Making Your Squarespace Website ADA Compliant with accessiBe
The topic of accessibility in web design is one that cannot be ignored. Ensuring your website is accessible to all users is not just a courtesy—it's a legal requirement in many cases.
“Lawsuits against website owners alleged to have breached the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have increased rapidly during the first half of 2023 across virtually every metric conceivable.” Forbes
ADA compliance is crucial for businesses aiming to provide equal access to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. This article will explore what ADA compliance entails, who it affects, and why accessiBe is an excellent tool for making your Squarespace website ADA compliant.
What is ADA Compliance?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets forth guidelines that prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. While the ADA was originally enacted in 1990 to address accessibility in physical environments, its scope has expanded to include digital spaces, especially websites.
ADA compliance for websites means ensuring that digital platforms are accessible by people with a range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.
Although the ADA does not detail specific guidelines for websites, the consensus is that following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) will put you on the right path to compliance.
ADA Compliance: The ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act, an American civil rights law passed in 1990. It’s America’s most important law regarding accessibility and civil rights for people with disabilities. In 2018, the DOJ clarified that the ADA covers web accessibility.
WCAG : The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a massive guidebook that explains how accessible websites should look and operate for people with disabilities. While it is not stated in the ADA, the WCAG has been widely accepted as the industry standard for being ADA-compliant.
Who Needs to Be ADA Compliant?
Generally speaking, in the United States, ADA compliance is required for:
Businesses operating for the benefit of the public.
Private employers with 15 or more employees.
However, as stated by Forbes in an article discussing the rapid increase in Website Accessibility Lawsuits;
“It would be wholly incorrect to assume that website ADA lawsuits are principally filed against large companies. Although, high profile lawsuits against the likes of Target and Domino’s Pizza have historically captured the attention of the wider public. In 2023, 77% of lawsuits are being filed against organizations with under $25 million in revenue.”
It’s understood that with increasing awareness of inclusivity in websites, we can expect stricter enforcements globally of digital accessibility standards.
What this means for you and your Squarespace Website
While Squarespace websites have features that assist with improving accessibility, the fact that Squarespace websites allow each customer the ability to customise their site, means that sometimes the end product (website) is not fully accessible.
With accessibility requirements differing by country, state, and/or regional jurisdiction, as Squarespace Experts we do our best to ensure we build a website that integrates these features, however, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that your site complies with the requirements of your country or state.
At The Square Agency, we’ve done a lot of research around accessibility in web design in order to find a solution that we can confidently use and recommend to our Squarespace Website clients, and accessiBe’s Squarespace ADA compliance extension stood out as a leader in this space.
To learn more see this guide for Squarespace ADA compliance.
Why accessiBe is the Ideal ADA Compliance Tool for Squarespace
accessiBe is trusted by over 200,000 organizations, from SMBs to enterprises, and for good reason!
Automated Compliance:
accessiBe uses artificial intelligence to scan and modify your website’s elements to meet ADA and WCAG 2.1 standards. This includes adjustments to visual elements, screen-reader capabilities, and keyboard navigation facilities. It’s important for us to stress that there are no updates or effort required to maintain your compliance with Accessibe.
Litigation Support Package:
A unique service that accessiBe provides to all its customers - for free.
In case of a demand letter or lawsuit, the accessibility statement and monthly compliance audit accessiBe provides should be enough to mitigate legal risk. Still, in the rare case they do not, accessiBe will offer additional litigation support to help them navigate the situation.
The litigation package includes: Compliance audit, two website tests, accessiBe legal research, visual mapping, purchase invoice, compliance overview, violations request master, accessibility statement, and accessiBe suggested response.Easy Integration:
Integrating accessiBe with your Squarespace website is straightforward. With just a few clicks, you can install the accessiBe widget, and it immediately begins to scan and modify your site to improve accessibility. We would typically be the ones installing this for you while working on your Squarespace Website Design.
Continuous Updates:
accessiBe continuously monitors and updates your website to remain compliant with the latest ADA and WCAG standards. This dynamic approach ensures your website stays compliant as new guidelines emerge or as your site content changes.
User-Friendly Experience:
accessiBe does not alter the fundamental design or user experience of your website. It operates seamlessly in the background, providing tools for users with disabilities to adjust the website interface to meet their individual needs.
Making your Squarespace website ADA compliant is crucial for legal compliance, ethical business practices, and opening your digital doors to all users. With accessiBe, you can ensure that your Squarespace website is not only compliant but also inclusive and welcoming to users with a range of requirements. Embrace ADA compliance with accessiBe, and take a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and accessible online world.
