Recently, there have been several lawsuits filed against credit unions for their websites not being accessible enough to people with disabilities. The Department of Justice has taken notice and will likely issue accessibility standards regarding websites in the not too distant future. In order to make your website ADA compliant and more accessible to members with hearing, vision, reading, and other disabilities there are many actionable steps you can take now. We’ve outlined some of those steps…
User-friendly Page Titles: Making a website that is user-friendly to all visitors starts with the page titles themselves. Page titles should clearly and concisely describe page content.
Images: Next, images on your website need to have alternative text. For instance, an image of a stop sign is read by a screen reader as “image,” not as “stop.”
Headings: Headings should be included on all pages in a logical order denoted clearly within the page content.
Text Size: Text size of 18px or larger is recommended for general content – larger text makes it easier for visitors to read. As the pages are enlarged for viewer preference, the resizing/adjustment of the text needs to be adequate.
Color and Contrast: Throughout the website, color should be easily recognizable, high contrast colors should be utilized.
Video and Audio: Another area which should be optimized for accessibility is video and audio. Videos should not automatically play and captions should be incorporated.
Responsive Design: Whether responsively designed or a dedicated mobile site – a website must be usable and user-friendly on any device. The focus is to ensure any user can access the same information anywhere they encounter your website.Many credit unions have separate mobile sites. Your mobile site will need to be reviewed for mobile member experiences as well. For example resizing of text and color contrast – just like your full website.
Keyboard Navigation: Visitors should be able to access content solely through their keyboard therefore keyboard navigation should be incorporated throughout the website.
Almost all elements of your website will need to be inspected for ADA compliance: page titles, headings, color, audio & video elements, forms, and site responsiveness. Ensuring your site is ADA compliant allows you to better serve your members. For more information on ADA compliance email us at connect@epicmc2.com.
