Digital inclusivity is important when modern businesses are competing against each other in the same niche markets. As it is expected that global access to information, services, and opportunities continues to shift online, websites remain a critical component for people. The accessibility of websites is more than just a better practice to abide by, it is a moral duty of any society.
Similar guidelines include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines abiding by the standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to increase website accessibility. This article aims to provide an understanding of AODA website compliance testing, and why it is important.
We’ll cover the top reasons to ensure that website developers follow these guidelines to make it easier for everybody with a disability to access the internet equally.
Introducing AODA Website Compliance Test
It means testing a website against the set guidelines of the AODA. These are largely derived from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set down by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
WCAG outlines four core web accessibility principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust or POUR. These principles are designed to create web content that is fully accessible to any individuals with physical, visual, or hearing disabilities, as well as developmental disorders.
The website content should be easily perceived by all irrespective of their abilities. The easy operability of the web content helps in universal understanding by mass visitors. Not to miss here is the content robustness which makes it ready for assistive technologies.
Public, private, and non-profit organizations must make sure that their websites are accessible to the identified standards of WCAG 2.0 Level AA with the help of AODA compliance testing. The law also requires that websites and web content produced on or after the 1st of January 2012 comply with these standards. Website compliance testing checks how compliant a site is to these standards and if the site is usable by all ability levels.
Why is the AODA Website Compliance Test Important?
However, several advantages can be obtained once the AODA compliance testing is accessed. These are as follows:
- Legal Compliance
The first is the simplest and most crucial one, which is to comply with the law which presents itself in AODA website testing. Failure to do so attracts fines and penalties; corporations can be penalized up to $100,000 per day for enforcement of the violations.
For such organizations, especially the small ones, this is a financial disaster. Also, legal suites for non-compliance help to stain the image of the company, and the clients with disabilities can be seen as being neglected.
Hence, this dedicated testing helps individuals with easy management of the legal compliances.
- Promoting Digital Inclusivity
About one out of five Canadians of a population that is 15 years old and above has a disability. Any websites that do not cater to accessibility are essentially operating a ban on the less abled.
Through AODA website compliance test, organizations allow every disabled individual access to the same materials and services available to normal ones. Such inclusion enhances equity and affords the consumer with a disability identical to digital rights with that of the customer without a disability.
- Improving UX for Everyone
When website accessibility is applied, it is usually easier to use by all users. For instance, effective and easy-to-discern headings help specific individuals with cognitive impairments, while at the same time, every user of the site will enjoy its improved usability.
Likewise, for people with hearing disabilities, closed captions or transcripts of the videos are as good as the actual audio since they are the next best thing for people with hearing loss.
Hence, it helps improve the overall user design for mass audiences.
- Search Engine Optimization
Google also rewards websites with good structure, correct use of images and other media that require alt text, proper heading tags, and link descriptions, all elements of accessibility. In the course of making the web compliance to AODA and WCAG the website automatically becomes friendly to the search engine.
This results in more traffic being driven to the site; thus the establishment’s business or service objective is met. Further, the different accessibility features are in line with the digital marketing initiatives.
How to: The AODA Website Compliance Testing?
The AODA website compliance test can be done using automated tools and the manual evaluation approach.
- Automated Tools
These tools search for things such as missing alt tags in images, improper use of headers, improper contrast ratio, and so on. To flag common compliance problems, there are WAVE, Axe, Siteimprove, and many others.
As effective as these tools are, their drawback is that they do not capture more complex accessibility issues.
- Manual Testing
User assessment helps assess usability problems that other tools might fail to detect. For instance, it may be difficult for a screen reader such as, the user may not be able to read specific content or the control via keyboard may not be easy for a motor-disabled person.
This way manual testing can point out these problems and make sure the site is really accessible. Hence, it is used in line with the automation testing.
- Paying Attention to Accessible Consultants
In some cases, it is advantageous for the client to seek third-party advisers who are professionals in AODA compliance. They are capable of performing audit functions and proffering reconciliation measures as well as the means for making accessibility features functional.
Ending Note
The idea of the AODA web compliance test is not only a legal requirement but an essential part of the way towards the construction of an effective and barrier-free web. This paper has outlined that besides legal repercussions and boosts to brand image, organizations can make the world a better place by making the web accessible to all.
It is achieved with the help of automatic tools, manual testing, and consultation with experts, and the ultimate goal is to make a digital space accessible for everyone. Adherence to the AODA standards simply endorses a culture of equity, inclusion, and welfare of all citizens.
Author: Robert Pattinson
An ed-tech enthusiast who offers top-quality accessibility services for individuals with disabilities.
