ADA Compliance for Websites: Checklist

What are the key steps to make a website ADA compliant?

Making an accessible website is more than a legal requirement—it’s good for user inclusion, brand trust, and business growth. ADA compliance means digital content is usable by people with disabilities, in line with global standards like WCAG and Section 508. This checklist guide from TestDevLab outlines the practical steps to check and improve your website’s accessibility. Whether you’re in product, quality assurance, or leadership, addressing accessibility reduces legal risk, broadens your audience, and shows you care about inclusive design.

• Know Legal & Technical Standards: Understand ADA, WCAG, and Section 508 requirements to build a foundation for accessible web design.
• Ensure Perceivable Visuals: Add descriptive alt text for images, captions and transcripts for videos, and proper color contrast for all users.
• Simplify Navigation: Use semantic headings and logical page structure for easy navigation, especially for screen reader users.
• Enable Keyboard Access: Ensure all interactive elements (menus, forms, buttons) are fully keyboard accessible.
• Use Clear Labels & Links: Provide concise, descriptive link text and form labels for clarity.
• Test & Maintain Accessibility: Conduct regular manual and automated testing, update content for accessibility, and document through an Accessibility Statement.

Introduction

Creating an inclusive digital experience is no longer optional–it’s a legal, ethical, and business imperative. ADA compliance ensures that your website is accessible to users with disabilities, protecting your business from legal risk while improving the overall user experience for everyone.

In this guide, we will walk you through what ADA compliance means for websites, how it ties into global accessibility standards like WCAG and Section 508, and provide a practical checklist you can use to assess your site’s accessibility.

Whether you're a product owner, QA specialist, or business decision-maker, understanding web accessibility is essential for meeting regulations, retaining users, and building trust. At TestDevLab, we help teams identify and resolve accessibility barriers through expert testing and consulting tailored to your platform and industry.

What is ADA compliance and why does it matter?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability, including in digital spaces. While the ADA was originally written before the rise of the internet, recent legal interpretations and court decisions have made it clear: websites and mobile apps must also be accessible to people with disabilities.

In this context, ADA compliance means building websites that meet accepted accessibility standards, most notably the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Though not legally binding on their own, WCAG standards are widely recognized as the benchmark for ADA compliance.

You may also encounter Section 508, which applies to U.S. federal agencies and contractors, and mandates that electronic information be accessible to people with disabilities. Even if your business isn’t a government agency, aligning with Section 508 and WCAG makes your website more compliant, discoverable, and user-friendly.

Who is responsible for accessibility?

While developers often implement accessibility features, responsibility lies with the entire product team. Product managers, QA testers, designers, and business leaders all have a role to play in creating and maintaining accessible websites.

Failure to prioritize accessibility can result in serious legal consequences. According to UsableNet, over 450 ADA-related digital accessibility lawsuits were filed in March 2025 alone. Beyond legal risk, inaccessible websites alienate users, especially the 1 in 4 U.S. adults who live with some form of disability.

That’s why TestDevLab’s accessibility testing services support cross-functional teams, from QA to C-suite, with expert audits, remediation guidance, and continuous compliance support.

Key accessibility standards explained

To meet ADA compliance, you need to align with recognized accessibility standards that guide how websites should be built and maintained. The most widely adopted standards include WCAG, Section 508, and, to a lesser degree, EN 301 549 (which is more relevant for European markets).

WCAG: The global standard for accessible websites

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), serve as the international benchmark for web accessibility. The current version, WCAG 2.2, outlines four core principles known as POUR:

• Perceivable – Information must be available to all users (e.g., alt text for images, captions for videos)
• Operable – All navigation must be keyboard accessible
• Understandable – Content must be readable and predictable
• Robust – Content should work across all devices, browsers, and assistive technologies

WCAG provides three levels of conformance: A (basic), AA (standard), and AAA (advanced). For most U.S. organizations, aiming for WCAG 2.1 AA or higher is considered industry best practice.

Section 508: U.S. federal accessibility law

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires all federal agencies and contractors to make electronic content accessible. While it applies specifically to government work, it mirrors WCAG 2.0 guidelines and often influences broader industry standards.

EN 301 549: Accessibility in the EU

If your product is used internationally, you may also encounter EN 301 549, the European Union’s accessibility standard. It is based heavily on WCAG 2.1 and applies to both public and private sector websites in the EU.

Understanding these standards is the first step toward full ADA compliance, and our team at TestDevLab can help you interpret, implement, and validate them as part of a larger QA strategy.

ADA Compliance Website Checklist

Meeting ADA compliance standards means your website must be usable by people with a range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Below is a quick reference checklist to help you identify the most common accessibility issues and address them effectively.

Design and layout

• Use high contrast between text and background
• Choose readable fonts and allow users to resize text
• Don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning or state (e.g., red for “error”)

Navigation and structure

• Ensure full functionality with keyboard-only input
• Include skip links for screen reader users
• Use proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, etc.) for structure and readability

Media and images

• Add descriptive alt text to all meaningful images
• Provide captions or transcripts for video and audio
• Avoid auto-play features that disrupt user control

Forms and input fields

• Clearly label all form fields and dropdowns
• Include accessible error messages with helpful instructions
• Ensure forms work with screen readers and keyboard input

General compliance practices

• Validate HTML and ARIA roles for accessibility compatibility
• Test your site using screen readers like NVDA or VoiceOver
• Avoid using JavaScript to perform critical tasks without accessible alternatives

For expert guidance, explore our full accessibility testing services to help you assess, audit, and improve your site’s compliance with WCAG and Section 508.

Automated vs. manual accessibility testing

Both automated and manual accessibility testing are essential for achieving full ADA compliance, but they serve different purposes.

Automated tools (like Lighthouse, axe, or WAVE) are excellent for detecting common technical issues such as missing alt text, contrast errors, or empty form labels. They’re fast and useful for scanning large volumes of content, making them ideal for early-stage testing.

However, automated testing alone is not enough. It often misses more nuanced problems, such as logical reading order, focus management, or how users interact with dynamic content using assistive technologies.

That’s where manual testing comes in. A trained QA specialist can simulate real-world user behavior, using screen readers or navigating by keyboard to evaluate the actual user experience.

Combining both for complete coverage

The best strategy is a hybrid one: use automated tools for quick checks, and follow up with manual reviews for accuracy and usability. This layered approach ensures both compliance and practical accessibility for all users.

Our team at TestDevLab combines both methods to give you full visibility into your product’s accessibility status and how to improve it.

Common accessibility issues we see at TestDevLab

Through years of performing accessibility testing across web and mobile platforms, our team at TestDevLab has identified patterns in the most frequent accessibility issues, many of which are easily avoidable with the right approach.

Common problems include:

• Missing or incorrect alt text – Image-based content without proper descriptions can leave users relying on screen readers with no context.
• Unlabeled form fields – Without descriptive labels or error messages, users cannot complete forms accurately.
• Inaccessible modals or popups – Many modal dialogs trap keyboard users or are not announced properly by assistive tech.
• Inconsistent tab focus – Users navigating by keyboard often find that focus order is confusing or broken.
• Poor contrast ratios – Text that blends into the background is unreadable for many users with visual impairments.

These issues not only block access for people with disabilities, they also create frustrating experiences for all users. Addressing them early makes your product more usable and reduces the risk of legal exposure.

For examples of how we’ve resolved real-world accessibility challenges, view our latest case studies.

Getting started with an accessibility audit

An accessibility audit is the first step toward achieving ADA compliance and creating a more inclusive digital experience. At TestDevLab, we offer comprehensive audits designed to evaluate your website or application against key standards, including WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and industry best practices.

Here’s what you can expect from our audit process:

• In-depth analysis by experienced QA engineers
• Automated and manual testing using real assistive technologies
• A detailed report with issue severity levels, explanations, and recommendations
• Support with remediation planning and follow-up validation

Whether you’re working on a public-facing website, a mobile app, or a platform subject to legal accessibility requirements, our team is here to guide you through the process.

ADA compliance is a win-win

ADA compliance is not just about avoiding legal risk–it’s about building digital experiences that are inclusive, ethical, and future-proof. An accessible website broadens your reach, supports diverse users, and reflects positively on your brand.

From a business perspective, improving accessibility can boost usability for all users, not just those with disabilities. It can also support SEO, reduce bounce rates, and strengthen customer trust. For teams focused on quality, accessibility is a natural extension of a robust QA strategy.

At TestDevLab, we believe accessibility should be embedded into every stage of the development lifecycle. Whether you're launching a new product or auditing an existing platform, our accessibility testing services can help you identify issues, implement fixes, and stay compliant with WCAG, Section 508, and other evolving best practices.

Ready to make your product more inclusive? Contact us today to schedule an accessibility audit or speak with a specialist.

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