Website accessibility means that your website meets one of the three levels of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): Level A, Level AA, or Level AAA. Common myths and misunderstandings surrounding laws and website operations may have you believe that your business does not have to meet such website accessibility requirements—and you would be wrong. 

Law Suits – Why Website Accessibility Matters for Business

Here’s the thing: you can be sued for not having an accessible website. This goes beyond state and local government websites, including small businesses and large corporations. 

Common Website Accessibility Myths

These misconceptions, unfortunately, often lead businesses to overlook the importance of web accessibility, potentially excluding users, and risking legal issues:

“Only large businesses need accessible websites.”

This is false. The misconception that businesses with fewer than 15 employees don’t need compliant websites is incorrect. Web accessibility laws apply to businesses of all sizes.

“Only physical locations need to be ADA-compliant.”

This is a common misunderstanding. Digital storefronts (websites) must be accessible, just like physical locations.

“Web accessibility is only for blind users.”

This myth ignores other disabilities like hearing impairments, motor disabilities, and cognitive issues that also benefit from accessible design.

“Accessible websites are ugly or limit design options.”

Many believe that making a website accessible means sacrificing visual appeal, which isn’t true.

“Adding an accessibility overlay or plugin makes a site fully compliant.”

Automated tools alone cannot ensure full accessibility or legal compliance.

“Web accessibility is too expensive and time-consuming.”

While there may be initial costs, building accessibility from the start is often more cost-effective than retrofitting later.

“People with disabilities don’t use our website.”

This assumption is often made without evidence and ignores a significant portion of potential users.

“Accessibility is only about preventing lawsuits.”

While legal compliance is important, accessibility also improves user experience for everyone and can increase your audience.

“We can create a separate accessible version of our website.”

This approach is often more costly and can lead to unequal access to information and services.

“Web accessibility is solely the responsibility of developers.”

In reality, it requires effort from designers, content creators, and other team members as well.

“Accessibility plugins ‘make’ your website accessible.”
While plugins can help, they’re not a complete solution because:

• They may not catch all issues, especially content-related ones.
• They cannot fix accessibility issues like missing alt text and color differentiation.
• They can interfere with existing accessibility features.
• They might slow down your website.
• They don’t address the root causes of accessibility problems.
• Relying solely on plugins doesn’t promote understanding of accessibility principles.

CMS Providers and Website Accessibility – Who’s Responsible

Website owners may assume that using an “accessible” theme from popular CMS providers like Shopify, Wix, or WordPress automatically makes their site fully compliant. This is simply not true. 

The Limits of CMS Provider Responsibility

While CMS providers may offer themes or templates labeled as “accessible,” they cannot guarantee full compliance for your specific website due to:

• Content Customization: Once you add your own content, images, and functionality, you may inadvertently introduce accessibility barriers.
• Third-Party Plugins: Many sites use plugins or apps that may not be fully accessible, compromising overall site accessibility.
• Regular Updates: Web accessibility standards evolve, and older themes may not keep pace with the latest requirements.
• User-Generated Content: If your site allows user submissions, this content may not meet accessibility standards.

How You Can Make Sure Your Website is Accessible

As a website owner, you are ultimately responsible for your site’s accessibility, regardless of the CMS or theme you use. This means you should:

• Perform Regular Testing: Conduct accessibility audits frequently, especially after making changes to your site.
• Review Content Creation: Check that all content you add, including images and videos, meets accessibility guidelines.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Keep your site, theme, and plugins updated, and regularly check for accessibility issues.
• Understand Guidelines: Familiarize yourself with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to make informed decisions about your site’s design and functionality.

Remember, while CMS providers offer tools to help with accessibility, the final responsibility lies with you to confirm that your website is truly accessible to all users.

Still have questions or unsure if your website meets any of the WCAG standards? Contact us, and we will provide you with a free website accessibility audit that shows you not only if you are compliant but also how you can fix the issues.