screen readers can interpret it correctly.
- Dynamic content: This includes forms, drop-down menus, and other interactive elements. Dynamic content must be properly coded to be used with assistive technologies such as screen readers.
- Navigation: Websites must have clear and consistent navigation so that users can easily move around the site, regardless of ability. This includes things like breadcrumb trails, headings, and alt text.
In addition to these three types of content, there are also some general design principles that all ADA compliant websites must follow. These include using large fonts, high contrast colors, and simple layouts.
Tips for ADA Compliance
Here are a few tips to help you make your website ADA compliant:
- Use clear and consistent navigation: All of your website's links should be easy to find and use. Ensure all pages are correctly linked and that your menus are easy to understand.
- Use large font sizes: Small font sizes can be challenging to read, especially for those with vision impairments. So, make sure all of the text on your website is large enough to be easily readable.
- Use high contrast colors: Using contrasting colors can help make sure your website is easily readable for those with vision impairments. For example, you might want to use a dark color for your text and a light color for your background.
- Use simple layouts: Complex layouts can be confusing and frustrating for users with disabilities. So, stick to simple designs that are easy to follow.
Add alt text to all images: Alt text describes images for those who can't see them. So, make sure all of the images on your website have alt text that accurately describes the image.
What if my website isn't ADA compliant?
If your website is not ADA compliant, you could face severe consequences. These include lawsuits and damage to your reputation.
So, if your website is not ADA compliant, what can you do? The first step is to assess what needs to be done to make your website compliant. Once you've done that, you can start making changes to your site.
If you're not sure how to make your website ADA compliant, there are a few things you can do. You can hire a web developer who specializes in ADA compliance, or you can use an online tool like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Checklist.
ADA Compliant Websites from The Dental SEO Experts
If you're looking for an ADA compliant website, look no further than The Dental SEO Experts. We specialize in creating websites optimized for both search engines and patients with disabilities. Schedule a free consultation with us today to learn more about our services.
This article is an abridged version of an article from The Dental SEO Experts blog. You can read the full version here.