How much does it cost to remediate a website for ADA compliance? What are the factors that impact the cost?

ADA or the Americans with Disabilities Act has been around for a long but lately, you must have heard some lawsuit against an organization which were not adhering to ADA guidelines, and their digital solutions were inaccessible.

ADA Compliance ensures that individuals with disabilities can easily access information on the internet. Since a significant number of digital users have different disabilities, these accessibility guidelines have been made mandatory by the US and several other countries.

Therefore, not just from law perspective, but creating or maintaining an ADA compliant website is morally and legally obligatory for organizations. Whether you are a small, medium, large enterprise, state, or federal government unit.

The principles of ADA website accessibility!

WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and WCAG 2.2 guidelines have suggestions for making an ADA compliant website for users not only in the US but across the globe.

WCAG has four basic principles for a compliant website, that are –

1. Perceivable

The first principle of ADA website accessibility focuses on making content perceivable to all users. This involves providing alternatives for non-text content such as images, videos, and audio files. By including descriptive text (alt text), transcripts, and captions, individuals who are blind or visually impaired, as well as those with auditory disabilities, can access and understand the information presented on the website.

2. User-friendly / Operable

Websites must be operable by all users, including those who navigate primarily through keyboard commands or assistive devices such as screen readers or voice recognition software. This principle emphasizes the importance of designing websites with keyboard accessibility in mind, ensuring that all interactive elements, links, and forms are fully functional and easily navigable without the use of a mouse.

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3. Understandable

The third principle of ADA website accessibility focuses on creating content that is clear, concise, and easily understandable for all users. This involves organizing information in a logical manner, using consistent navigation menus, and avoiding complex language or jargon that may be difficult for some users to comprehend. Providing clear instructions and error messages also enhances the overall user experience, helping individuals with cognitive or learning disabilities effectively engage with the website.

4. Robust

The final principle of ADA website accessibility emphasizes the importance of creating websites that are robust and compatible with a wide range of assistive technologies. This involves adhering to web standards and using coding practices that ensure compatibility with various browsers, devices, and assistive technologies. By designing websites that are both technically sound and flexible, developers can ensure that all users have equal access to online content and functionality.

Factors that impact the cost of making website ADA compliant!

• Solution Requirement – It varies depending on factors such as the size and type of your business website, the quantity of digital assets, accessibility compliance requirements, and the need for ongoing updates.

• Testing / Audit – The cost varies based on your chosen option, whether it's Automated testing, Semi-Automated, Manual Human Expert testing, or a hybrid approach that combines both.

• Cost of Remediation – After conducting a thorough manual audit by a qualified human expert and receiving a remediation roadmap from an ADA expert auditor, it is crucial to consult with your internal IT team to determine if they are equipped to handle the remediation internally. Otherwise, you may need to factor in additional costs for outsourcing the remediation process.

• Remediation Reporting – When it comes to remediation report VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) WCAG / ACR, it Involves legal teams and all the stakeholders for accessibility evaluation. The cost applies based on that.

• Regular Updates / Monitoring ADA Compliance – The ongoing updates also impact the cost, whether any updates are required moving forward for not breaking ADA law.

• Site page volume – When it comes to creating an ADA compliant website, the page volume impacts the cost directly. The more pages, the more time and effort it will take to build or maintain them as per ADA guidelines.

• Issues volume – The number of issues diagnosed on the website pages during the ADA audit, influences the cost of ADA compliance development remediation.

• Development stage – The overall cost varies when a website is in the development stage compared to the redevelopment of an existing site. During the development stage, ADA testing and enhancements occur concurrently.

• Issue difficulty and its severity – There can be some issues, like layout alignment, that take time to get resolved. Some defects or issues are difficult to find and solve. A few issues’ remediations get done instantly, while some others require hours or days to rectify them.

How much does website ADA remediation compliance cost approximately?

ADA website remediation requires a whole bunch of effort in the right direction and comprehensive planning as per the project’s requirements. Thereby, the accessibility remediation cost varies from site to site, as per their size and complexity. The three main steps are suggested for a compliant website -

Remediating ADA website issues demands significant effort directed towards comprehensive planning tailored to the project's specifications. Consequently, the cost of accessibility remediation varies depending on the size and complexity of each site. Three primary steps are recommended to achieve ADA compliance.

• Compliance Audit – An existing website’s ADA compliance audit can reveal its actual state of compliance; thus, review or audit the website, in the first phase and then make it compliant as per ADA or WCAG standards. ADA website audit might start from $2500. However, it solely depends on the size and complexity of the website. Thus, the audit cost varies as well. There are some factors to consider while hiring a web accessibility agency.

• Remediation – After completing audit, it requires to fill the gaps found during the audit. The ADA accessibility remediation is the process of converting or creating website, applications and documents or any other kind of digital assets to comply with recognized standards such as WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, and Section 508 of accessibility. The cost of updating a website to meet WCAG and ADA standards can range from $6000 to $20000 or more.

• Ongoing Monitoring – Completing the entire process does not imply finalization. Similar to SEO, ADA compliance requires ongoing attention. Adjustments are mandatory for new pages, modules, or website add-ons.

  The cost of ongoing compliance maintenance and monitoring typically ranges from $1000 to $3500 per month, depending on factors such as your location, website platform, complexity, size, and prevailing market rates.

In a nutshell, website ADA compliance is an ongoing investment. However, this investment is anyways worth it as you save your website from embarrassing lawsuits. You might be knowing that lawsuits are not only expensive, but they damage your brand reputation significantly.

Repercussions of not making a website ADA compliant!

Your website might be held accountable if you own a non-ADA compliant website. You might have done this unintentionally and discrimination against people with disabilities was not your agenda, but somehow you deprived such users from accessing your products, services, or some sort of useful information like career or information regarding employment, hence you will have to face its consequences.

Huge fines, image disruptions, license cancelation, and many other repercussions organizations have faced. Thus, it is better to create or update web solutions as per ADA guidelines.

Don’t forget to check out our blog on how to avoid ADA lawsuit?

Wrapping up

“The power of the web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.”

Website compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be overwhelming at times. However, ADA web development is essential if you do not wish to get trapped in lawsuits.

Are your business website and other digital assets ADA Compliant? Or are you looking for guidance on ADA web accessibility standards? With a team of experts, we provide full-service ADA website accessibility including audit, strategy, design, development, remediation, and ongoing support services that comply with accessibility regulations such as ADA, WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, and Section 508 within your budget. Contact us at [email protected] or request a free quote.