5 Quick Wins for Accessibility Remediation You Can Implement Today

Did you know that an estimated 15% of the world’s population experiences some form of disability? In the digital world, accessibility isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. For businesses and organizations striving to reach everyone, accessibility remediation is fundamental.

Creating an inclusive digital environment can seem daunting, but here’s the good news: we have some quick, easy steps you can take today to make your content ADA-compliant and accessible. 

Let’s explore these quick wins in accessibility together. Welcome to the land of rapid, achievable accessibility enhancements!

Table of Contents:

• Understanding the Basics of Accessibility Remediation
• The Importance of Quick Wins in Accessibility
• Top Five Accessibility Remediation Tips You Can Implement Now
  1. Use Alt Text for Images 
  2. Caption Videos 
  3. User-Friendly Link Descriptions 
  4. Consult the Color Blind 
  5. Offer Accessibility Tools 
• Leading Trends and Statistics in Accessibility Remediation
• Summing Up

Understanding the Basics of Accessibility Remediation

When we talk about the digital world, one often overlooked element is accessibility. This refers to the ability of a platform, be it a website, an app, or any digital interface, to be accessed, utilized, and enjoyed by all individuals, regardless of physical or cognitive abilities. 

Accessibility remediation ensures content is not only available to the majority but also to those with impairments or disabilities. And it’s not just about being fair; it also makes perfect business sense. Since a large number of users require some form of assistance to access content, it is a good practice to make sure you are not ignoring that section of users. 

Also Read: Accessibility for All: How WCAG 2025 Can Drive Positive Change Within Your Organization

The Importance of Quick Wins in Accessibility

Recognizing the significance of quick wins in accessibility is indispensable. It’s not just about large-scale efforts or time-consuming process alterations to achieve accessibility remediation.

Quick wins are about making immediate, simple changes that yield measurable results. So, why are quick wins important? Let’s delve into it. 

1. Immediate Impact: Quick wins in accessibility often mean instant enhancements, leading to an improved experience for users of all abilities. Imagine altering something today, and by tomorrow, a visually impaired user will find it easier to navigate your site. That’s immediate accessibility improvements for you.
2. Boosting Morale: Implementing quick wins can significantly boost the morale of your team. When they start seeing the impact of their efforts, it motivates them to work harder towards achieving greater accessibility remediation.
3. Incremental Progress: Indeed, Rome wasn’t built in a day. In the same way, accessibility remediation is a long-term process. But that should not deter us from making incremental changes. Even the smallest enhancements add up, leading to a significant positive difference.
4. Meeting Regulations: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that all web content must meet certain expectations for accessibility. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) list recommendations on how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities. Quick fixes help in achieving instant ADA compliance, ensuring your organization doesn’t falter on any WCAG guidelines.

Remember, the final goal is to make your digital content accessible to all. This cause is meaningful and necessary, and every small step, every quick win, takes us closer to it. 

Top Five Accessibility Remediation Tips You Can Implement Now

Are immediate accessibility improvements something you are looking for? With a few tweaks and adjustments, you could take your website from inaccessible to fully user-friendly. Begin with these five accessibility remediation tips that you can implement today, propelling your site closer to ADA compliance. 

1. Use Alt Text for Images 

A swift victory in the realm of accessibility remediation can be achieved through the efficient utilization of ‘Alt Text’ functionality. ‘Alt Text’ is an HTML characteristic that comes into play when a user is unable to view an image. Instead, it presents an alternative rehearsal of the image content. 

1. In efforts to obtain instant ADA compliance as well as compliance with WCAG’s specifications, ensure that every image hosted on your site carries an alt text.
2. As an example, for an image showing a sunset over an ocean, the alt text may be: “Sunset view with radiant, orange hues reflecting off a calm ocean.”

2. Caption Videos 

Implementing captioning is a quick win in accessibility and can greatly improve your site’s accessibility remediation. It’s an immediate accessibility improvement that brings benefits not just to those with hearing impairments but also bolsters your SEO performance. For instance: 

1. By simply adding captions to all your video content, you ensure comprehension for everyone, thereby promoting instant ADA compliance.
2. Employing a trusted transcription service can further guarantee accuracy, preventing potential miscommunications such as those seen in auto-generated captions. This illustrates how an easy WCAG quick fix can significantly impact the user experience.

3. User-Friendly Link Descriptions 

Ensuring web accessibility for all users, particularly the visually impaired, hinges on well-crafted and descriptive links. Using vague phrases such as ‘Click Here’ should be avoided. Instead, the focus should be on implementing links that paint a clear picture of what the viewer will find when they follow it. 

For instance, instead of saying ‘Click here to learn more’, a more descriptive and accessible link would read ‘Discover more about accessibility remediation today’. Such a description instantly gives users a clearer idea of the linked content, proving once again the importance of descriptive, user-friendly link descriptions for immediate accessibility improvements.

4. Consult the Color Blind 

Creating an accessible website also means considering individuals with color vision deficiencies. An effective method to enhance readability is to have a well-contrasted color scheme between text and background. This might sound complicated, but ensuring visual clarity for your colorblind users can be as simple as getting input from colorblind individuals or leveraging automated tools that verify color contrast for accessibility. 

1. Differentiate your text from the background with contrasting colors. For instance, pair black text with a white background.
2. Utilize automated tools like WebAIM’s Color Contrast Checker, which can aid in achieving the right balance in color contrast.

5. Offer Accessibility Tools 

Boosting your accessibility remediation efforts can be achieved with quick wins like ensuring easy ADA compliance. One effective method is to provide readily available tools that cater to different user needs, such as adjusting the text size or using text-to-speech features. 

• These features should be prominently displayed and easy to locate on your website for user convenience.
• For instance, integrating an accessible toolbar at the top of your web pages can offer users a chance to personalize their accessibility settings. A great example is the ‘Accessibility Toolbar’ used by the BBC on their website, allowing users to instantly adjust settings according to their requirements.

Leading Trends and Statistics in Accessibility Remediation

The significance of immediate accessibility improvements cannot be overstated in our digital age. The number of businesses implementing rapid accessibility enhancements has been increasing remarkably. According to the CDC, one in four U.S. adults lives with a disability, making accessibility remediation an essential component of virtual spaces. 

1. Instant ADA compliance: A UseableNet study revealed a record 4,600 ADA lawsuits related to digital accessibility in 2023, which is a 60% increase since 2022. It’s high time to act!
2. WCAG Quick Fixes: There has been an indication that businesses that implement WCAG 3.0 guidelines enjoy a high favorability rating. These quick fixes have been proven to enhance digital inclusivity instantly.

Indeed, adopting these accessibility practices can deliver quick wins and enrich your user experiences. Stay ahead, prioritize accessibility today, and take your business to newer heights! 

Also Read: The Future of Accessibility Compliance in 2024: Emerging Technologies and Opportunities

Summing Up

The journey of creating an accessible digital footprint might seem daunting at the outset. However, incorporating these quick wins in accessibility can consistently enhance your speed toward instant ADA compliance. Implementing these immediate, simple changes can yield promising dividends and help your website achieve a more inclusive purpose. Finally, remember that accessibility remediation isn’t a one-time setup but rather a constant process. 

At Hurix Digital, we can be your trusted partner in this journey towards making your content accessible to all. We offer a vast list of services around disability laws, WCAG quick fixes, and more. Our digital offering also spans robotic process automation, custom software development, e-commerce solutions, and more. Don’t navigate this path alone. Reach out to our expert team today and let us work together towards building a more inclusive digital world.