An Overview of International Web Accessibility Standards

An Overview of International Web Accessibility Standards
Key Takeaways -
  1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) ensure web accessibility for everyone, including people with disabilities.
  2. Every country has laws, accessibility standards, compliance standards, and penalties.
  3. Meeting international accessibility standards is best to avoid lawsuits.

An Overview of International Web Accessibility Standards

With our digital dependency, the need for web accessibility has grown. Web accessibility ensures that people with disabilities enjoy the same access as everyone else.

Published in 1999, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are responsible for making digital content accessible to people with disabilities. Governed by four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, these guidelines have three levels of testable success criteria for conformance: A (the minimum level), A.A. (medium level), and AAA (highest level).

Despite this, many accessibility barriers still exist. Every country has its laws and regulations to target them. Currently, WCAG has become the international accessibility standard, as many countries have adopted them as a reference. Let us briefly look at web accessibility laws in these countries.

United States of America

The Americans govern Web accessibility in the U.S. with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The ADA and Section 508 ensure equal access and opportunities by making web accessibility a priority to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. Though the ADA does not explicitly mention websites, compliance with the international accessibility standards WCAG is necessary.

  • Who must comply?

    The ADA includes all American public services and products and services from private businesses. In contrast, Section 508 applies to American federal agencies, their vendors, contractors, and partners.

  • What does the law cover?

    ADA covers public goods, services, communications, information, and government activities, while Section 508 covers ICT resources like smartphones and laptops and digital communication such as websites, documents, etc.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Failing to have an ADA and Section 508-compliant website could be grounds for lawsuits, financial liabilities, and reputational damage.

European Union

The E.U. actively addresses website accessibility issues by coordinating these two policies within the member states. EN 301 549, or The E.U. Web Accessibility Directive and The European Accessibility Act, strives to eliminate web accessibility barriers in the public sector to ensure equal participation for people with disabilities. As a result, all public websites must comply with WCAG accessibility.

  • Who must comply?

    All public services, products, and services from private businesses of all E.U. member states must comply with the EAA and EN 301 549.

  • What does this law cover?

    Both laws include websites, mobile applications, and digital content of public administrations, hospitals, banking, etc. EN 301 549 covers all public sector organizations, including those financed via public contracts. The EAA primarily applies to electronic devices, multimedia, operating systems, digital documents, e-commerce, and more.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Not complying with EN 301 549 directives could lead to monetary penalties, bad publicity, and other legalities.

Canada

Canada and its provinces have web accessibility-specific laws, such as the Accessible Canada Act. Along with this Act, the provincial accessibility laws such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) of 2005, Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) of 2013, and the Nova Scotia Accessibility Act of 2017 ensure goods, services, and ICT are equally accessible to the public. It also requires compliance with international accessibility standards WCAG.

  • Who must comply?

    The public sector, Crown Corporations, and all federally regulated organizations, including those in the private sector and non-profit organizations with more than 50 employees, must follow WCAG compliance standards.

  • What does this law cover?

    The ACA covers the Canadian government's divisions, branches, and departmental corporations. And the AODA extends it to public, private, and non-profit organizations.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Failure to comply with ACA and Nova Scotia Accessibility Act could result in expensive penalties and fines.

Australia

Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 requires all Australian government organizations to make their information accessible to everyone, especially those with disabilities. They also accepted the Procurement Standard Guidance (2016) and AS EN 301 549 (similar adoption of EN 301 549 V1.1.2), which requires all government and non-government websites to follow the latest accessibility standards of WCAG 2.0.

  • Who must comply?

    Individuals or organizations in public and private sectors want to develop or maintain a website or other web resource in Australia or an Australian server.

  • What does this law cover?

    This Act covers web pages and other resources related to employment, education, and services, including banking and finance, entertainment, telecommunications, transportation, government services, and more.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Not meeting international web accessibility standards could be open to lawsuits, monetary damages, and negative brand perception.

United Kingdom

U.K.’s Equality Act of 2010 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in providing goods, facilities, and services. However, it does not specify the services. The Code of Practice that accompanies the Act explicitly mentions websites as one of the “services to the public.”

  • Who must comply?

    U.K.'s Equality Act of 2010 applies to all public services and products and services from private businesses.

  • What does this law cover?

    The Act includes public goods, facilities, services, ICT, and government/business procurement activities.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Any organization that fails to have an accessible website or mobile application could be open to lawsuits, financial liabilities, and damage to its brand reputation.

India

India aims to remove barriers to website accessibility with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 (RPD) and the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPD) requires all sectors in India to provide equal opportunity and accessibility to people with disabilities. Guidelines for Indian Government Websites authorize the design of information and communication technology(ICT) to be accessible to people with all types of disabilities.

  • Who must comply?

    Public and private sectors must comply with the RPD, while the Guidelines are for all Indian public bodies and federal agencies.

  • What does this law cover?

    Access to art and culture, healthcare, the legal system, infrastructure reform, housing, institutions, education, and employment are all covered under RPD. The Guidelines cover all web content.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Violating the RPD can incur harsh penalties, including holding employees of organizations individually liable and hefty fines.

Germany

Germany is moving toward a barrier-free future with its accessibility laws Equal Opportunity Act (Disability Equality Act – BGG) and Federal Ordinance on Barrier-Free Information Technology or BITV 2.0. The latter follows the latest version of international accessibility standards WCAG.

  • Who must comply?

    The BGG applies to the federal government, including all national organizations and foundations of public law owned, funded by, or subordinate to the government. However, BITV applies to all German federal and public entities and their vendors, partners, and contractors.

  • What does this law cover?

    BGG includes products and services such as transportation, non-technical and technical goods, information sources, and communication facilities. Websites, mobile applications, electronic administrative procedures, and graphical user interfaces for web-based and non-web-based applications are all covered by BITV.

  • What happens when you do not follow the law?

    Expensive legal costs, lawsuits, and negative publicity result from neglecting WCAG-accessible standards.

Final Thoughts

  1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) aim for web accessibility for everyone, including people with disabilities.
  2. WCAG is considered the international accessibility standard.
  3. Every country has its laws and accessibility standards.
  4. Most countries reference WCAG as compliance standards to meet web accessibility requirements.

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