It can be tempting to assume that accessibility requirements only apply to large corporations or government facilities, but small business owners are just as responsible for prioritizing accessibility compliance as any other business entity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outlines a variety of expectations, standards and guidelines for businesses of all shapes and sizes to ensure that public spaces are sufficiently accessible to individuals with physical and mental disabilities.
ADA compliance is not only essential for legal reasons, but a business’s compliance efforts also demonstrate its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility – a must-have for modern consumers. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the ADA requirements for small businesses, explain why compliance is so crucial for businesses across every industry and provide actionable steps business leaders can follow to ensure all clients, customers and employees feel included and supported when engaging with their companies.
Understanding the ADA and its significance
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that was enacted by the United States Congress in 1990. The ADA was designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and ensure they have equitable access to public spaces, services and opportunities in their communities. This landmark civil rights law prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability status with respect to employment, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications.
Small businesses in the U.S. should pay careful consideration to the stipulations of the ADA in two key areas:
- Physical accessibility: Making physical locations accessible to people with disabilities.
- Digital accessibility: Ensuring websites, apps and digital content are accessible to all users.
Compliance with ADA business requirements is essential for all modern businesses. Failing to meet these standards can not only lead to legal consequences but can negatively impact the public’s perception of a brand or business leading to a loss of customers and reduction in profits.
Who is protected under the ADA?
The ADA protects the rights of individuals with physical or mental conditions that substantially limit one or more major life activities. This includes conditions like mobility problems, visual and hearing disabilities, cognitive disorders and more. The ADA ensures that these individuals are provided with the support and accommodations they need to enjoy equal access to the goods, services and opportunities they need to succeed.
Physical requirements: By the letter
Small businesses must ensure their physical spaces comply with ADA guidelines to provide equitable access to customers with disabilities. Here are the core requirements pertaining to the accessibility of physical spaces like stores, studios and offices:
Emergency preparedness
- Accessible exits: Emergency exits must be accessible to all individuals, including wheelchair users and those with other physical disabilities.
- Audible and visual alarms: Both audible alarms (those that make a sound) and visual alarms (those with flashing lights) should be present in a space to accommodate individuals with hearing and visual disabilities.
Internal accessibility
- Accessible restrooms: Restrooms should include grab bars, accessible sinks and stalls that provide enough space for wheelchair users to maneuver with ease.
- Clear pathways: Interior spaces should be free of obstructions to allow for easy navigation. It is important to consider the needs of wheelchair users as well as those who rely on other types of mobility devices like walkers and scooters.
- Doors and hallways: All doorways and hallways should be at least 36 inches wide to accommodate mobility devices.
Parking & entryways
- Entrances: As is the case for doorways and hallways, all entryways must be wide enough (minimum of 32 inches) to accommodate wheelchairs. Ramps and/or lifts should be installed if a business must be accessed via stairs or steps entrance and there is no elevator available.
- Parking spaces: Businesses must provide accessible parking spaces that are properly marked and located close to accessible entrances. For every 25 parking spaces, at least one should be accessible, with a clear path to the entryway.
Signage & wayfinding
- Braille and tactile signs: Signage/directories should include Braille for individuals who are blind or have low vision. These signs should be placed at accessible heights that are well within reach for the average person.
- Directional signage: Use clear, visible signage to guide visitors through a facility, particularly in complex spaces like large office buildings. Any symbols used should be easy to read and interpret to be properly inclusive of all visitors.
Virtual spaces: Digital accessibility requirements
In today’s digital world, ensuring your website and digital content are accessible is just as important as physical accessibility. When the ADA was written, no one could have predicted the digital explosion that would take place shortly thereafter. In the years since the ADA was codified, the United States judicial system has upheld the notion that the ADA applies not just to physical spaces, but to virtual ones. Thus, small business owners are expected to ensure their website, applications and digital materials comply with the following requirements:
Adjustable text and contrast
- High contrast: There must be sufficient contrast between text and background colors for readability. Failing to adhere to this practice can result in poor user experience for individuals who are blind or have low vision.
- Scalable text: Users should be able to adjust the size of any on-screen text without impacting the content or its functionality.
Consistent and intuitive layout
- Accessible forms: Fillable forms should be labeled clearly, and all interactive elements should be operable via keyboard.
- Clear navigation: The layout of a website or application should be simple and consistent to make it easier for users to navigate without unnecessary obstacles.
Keyboard navigation
- Focus indicators: Web designers should ensure a page includes focus indicators that show where a user is on the page when navigating via keyboard.
- No mouse required: A business website should be fully navigable using only a keyboard. This is essential for users who cannot use a mouse due to a physical/motor disability.
Screen reader compatibility
- ARIA labels: Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) labels should be included to enhance accessibility for dynamic content and complex interfaces. These labels can be read aloud by a screen reader to ensure a user understands the purpose of an interactive element like a clickable button.
- Text alternatives: When a website features images or other non-text content, alt text should be used to provide a description of the image that can be read by screen reader tools. This is an essential accommodation for individuals with visual disabilities.
Video & audio content
- Captions & transcripts: Captions and transcripts should be offered to support audio and video content. Captions and transcripts make multimedia content more accessible to individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing and can also be a valuable tool for individuals with neurodivergent conditions and auditory processing disorders.
- Descriptive audio: Web developers and business owners can also consider adding descriptive audio or audio description to foster more equitable experiences for site visitors who are blind or have low vision. Audio description tracks are used to narrate visual components of video content so no context or information is lost if a viewer cannot physically see a particular visual element.
Accessibility in action: Steps to achieve ADA compliance
Ensuring ADA compliance might seem overwhelming, but breaking it down into actionable steps can simplify the process:
- Conduct regular accessibility audits: Regularly inspecting your physical and virtual business spaces can help you identify any potential accessibility or compliance issues.
- Engage experts or consultants: The ADA is constantly evolving, as are the needs of individuals with disabilities. Thankfully, there are expert consultants available to help small business owners better understand their legal obligations and scale up their accessibility offerings.
- Leverage digital tools: Thanks to recent technological advancements, there are now a wide variety of digital tools available to help business owners enhance the accessibility of their physical and virtual spaces. Harnessing the power of these technology solutions can take the guesswork out of accessibility and make ADA compliance more manageable for even the smallest of businesses.
- Train your staff on accessibility practices: Providing regular training to your employees ensures they understand the importance of accessibility and can assist all customers equally and effectively. These trainings can also help to facilitate a culture of inclusivity within your brand and improve employee retention rates.
Accessibility technologies: Verbit’s recommendations
As we’ve already discussed, there are a variety of digital tools available to help small businesses enhance the accessibility of their day-to-day operations, spaces and communications. Verbit is a trusted provider of these kinds of tools – including captioning, transcription and audio description technologies. Verbit’s solutions are designed to be highly adaptable, making them reliable options for business owners across a wide range of industries.
Our captioning and transcription platform runs on artificial intelligence technology that learns from highly advanced language models to produce more comprehensive, accurate captions and transcripts more quickly, efficiently and affordably than other automatic solutions. Incorporating these kinds of assistive technology solutions into your business practices can help to provide more equitable and engaging brand experiences to customers and employees alike while supporting the high bar set by accessibility requirements like the ADA.
Prioritize access
The world around us is rapidly evolving, and today’s small business owners find themselves tasked with supporting an ever-changing assortment of needs, preferences and accessibility requirements. Prioritizing accessibility compliance is not just a legal obligation, it’s a moral imperative. By adhering to both physical and digital accessibility guidelines, small businesses can create welcoming environments for all customers and laying the framework for a more inclusive future for all.
If you’re interested in learning more about accessibility requirements like the Americans with Disabilities Act or if you’d like more information about Verbit’s assistive technology platform, reach out today to speak to a member of our team.