Accessibility

Accessibility leads to inclusion for all.

Our point of view

Accessibility isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a human right. Inclusion is part of our culture here at iBec Creative, and it’s also part of the work that we do, from the websites we build to the marketing campaigns we design. People with disabilities commonly face barriers that prevent them from participating in society. As a creative agency, we have a responsibility to ensure what we’re designing together breaks down those barriers and is accessible to everyone. 

There’s a fear mindset in our industry and it perpetuates the idea that accessibility is just an added expense, or something to address in order to avoid a costly lawsuit. Committing your organization to an accessibility-first mindset isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also the smart thing to do. It will  drive innovation, expand your markets, tap into $6 trillion dollars in spending power, enhance your brand reputation and minimize your legal risk. 

Text messaging, text to speech, email, and voice control were all created as solutions for people with disabilities and have since become primary communication tools used by a much broader audience. Similarly, websites and mobile apps that are developed to maximize accessibility will simply provide a better user experience for everyone. 

When you work with iBec, accessibility is at the forefront of our approach. We’ll provide guidance and best practices on how to align your website with relevant requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and compliance with the latest version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). 

Frequently asked questions 

What legislation does my website need to comply with?

If your company exclusively conducts business in the United States, your website needs to comply with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the activities of places of public accommodations. If you are a federal agency or your organization is federally funded, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires your technology to be accessible to people with disabilities.

How does the ADA apply to websites and mobile applications?

While the ADA doesn’t explicitly call out websites and mobile applications, Title III of the ADA requires the accessibility of public accommodations, which has been widely adopted to include websites and other digital content by the Department of Justice. 

How do I know if my website is compliant with the ADA?

Published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide testable Success Criteria for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities and changing abilities due to aging. The working standard for digital accessibility required by the ADA is to comply with WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA in the United States and Canada.

What’s the bare minimum I can do to make my website compliant?

If your goal is to make your website accessible to people with disabilities, you need a plan to achieve compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA Success Criteria. When resources are limited, you can start with ensuring your content is accessible by providing things like image descriptions (or alt text), high visual contrast, optimally sized buttons and links, as well as providing an Accessibility Statement and method for users to reach out to you with specific accessibility concerns. 

Can you certify that my website is compliant to prevent a lawsuit?

Full compliance with ADA standards cannot be determined outside of the judicial system; be very cautious of any company or AI based service promising to prevent your business from getting sued for accessibility issues. iBec provides a combination of automated and manual testing methods to determine compliance with the Level A and AA (the gold standard) of WCAG 2.1 to reduce the risk of litigation. 

Can I use an accessibility overlay widget to make my website more accessible?

Overlay tools like accessiBe, UserWay, and EqualWeb, among others, make false promises to effortlessly and affordably improve the accessibility of your website. Although they may offer useful features to a small subset of users who find it novel to change the appearance or behavior of the website they are viewing, the vast majority of people with disabilities have existing tools and assistive technologies they are comfortable using to interact with digital content. More often than not, automated tools utilizing JavaScript to “fix accessibility issues on the fly” create additional barriers for users despite their promise to do otherwise. Full website accessibility requires the implementation of inclusive design and development best practices from the start, as well as a combination of automated and manual testing methods and ongoing maintenance.