The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a federal law created to prevent bias toward those with disabilities and ensure they have fundamental human rights.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) created the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), technical guidelines for web accessibility. The rules ensure that websites, applications, online files, and other online resources are accessible to those with various disabilities, such as sensory, cognitive, learning, and mobility issues.
EN 301 549
The European Standard EN 301-549 plays a pivotal role in advancing the promotion and accessibility of the Web to everyone. Moreover, it provides comprehensive guidelines and requirements tailored for public procurement concerning digital content and technologies across Europe. Specifically, this standard reinforces inclusivity and ensures web accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is an important piece of legislation enacted in the United States to protect individuals’ medical information. The primary goal of this constitution is to guarantee the confidentiality and protection of patient’s health information while granting them particular rights regarding full accessibility and authority over their data.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA)
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) enforces specific obligations on administrators of webpages or internet resources aimed at children under 13 years old and on administrators of other web pages or internet resources that are collecting personal data from a minor.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is a law in Ontario that requires companies to adhere to specific requirements to enhance accessibility for individuals with physical impairments. All levels of government, as well as private organizations and not-for-profit organizations, must abide by this regulation.
What role does Meraki Digital Access play in ensuring web accessibility for all individuals, regardless of their abilities?
Ensuring web accessibility means creating a website accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities. Therefore, Meraki Digital Access offers comprehensive guidance and clarification to make your website accessible to everyone.
What are the key elements of web accessibility compliance standards?
There are numerous standards for web accessibility compliance, each encompassing a wide range of country-specific requirements. Despite their differences, they share a common objective: inclusivity for all users. While we prioritize listing the most relevant standards at the top of this page, it is imperative to begin by addressing why compliance is an indispensable policy for any company.
What benefits does compliance offer to individuals with disabilities?
In today’s global landscape, people increasingly depend on the Internet to navigate their daily existence. However, less than 3% of the Web is fully accessible to over 1 billion individuals with disabilities worldwide. People with disabilities deserve barrier-free access to physical infrastructure, curbs, and buildings; similarly, they deserve equal access to the virtual world. Therefore, complying with accessibility guidelines helps remove barriers for everyone while enhancing the overall user experience.
How does Meraki Digital Access tackle obstacles to achieving web compliance?
Consider how obstacles on websites can significantly disrupt the user experience, which is impossible for people with disabilities. For instance, does your website content accommodate screen readers? Are your images equipped with alt text? These are just a few crucial considerations. With the Meraki Digital Access solution, your website can undergo scanning for violations and receive immediate rectification. Every step towards enhanced compliance marks an excellent step forward. Similarly, Meraki Digital Access guarantees to facilitate your journey towards achieving it.
Privacy Protection in Standards of Web Accessibility
Most web accessibility standards incorporate privacy protection provisions for all users, including individuals with disabilities. Companies must refrain from requesting personal data, such as disability status or health condition, without obtaining explicit consent. These principles underscore one of Meraki Digital Access’s core guiding principles: ensuring users’ personal information is not stored or collected without permission.
Meraki Digital Access’s Global Accessibility Widget for Compliance
Meraki Digital Access’s accessibility widget aids your company in adhering to global compliance standards by scanning your website for accessibility violations and promptly addressing them. It interprets the structure of any site and generates grammatically correct image scan descriptions tailored for screen readers and the end users who rely on them.
The Four Principles of Accessibility
The regulatory landscape surrounding digital accessibility is characterized by a complex interplay of laws, mostly presenting ambiguous interpretations. However, it does align with the globally recognized fundamental principles encapsulated by the acronym POUR:
- Perceivable: Ensure that your content is visible and understandable to your audience.
- Operable: Your User-Interface (UI) should be functional and free from disruption.
- Understandable: The text and images should be clear and readable by all users.
- Robust: Your content should be compatible with and support assistive technologies.
Count on Meraki Digital Access to Solve Your Compliance Needs
Meraki Digital Access offers a comprehensive range of AI assistive tech tools aimed at enhancing the accessibility of the Internet for all users, regardless of their abilities. Notably, our services improve the digital realm for individuals with disabilities, as they constitute the largest global minority group.