Tag: WCAG Compliance

The Benefits of Accessible Web Design for People with Cognitive Disabilities
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date July 16, 2023

The Benefits of Accessible Web Design for People with Cognitive Disabilities

In today’s digital age, having an accessible and inclusive online presence is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. However, many businesses overlook an important aspect of website design: accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities. At EcomBack, we specialize in ADA website design, ensuring that every website we create or modify is ADA and WCAG compliant. We work across various platforms, including Shopify, WordPress, SquareSpace, Wix, WooCommerce, Magento, Webflow, and BigCommerce, striving for a web environment where everyone has equal access to information and functionality.

The Importance of ADA Accessible Websites

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. Digital spaces, including websites, are also covered by this act. Consequently, ADA website compliance services are essential for businesses to ensure their online platforms are accessible to all users.

Our web accessibility compliance team understands the importance of creating an ADA-accessible website. Not only does it bring legal safety, but it also expands your audience, enhances user experience, and promotes social inclusion.

Website Accessibility and Cognitive Disabilities

People with cognitive disabilities may face a wide range of challenges when navigating websites. They could struggle with memory, attention, problem-solving, and other cognitive functions. Therefore, an ADA-accessible website designed with these challenges in mind can significantly enhance their online experience.

From simplifying website navigation to providing clear instructions, our ADA and WCAG compliance services ensure that your website is fully accessible and user-friendly for individuals with cognitive disabilities.

The Benefits of ADA and WCAG Compliance

ADA and WCAG compliance doesn’t just make your site accessible—it also brings along numerous benefits. Websites that comply with these standards are usually more user-friendly, with a clean design and intuitive navigation. Additionally, these websites tend to have better SEO performance, as search engines favor sites with accessible content.

EcomBack’s ADA website compliance services ensure that your website benefits from increased reach, improved user experience, and enhanced SEO performance.

Our Expertise Across Various Platforms

Whether you’re using Shopify, WordPress, SquareSpace, Wix, WooCommerce, Magento, Webflow, or BigCommerce, our web accessibility compliance team has the expert skills needed to manage and fix websites on these platforms.

We understand the unique features and potential accessibility challenges associated with each platform. Our team’s experience and expertise enable us to effectively create an ADA accessible website, regardless of the platform used.

Creating A More Inclusive Digital Environment

With the rise of e-commerce and digital spaces, we’ve become more connected than ever. Yet, this interconnectedness often forgets the needs of people with cognitive disabilities. EcomBack is passionate about bridging this digital divide. By adopting ADA website design, we’re ensuring that your site is accessible to all, including those with cognitive disabilities.

We’re not just aiming for ADA and WCAG compliance; our goal is to create websites that offer a seamless user experience for all. This approach enhances the online experience of users with cognitive disabilities, thus fostering an inclusive digital environment.

Driving Business Growth with ADA Accessible Websites

Accessible websites not only meet legal requirements and ethical standards but can also be a powerful tool for business growth. By making your website ADA accessible, you’re widening your reach to include all potential customers.

Moreover, search engines tend to rank accessible websites higher. This improved SEO performance can drive more organic traffic to your site, potentially increasing conversions and sales. So, an investment in ADA website compliance services is an investment in your business’s future.

Trust EcomBack for Your ADA Website Compliance Services

At EcomBack, we believe in the power of inclusivity in the digital world. Our expert web accessibility compliance team is dedicated to ensuring that your website is ADA and WCAG compliant. We take pride in our ability to create user-friendly websites that cater to all, including those with cognitive disabilities.

Trust EcomBack for your ADA website compliance services. Together, let’s create a more accessible, inclusive, and prosperous digital space for all.

Blog banner featuring the content "Incorporating Accessible Design Principles in Email Marketing" and an individual utilizing a laptop and displaying email icons
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date July 5, 2023

Understanding the Importance of Accessible Design

Before diving into the intricacies of accessible design, it is crucial to understand its importance. In the context of digital communication, accessibility refers to the ease with which all users, including those with disabilities, can access and understand content. This factor is not just a fundamental ethical obligation; it also opens doors to wider audiences, increasing potential customer engagement.

Accessible design principles are not just about inclusivity; they are also about smart business. In applying these principles to email marketing, you may reach a broader audience, foster positive customer relationships, and potentially boost your conversion rates.

The EcomBack Approach to Accessible Email Marketing

At EcomBack, we are committed to ensuring that our email marketing initiatives reach all our customers. As such, we’ve incorporated accessible design principles into our email marketing strategy. We understand that not all our customers interact with emails the same way, so we have implemented measures to ensure everyone can access and understand our messages.

How to Incorporate Accessible Design in Email Marketing

Use Simple and Clear Language

One of the main principles of accessible design is to use language that is easy to understand. Complex language or industry jargon might exclude some readers. By using simple, clear language, your email content becomes accessible to a wider audience.

Properly Use Alt Text for Images

Images are a crucial part of email marketing, but not everyone can see or understand them. That’s where alt text comes in. Alt text, short for alternative text, is a description of an image that can be read by screen readers. This tool is incredibly helpful for those with visual impairments.

Ensure Adequate Color Contrast

Color contrast between the text and the background in an email is important for visibility. Make sure that your emails have sufficient contrast so that users with color blindness or other visual impairments can read your content easily. Use contrast checkers in your design process.

Use a Logical Structure

Just like any piece of written content, emails should have a logical structure. Use headings and subheadings to guide the reader through your content. This structure not only helps readability but also assists screen readers in navigating your email.

Optimize Email for Mobile Devices

In today’s world, a significant percentage of emails are viewed on mobile devices. It’s essential to ensure that your email design and content are mobile-friendly. This factor includes ensuring that text is readable without having to zoom in, links and buttons are easily clickable, and the email content fits within the screen width.

Use Bullet Points and Short Paragraphs

Large blocks of text can be overwhelming and difficult to read, especially for individuals with cognitive impairments. Breaking up your content into bullet points or short paragraphs can make it easier to digest and comprehend.

Utilize Accessible Fonts

Not all fonts are created equal, especially when it comes to accessibility. Some fonts are easier to read than others. As a general rule, sans serif fonts are considered more accessible because of their simplicity and clear, unadorned design.

Boosting Your Email Marketing with EcomBack

At EcomBack, we are committed to helping you create an email marketing strategy that integrates accessible design principles. We provide tools and advice to help you craft effective, accessible emails that reach a wider audience. With EcomBack, your email marketing can become an inclusive and effective tool for engaging your customers and driving conversions.

In conclusion, incorporating accessible design principles into your email marketing strategy is not only ethically sound but also beneficial for your business. By making your emails accessible to all, you expand your audience reach, foster stronger customer relationships, and potentially boost your conversions. With EcomBack’s commitment to these principles, we’re ready to guide you toward a more inclusive and successful email marketing strategy.

A Step by Step Guide to Creating an ADA Compliant Website Blog Banner
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date June 13, 2023

As technology continues to advance, more and more businesses are establishing their online presence. However, creating a website that is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, is essential. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it is also required by law. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide to creating an ADA-compliant website and explain how EcomBack’s accessibility services can help businesses improve their online accessibility and prevent ADA lawsuits.

Step 1: Understand ADA Guidelines

The first step to creating an ADA-compliant website is to understand the guidelines set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and requires businesses to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to their goods and services. The guidelines for web accessibility cover four main areas: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. These guidelines provide a framework for making sure that all users can navigate and access the information on your website.

Step 2: Conduct a Website Audit

The next step is to conduct a website audit to identify any accessibility barriers. This includes checking for things like image alt text, proper heading structure, and keyboard navigation. EcomBack offers a comprehensive website ADA audit that covers all areas of web accessibility, including content, design, and functionality. We’ll provide you with a detailed report of our findings and work with you to implement the necessary changes.

Step 3: Make Necessary Changes

Once you have identified any accessibility barriers, the next step is to make the necessary changes. This can include things like adding alt text to images, improving color contrast, and ensuring that all content can be accessed with a keyboard. We can help you make these changes quickly and efficiently, ensuring that your website is accessible to everyone.

Step 4: Conduct Ongoing Testing

The final step in creating an ADA-compliant website is to conduct ongoing testing to ensure that your website remains accessible. This can include manual testing, automated testing, and user testing. EcomBack’s Web Accessibility services offer ongoing testing to ensure that your website remains compliant with ADA guidelines and that your users can access your content without any barriers.

Benefits of EcomBack’s Web Accessibility Services

By using EcomBack’s Web ADA Accessibility services, you can improve your online accessibility and prevent ADA lawsuits.

Our services include:

  • We Audit – Comprehensive website audits to identify accessibility barriers.
  • We Fix – Expert developers use WCAG guidelines to make necessary changes to your website.
  • We Certify – Ongoing testing to ensure that your website remains accessible.
  • We train – We teach you how to keep your website accessible as you make updates.
  • We monitor – Protection against ADA lawsuits.

In conclusion, creating an ADA-compliant website is not only the right thing to do but it is also required by law. By following the steps outlined in this guide and using EcomBack’s Web ADA Accessibility services, you can improve your online accessibility and prevent ADA lawsuits.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create an accessible and ADA compliant website.

Tips and Best Practices Ensuring Accessible Website Content Blog Banner
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date June 4, 2023

As digital communication continues to play an increasingly important role in our daily lives, it is crucial to ensure that the content we post is accessible to everyone. Making website blogs and other social media content accessible is not only a matter of compliance with laws and regulations but also a basic human right. By ensuring that your content is accessible, you can ensure that everyone can participate in online conversations and engage with your brand or message.

There are many benefits to creating accessible content, including increased engagement, improved SEO, and a more positive brand image. However, creating accessible content can be a daunting task, particularly if you are new to accessibility. In this article, we will explore some tips and best practices to ensure that your website content is accessible and inclusive to all users.

Tip 1: Use Alt Text for Images

Alt text provides a textual description of images, making it possible for users who are blind or visually impaired to understand the content of the image. Alt text should be descriptive and accurate and should include relevant keywords to improve SEO. When adding alt text, it’s essential to keep in mind that the text should describe the content of the image, rather than its appearance.

Most social media platforms now have some ALT Text capabilities. Check FaceBook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter’s accessibility features and options.

Tip 2: Use Captions for Videos

Captions provide a textual representation of audio content, making it accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions also improve engagement and comprehension for all users, particularly in noisy or distracting environments. When creating captions, it’s essential to ensure that they are accurate and synchronized with the audio content.

Tip 3: Provide Audio Descriptions for Videos

Audio descriptions provide an additional audio track that describes the visual content of a video, making it accessible to users who are blind or visually impaired. Audio descriptions can also improve engagement and comprehension for all users, particularly in situations where the video content is difficult to understand.

Tip 4: Use Descriptive Links

Descriptive links provide context and information about the destination of a link, making it easier for users with disabilities to navigate and understand the content. Use descriptive link text that clearly and accurately describes the destination page, rather than generic phrases such as “click here.” Descriptive links can also improve SEO and make your content more user-friendly.

Tip 5: Use Proper Heading Structure

Proper heading structure improves readability and navigation for all users, particularly users with disabilities. Use heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize content and provide a clear hierarchy of information. Proper heading structure also makes your content more accessible to screen readers.

Tip 6: Ensure Keyboard Accessibility

Keyboard accessibility is essential for users who cannot use a mouse or other pointing device. Ensure that all content on your social media platforms can be accessed and navigated using only a keyboard. Keyboard accessibility can be achieved by ensuring that all interactive elements on your platform have a visible focus indicator and can be activated using the keyboard.

Tip 7: Provide Transcripts for Audio Content

Transcripts provide a written representation of audio content, making it accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Transcripts can also improve engagement and comprehension for all users, particularly in situations where audio content is difficult to understand. When creating transcripts, it’s essential to ensure that they are accurate and synchronized with the audio content.

Conclusion

Creating accessible social media content is not only a legal requirement, but it is also a fundamental human right. By following these tips and best practices, you can create content that is inclusive, engaging, and compliant with accessibility laws and regulations. Remember that accessibility is a continuous process, and it is essential to regularly review and update your social media content to ensure that it remains accessible to all users. By making your content accessible, you can ensure that everyone can participate in online conversations and engage with your brand or message.

For assistance and guidance on creating accessible video and text content, visit www.20evo.com

Accessibility Audits: Identifying and Addressing ADA Compliance Issues Blog Banner
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date May 16, 2023

In recent years, with the growing trend of businesses moving online, web accessibility has become a critical issue. Websites that are not accessible to users with disabilities not only lose potential customers but also increase the risk of ADA lawsuits. This is where EcomBack’s Web Accessibility & ADA Compliance Services come into play. In this blog post, we will discuss the significance of web accessibility and how our services can help businesses ensure ADA compliance and improve their online accessibility.

The Importance of Web Accessibility

Web accessibility refers to the ability of people with disabilities to use websites, applications, and digital tools. This includes individuals with vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive disabilities. Accessible websites not only make it easier for people with disabilities to navigate the web but also improve the user experience for everyone.

Web accessibility is not just a moral imperative but also a legal requirement. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses that operate public accommodations, including websites, must provide equal access to people with disabilities. Failure to comply with ADA regulations can result in lawsuits, with businesses facing substantial financial penalties and reputational damage.

Identifying ADA Compliance Issues

Identifying ADA compliance issues on a website can be challenging, particularly for businesses that are not familiar with accessibility guidelines. This is where an accessibility audit comes in. An accessibility audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a website’s accessibility, including its design, code, and content.

An accessibility audit can help businesses identify ADA compliance issues, such as non-descriptive links, missing alternative text for images, and non-compliant color contrast. An audit can also identify issues with website navigation, keyboard accessibility, and other usability issues hidden in the source code that can affect the user experience.

Addressing Accessibility Compliance Issues

Once website accessibility compliance issues have been identified, the next step is to address them. This can involve making changes to the website’s design, code, and content. Some common solutions include adding alternative text to images, ensuring color contrast meets accessibility standards, and improving keyboard navigation. We use WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines where feasible.

Addressing ADA compliance issues can be a complex and time-consuming process, particularly for businesses that lack experience in web accessibility.

How EcomBack Can Help?

EcomBack’s ADA Compliance Services can help businesses comply with ADA regulations and improve their online accessibility. Our services include a comprehensive accessibility audit that identifies compliance issues, followed by remediation services using WCAG 2.1 AA criteria that address those issues.

Our team of accessibility experts has extensive experience in web accessibility and can ensure that your website meets ADA compliance standards. We use a combination of manual and automated testing to ensure that all ADA compliance issues are identified and addressed. We also work closely with our clients to ensure that their website is optimized for accessibility and provides a user-friendly experience for all users.

Benefits of EcomBack Web ADA Services

  • Avoid ADA Lawsuits: By ensuring that your website meets ADA compliance standards, you can avoid the risk of ADA lawsuits.
  • Reach a Larger Audience: By improving your website’s accessibility, you can reach a larger audience, including users with disabilities who may have previously been unable to use your website.
  • Improve User Experience: An accessible website provides a better user experience for all users, not just those with disabilities.
  • Enhance Reputation: By demonstrating a commitment to accessibility, businesses can enhance their reputation and demonstrate that they value diversity and inclusion.

Conclusion

Web accessibility isn’t just a “nice to have,” it’s a crucial component of modern business operations. By ensuring your website meets ADA compliance standards, you not only avoid potential legal penalties but also widen your audience reach and enhance the user experience for everyone. Our specialized ADA website compliance experts can guide your business toward meeting WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria and amping up your online accessibility. With our thorough accessibility audit and remediation services, we strive to make your website universally accessible, irrespective of the abilities of your users.

Don’t delay, seize this opportunity to make your website better for everyone, while mitigating the risk of ADA lawsuits. Contact us today to avail your FREE website accessibility audit. We’re ready to help you improve your online accessibility and make your business a more inclusive space.

More Businesses Fight Back Against Onslaught of ADA Website Lawsuits Blog Banner
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date May 10, 2023

Electric Bike Technologies, Inc. (Electric Bike) has submitted a memorandum in opposition to the motion to dismiss the declaratory judgment counterclaim in the ongoing lawsuit involving Plaintiff Jose Quezada.

The central issue in the case revolves around whether the parties agreed to settle a previously filed and dismissed federal lawsuit. Electric Bike seeks a declaration from the Court that Plaintiff’s state court lawsuit, which alleges there was a federal court settlement, is without merit and frivolous. The counterclaim does not allege an independent cause of action for sanctions. However, Electric Bike argues that by filing a cursory motion to dismiss the counterclaim, Plaintiff sidesteps the requirement of responding to the specific factual allegations that make it self-evident that Plaintiff’s complaint is not only without merit, but also frivolous.

The background of the case involves Plaintiff suing Electric Bike in the Southern District of New York, claiming that Electric Bike’s website was inaccessible to blind people in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and New York law. The motion alleges that the Plaintiff’s law firm Mizrahi Kroub LLP had no apparent intention of litigating the lawsuit against Electric Bike, but instead aimed to leverage the “cost of defense” to obtain a “cost-of-litigation” settlement.

In August 2022, Plaintiff’s counsel offered to settle for $4,950 plus website remediation. Electric Bike’s counsel at the time, David Stein of Stein & Nieporent LLP, responded by accepting the $4,950 payment but did not address the remediation demand or other material terms. Instead, they stated that they would draft the settlement agreement. The following day, Electric Bike’s counsel clarified that confidentiality was a material term and that they did not agree to any confidentiality provision.

Screenshot of an email between lawyers in the case as included in the motion, which states that Electric Bike Tech will not agree to a confidentiality provision of the settlement agreement.
Screenshot of an email between lawyers in the case as included in the motion, which states that Electric Bike Tech will not agree to a confidentiality provision of the settlement agreement.

They further stated that if Plaintiff’s counsel insisted on confidentiality, there would be no agreement on the $4,950 settlement amount either.

This case highlights the ongoing dispute between Electric Bike Technologies and Plaintiff Jose Quezada, with Electric Bike arguing that the motion to dismiss the declaratory judgment counterclaim allows Plaintiff to avoid addressing specific allegations.

As the case proceeds, the Court’s decision will provide further insight into the validity of the counterclaim and the outcome of the lawsuit.

Electric Bike is now represented by Richard S. Mandaro of Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP and Peter J. Brann and Hannah L. Wurgaft of Brann & Isaacson.

Download and read the full filing here.

How Do I Test My Website for ADA and WCAG Compliance Using Wave and Google Lighthouse?
  • Post author By EcomBack
  • Post date May 17, 2022

View Video Transcript

Hi everyone, welcome to EcomBack.com Today we are going to teach you that how you can check if your website is accessible or not. and we will teach you that how you can use Wave and Google Lighthouse to check your website homepage collection page and all the product pages with the CMS pages. So first of all we need to install the Wave in Google Chrome. So we will search for Wave for Google Chrome. You will see this first option, Wave Evaluation Tool. Click on that add to Chrome, add extension it’s added so we can pin that to the tab bar. Now as you know it’s installed. So let’s try that on a test store. So I will clo se this tab. I have this dummy store open so we will click on the Wave app and you’ll see there are 24 errors and nine contrast issues and you can check the details over here. Now I can close that. Let’s try Collection page and let’s run this one again, 27 hours and five contrast. So that’s how you can check the wave on any of your store. Now let’s try the Google Lighthouse. So first of all click anywhere in the page, right click on that, click on Inspect. You will see Google Lighthouse. This is Lighthouse so you need to check the Accessibility and Desktop mode. If you want to try on mobile, you can try on mobile but it’s going to be same score. So we try Desktop and accessibility and I will click on Generate r eport. So let’s wait for it. As you can see, the report is generated and that comes with 54 which is really bad. Your report has to be 85 to 90 plus. So let’s try that again for the collection page. But we recommend when you do that test every page. You can do the collection page, product page, all your CMS pages, all the pages available. So I’m going to try that for the collection page. So it’s 60% which is still bad. So that’s where you can check the accessibility score of your website using the Wave and Google Lighthouse. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at sales@ecomback.com. Thank you.

Automated tools for testing website accessibility have evolved and provide a good starting point for testing, addressing patterns of errors in code and design that humans can be aware of, and catching issues before web developers go to hit ‘publish.’

Every website owner should perform a preliminary examination using free online tools. EcomBack recommends installing Google Chrome Extension tools such as WAVE from WebAIM and Google Lighthouse.

However, these inspections do not address all potential problems. These examinations are only designed to be quick and painless rather than definitive. A website may appear to pass these checks yet still have significant accessibility barriers. To evaluate accessibly fully, a more thorough evaluation is needed.

Online businesses need to hire an expert website accessibility consultant like EcomBack to assess their site. Learn about our ADA WCAG Compliance services below.

Here is how to use either WAVE or Google Lighthouse in only four to five easy steps.

How to Use Wave:

WAVE displays errors and warnings in-line, so you may quickly identify the component of your page that’s causing the problem. It also provides such as what the error is, how it affects various sorts of users and a recommendation on how to solve it.

  1. Enter in the Google search bar: ‘Wave for Google Chrome.’
  1. The first link should be WAVE Evaluation Tool. Click on this and then select ‘Add to Chrome.’ It will then get added to the tab bar.
  1. Go to your online store and click on the WAVE icon.
  1. WAVE will summarize how many errors and contrast errors are on the site. You can click on ‘Details’ for more in-depth notes. You may do this for every page on your website.

How to Use Google Lighthouse:

The Google Lighthouse accessibility audit generates a comprehensive report that gives information on all the tests that passed in addition to the ones that failed.

  1. In Google Chrome, go to your website link.
  1. Right-click anywhere on your online store main page (or whatever page you want to check for accessibility). Click on ‘Inspect.’
  1. Click on the tab labeled ‘Lighthouse’ and select ‘Accessibility’ from the Categories section and ‘Desktop’ from the Device section.
  1. Select ‘Generate Report.’
  1. If your report result isn’t a number between 85 and 90, this is a big problem.

Hire an Expert ADA WCAG Compliance Consultant at EcomBack

Web accessibility is becoming increasingly important as more and more people use the internet. Whether you realize it or not, your website may be inaccessible to those with disabilities.

We recommend making ADA compliance a top priority because not only does it give your site an advantage over others, but it also allows you to stay ahead of the game and avoid litigation. All websites should be prepared to make adjustments for disabled users.

From UX and content creation to development, EcomBack specialists are well-versed in ADA compliance standards. Get a free ADA audit and consultation today!

Read our other ADA Compliance blogs:

W3C Member and Advisory Committee International Association of Accessibility Professionals - Organizational Member Court Approved Accessibility Provider