National Disability Independence Day is celebrated on July 26^th to honor the anniversary of when the ADA act was passed (July 26, 1990).

The Americans with disabilities act was passed by Congress as the nation’s first comprehensive law that prohibits discrimination, and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else.

Although the ADA act has helped millions of Americans with disabilities achieve equal treatment for disabled individuals, there are still barriers to public accommodation that corporations and business owners still need to be aware of.

Most importantly, ADA does not just focus on facilities any longer.  Desktop, tablet, apps, and mobile are all required to be accessible – to everyone.  With the recent Hobby Lobby, Winn-Dixie, and other settlements you see how companies have spent millions on websites and even apps but they skipped ADA compliance.

Think about it, 27 years ago web accessibility was not considered mainly because there was no such thing as the internet. The focus has always been on providing barrier free access in places of public accommodation. However, as consumers have moved online, the law’s focus has expanded to the internet. This means that companies also must comply with a set of guidelines if they sell products or services online.

In honor of National Disability Independence Day, let’s get web accessible! How can I get started?

•  Evaluate/Audit your company website for accessibility
•  Create accessibility roadmap
•  Prioritize web pages to be updated based on use and content
•  Or just let a team of experts help you with this project.

While much progress has been made, there are still improvements needed.