What Is Digital Accessibility and Why Is It Important?
Who Benefits from Digital Accessibility?
Disability statistics highlight the importance of accessibility. In 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey estimated that 44.7 million people (13.6% of the population) are estimated to have some form of disability. Additionally, it estimates that 32.6% of disabled adults are over the age of 65.
The United Nations states that over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. Of these, nearly 200 million people face significant daily challenges in their daily activities.
Even if you don’t have a disability now, you may experience a disability as you age. By the time we retire, more than 30% will have some form of disability. This can be something like hearing loss, vision loss, or reduced dexterity. These “minor” disabilities can still greatly impact how we use technology over time.
Are There Digital Accessibility Requirements?
Many countries around the world have made digital accessibility a legal requirement. These laws ensure that websites, mobile apps, documents, and self-service devices are accessible to people with disabilities. Key regulations include:
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Public and private services in the U.S. must make digital content accessible unless it creates an undue burden.
- ADA Title II requires state and local governments to provide accessible digital content. Title III applies to private entities serving the public.
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible. State and local government entities also have similar requirements.
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 504 requires federally funded programs to make digital content accessible and prohibits discrimination.
- European Accessibility Act. Requires accessibility for websites, apps, self-service devices, and electronic communications across EU member states, aligning with EN 301 549 (Europe’s extension to WCAG).
What Are WCAG Standards?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) outline standards to make web and mobile content accessible for people with disabilities. They help organizations meet accessibility laws worldwide, such as the Department of Justice guidelines under the ADA.
“There are many reasons to make digital content accessible, and one of them is legal.
Law should not be the only motivator for content that is usable by everyone, but it is important to remember that federal and state anti-discrimination laws require web and mobile accessibility.
We are lucky in the United States to have so many civil rights laws that recognize the importance of accessibility in the digital age.”
Lainey Feingold
Disability Rights Lawyer
Law Office of Lainey Feingold
What If I Have Limited Resources?
We understand that budget is often the main factor in deciding where to allocate resources. This is especially true when launching or updating a product. Successful projects should generate a return on investment that covers costs and provides profit.
Fixing accessibility barriers in the early stages of product development can be cheaper than fixing them after launch since the true cost of ignoring accessibility is much higher, with potential risks and lost returns.
Accessible products also unlock a vast, often underserved market. According to the American Institute for Research (AIR), people with disabilities control over $13 trillion in disposable income globally.
We encourage you to view accessibility as a long-term driver of innovation. It’s not just a short-term cost. Designing with the needs of people with disabilities in mind can reveal new insights.
These insights can create new products that everyone can enjoy. They also provide equal access for users with disabilities.
How Can I Implement an Accessibility Strategy Within My Organization?
No single person can ensure a product is accessible on their own. Adopting an accessibility ethos means making decisions at every stage of a product’s development. This includes the early design stages, development, and content management. As a result, everyone in an organization has their own part to play in ensuring the product is accessible.
An effective accessibility strategy focuses on creating an accessibility culture within the organization. This approach addresses accessibility barriers early. Addressing problems before incorporating them into designs and code will spare your team future headaches.
Steps within this strategy involve:
- Establishing an organizational commitment to accessibility that includes identifying key stakeholders and their responsibility for accessibility.
- Understand the current accessibility of your products and services. Also, review your existing processes and standards.
- Establishing an organizational accessibility strategy that includes the definition of a benchmark that all digital products and services must meet.
- Ensuring stakeholder groups have the skills and knowledge needed to meet their accessibility responsibilities. This includes managing projects, products, services, procurement, content creation, development, quality assurance, and user research.
- Involving people with disabilities early and throughout the process of understanding the problem and designing technology to solve it. This way you can ensure it meets both business and user goals. By following this approach, you can avoid short-term, reactive practices that create costly accessibility barriers.
How TPGi Helps with Digital Accessibility
TPGi is trusted by many of the best-known brands in the world to help them achieve their accessibility goals. TPGi’s accessibility experts actively contribute to international web standards like WCAG, HTML5, and WAI-ARIA. Partner with TPGi to access our wide range of services and solutions to help you achieve your accessibility goals.