In today’s digital world, accessibility isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity. Businesses and organizations worldwide strive to ensure their websites comply with accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Many companies use automated web accessibility tools that promise full compliance with minimal effort. However, web accessibility tools often fail to address the full compliance requirements.
Conducting a thorough accessibility audit helps businesses identify gaps in compliance and implement effective solutions. A well-executed accessibility audit ensures adherence to WCAG guidelines and improves user experience for individuals with disabilities.
Recently, automated web accessibility tools have come under increased examination for their claims of full compliance. Some companies have faced regulatory actions due to overstated promises, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on automation. These cases emphasize the importance of a more comprehensive approach to web accessibility audit.
This is where hybrid accessibility solutions, like Pluro’s, make a difference—delivering a more comprehensive and effective path to WCAG compliance
The Challenge of Automated Accessibility Widgets
Many solutions in the accessibility market provide standalone widgets that can be added to websites. These widgets claim to automatically adjust a site based on a user’s declared disability, offering features such as text resizing, contrast adjustments, and keyboard navigation improvements.
Sounds good? Unfortunately, there’s a catch. These tools come with significant limitations:
- Partial Coverage: automated web accessibility tools typically address only 50-70% of accessibility issues, often missing complex elements such as forms, images, and intricate UI components.
- Misleading Compliance Claims: some solutions are marketed as “full compliance” tools but fail to meet the comprehensive standards required by regulations.
Recently, regulatory bodies have taken action against companies making such claims, emphasizing the need for a more thorough approach to accessibility audits. - Lack of Customization: automation cannot adapt to the unique design and content structures of individual websites, leaving gaps that could lead to legal risks and unsatisfactory user experiences.
By leveraging web accessibility tools in conjunction with manual assessments, businesses can achieve full compliance and inclusivity.
The Hybrid Accessibility Advantage
Hybrid accessibility solutions, like Pluro’s, blend AI-powered automation with manual oversight to address all aspects of web accessibility compliance. Here’s how Pluro’s approach works:
AI-Powered Widget
The automated component of Pluro’s solution provides real-time accessibility adjustments that address key areas such as:
- Text resizing and font adjustments: the widget allows users to customize text size and font styles to improve readability. It ensures that users can adjust text elements to their comfort level without distorting the site’s layout.
- Keyboard navigability enhancements: many users rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse. The widget enhances keyboard accessibility by ensuring all interactive elements can be accessed using keyboard shortcuts, such as tab navigation and focus indicators.
- Contrast and Color Settings: adjusting contrast and color schemes is essential. The widget provides options to change background and foreground colors, enhancing content visibility and reducing eye strain.
This automated layer helps achieve immediate improvements and provides a better browsing experience for users with disabilities. It also removes design constraints by addressing accessibility issues exclusively for users with disabilities.
Manual Fixing Tools
Automation alone isn’t enough to meet full compliance. Pluro offers manual remediation services to tackle issues that require human intervention, including:
- Ensuring proper alt text for images: automated web accessibility tools may not accurately generate descriptive alt text for images, leading to poor accessibility for visually impaired users. Manual intervention ensures that meaningful and contextually appropriate descriptions are provided, enhancing screen reader usability.
- Improving form accessibility for screen readers: forms often pose challenges to users with disabilities, such as improper labeling or missing field instructions. Manual reviews and corrections ensure that form elements, such as input fields, checkboxes, and error messages, are fully accessible and understandable and align with WCAG guidelines.
- Fixing complex UI/UX inconsistencies: some website elements, such as dynamic content, hover interactions, and custom components, require manual adjustments to ensure they meet WCAG guidelines. Manual fixing ensures that these interactive features are navigable and operable by assistive technologies.
Meeting Compliance Standards with Hybrid Solutions
A hybrid approach ensures no stone is left unturned in the accessibility compliance process. By leveraging both automation and manual tools, businesses can:
- Achieve comprehensive WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 compliance across all website elements
- Enhance the user experience for all visitors, including those with disabilities
- Avoid potential legal penalties and reputational damage by addressing gaps that automation alone cannot fix
An accessibility audit is essential for detecting and resolving these gaps, helping businesses stay both compliant and user-friendly.
Understanding WCAG: The Foundation of Accessibility
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are designed to ensure web content is accessible to people with disabilities. They focus on four main principles:
- Perceivable: information and user interface components must be presented in ways users can perceive.
- Operable: all site functionalities should be usable via multiple input methods.
- Understandable: the content should be clear and easy to comprehend.
- Robust: content must be accessible across different assistive technologies.
Legal Requirements: Accessibility Laws in the USA and Europe
Accessibility is a legal requirement in many regions, with key regulations including:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): mandates that digital spaces be accessible to people with disabilities in the U.S.
- Section 508: requires federal agencies to comply with accessibility standards.
- European Accessibility Act (EAA): a directive that mandates accessibility compliance across the European Union by 2025.
Ignoring these regulations can lead to financial penalties and lawsuits, making it crucial for businesses to ensure compliance.
Moving Toward a Fully Accessible Web
Accessibility Is a Journey, Not a Destination.
Web accessibility is an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement. With Pluro’s hybrid solution, businesses can ensure compliance, enhance their digital presence, and deliver an inclusive experience for all users by leveraging best practices in accessibility audits
Ready to take the next step?
Contact Pluro today to explore how our hybrid solution can help you achieve full accessibility compliance.
