Organizations across various industries must maintain digital accessibility to ensure their content is usable by people with disabilities. Many countries have legal requirements regarding accessibility compliance, making it essential for companies to adhere to these standards. Companies may require assistance in resolving accessibility issues to avoid financial and reputational penalties.

A focus on accessibility not only benefits the segment of the population with physical or cognitive impairments but also improves usability for everyone accessing a company’s digital content. Companies that provide equal access to their digital products benefit from enhanced brand reputation and extend their market reach. True accessibility also enhances SEO, enabling organizations to reach a broader audience.

This article examines the role of accessibility companies in helping organizations meet their digital accessibility compliance requirements. We will explore who should be concerned about maintaining accessibility and identify some of the best partners that can help your business address any accessibility challenges it may face.

What Is an Accessibility Company?

Accessibility companies help organizations ensure that their digital assets, such as websites, documents, applications, and utilities, are usable by people with disabilities.

Services offered by an accessibility company

Customers can typically leverage the following services to address common accessibility issues.

  • Accessibility audits – Teams will conduct manual testing of the customer’s digital assets, such as mobile apps and websites, to verify compliance. The objective is to identify issues affecting accessibility, such as screen reader compatibility problems or missing alternative text (alt text).
  • Remediation services – Accessibility testing companies will fix the obvious or subtle accessibility issues found during the audit. For example, application accessibility may require development teams to update code or redesign user interfaces to ensure optimal usability. Web accessibility can be improved by including captions or adjusting contrast to make the content more usable for people with physical or cognitive impairments.
  • Automated accessibility testing – The company may offer customers tools that perform automated scans to verify that digital content is meeting accessibility requirements. Businesses can conduct ongoing monitoring to identify and resolve new accessibility issues before releasing the content to the public. Automated digital accessibility testing streamlines development by identifying issues early in the process.
  • Training and consultation – Customers can obtain training in accessibility practices to help limit further development issues. Content creation teams can receive education regarding accessibility features and adopt a comprehensive approach to development that ensures disability inclusion.
  • Compliance Support – Companies with strategic accessibility expertise can provide support and help customers ensure compliance with relevant standards and regulations. Their experienced teams can help clients create documentation to demonstrate compliance with accessibility guidelines and minimize the risk of lawsuits.

What Are Accessibility Standards?

Accessibility standards are rules and technical specifications that define how companies design and develop digital properties to ensure that everyone, including users with various disabilities, has level access. The standards guide organizations in creating inclusive experiences and complying with legal requirements.

The standards outline specific measures that companies should follow in their development processes. These measures include:

  • Providing keyboard navigation for individuals who cannot use a mouse;
  • Furnishing users with captions and alt text for images and videos to assist users with vision issues;
  • Designing digital content like websites and applications compatible with standard screen readers;
  • Ensuring adequate color contrast for users with impaired vision.

Multiple standards have been established to ensure that digital artifacts are accessible to individuals with physical disabilities. The following are some of the key sets of standards that organizations must emulate. Some standards are globally acknowledged, while others are specific to certain countries or geographic regions.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

The WCAG is globally recognized and is considered the most widely adopted standard for accessibility. Companies in the U.S., UK, EU, Canada, and Australia follow these guidelines. The WCAG was developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and defines three accessibility levels for websites, digital documents, and mobile apps.

  1. A – These are the minimum requirements that all digital content should implement.
  2. AA – This level represents industry standards for legal compliance.
  3. AAA – The third level is optional for most companies and strives for maximum accessibility for all users.

U.S. specific standards

Companies operating in the U.S. must adhere to two additional sets of regulations.

  • Section 508 applies to federal agencies and was developed based on the WCAG 2.0 AA standards. All federal agencies and their vendors must make software, hardware documents, and multimedia IT artifacts accessible to everyone.
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law enforced through WCAG. ADA compliance applies to websites and mobile apps as well as public accommodations and brick-and-mortar businesses.

EU-specific standards

Organizations in the European Union must comply with EN 301 549. The regulations are compatible with WCAG 2.1 AA and are required for mobile apps and public sector websites. Compliance is required by the EU Web Accessibility Directive.

PDF and document standards

Additional accessibility requirements include PDF Universal Accessibility and EPUB Accessibility, ensuring that digital documents are equally accessible to all users.

Who Needs to Meet Accessibility Compliance Standards?

Organizations in the following sectors that offer digital products or services to the public typically must meet accessibility compliance standards. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in lawsuits, damage to organizational reputation, and the loss of contracts and customers.

  • Government agencies – All public sector entities must meet the standards or face legal repercussions. Specific standards for this sector include Section 508 in the U.S. and EN 302 549 in the EU.
  • Educational institutions – Public and private schools must comply with standards such as the ADA to guarantee that websites, online course materials, and learning platforms are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
  • Private organizations open to the public – Private businesses that serve the public, such as healthcare providers, financial institutions, retail websites, and entertainment platforms in the U.S., must follow the standards defined by the ADA.
  • Employers – Companies must make digital workplace tools accessible to employees with disabilities. Organizations may face discrimination claims if they present internal applications demonstrating accessibility barriers to people with disabilities.
  • Tech and e-commerce companies – Businesses in the tech and e-commerce sector must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA to avoid legal risks and expand their reach by promoting an inclusive reputation.

Top Accessibility Companies

The following are some of the top companies that provide services and solutions designed to help companies achieve digital accessibility.

Skynet Technologies

Skynet Technologies is a digital accessibility company that offers comprehensive solutions to make websites, apps, and digital assets accessible and compliant with global standards, including WCAG, ADA, Section 508, and other relevant standards, such as EAA EN 301 549. They have 10 years of experience in the digital accessibility industry, delivering a suite of website accessibility services that include automated and manual audits, managed website accessibility remediation, ongoing monitoring, document accessibility, training, consulting, and support.

As a W3C member, Skynet Technologies is committed to helping businesses of all sizes build inclusive digital experiences. The company has developed an AI-powered platform called All in One Accessibility®, which supports over 140 languages to cater to global audiences as well as a wide range of assistive technology solutions. Skynet’s digital accessibility services are ideal for State and Federal governments, educational and university websites, banking institutions, non-profits, and businesses of all sizes, as well as the public sector.

Deque Systems

Deque Systems offers customers proven accessibility testing solutions and a range of services to support accessibility compliance with global standards. The company’s Accessibility Awareness Lab is designed to help your team understand how people with disabilities experience and use technology. Deque University is a training resource that includes on-demand reference materials for every level and area of expertise in digital accessibility. Customers can deploy the Axe DevTools Browser Extension to automatically catch accessibility issues with the click of a button.

Level Access

Level Access supports digital accessibility with AI-powered solutions designed to empower every user. They offer audit and digital accessibility testing with automated scans and expert analysis. Customers can quickly identify and fix accessibility issues with the company’s AI-powered tools. Level Access provides customers with accessibility conformance reports to verify they meet requirements such as the ADA and WCAG.

EqualWeb

EqualWeb provides a hybrid accessibility solution that leverages AI-powered technology with a fully managed team of experts who audit a customer’s website and fix all issues related to WCAG. The company levels up your website to the highest accessibility standards and protects you from lawsuits and legal action. EqualWeb offers its prospective customers a free consultation to discuss their accessibility needs.

Siteimprove

Siteimprove helps team optimize their reach, reputation, revenue, and returns with AI-powered content intelligence. The company’s solutions integrate accessibility, digital governance, analytics, and search engine marketing in a unified platform. Siteimprove’s goal is to help businesses maximize the quality, performance, and accessibility of their websites.

Partner with a Reliable Cloud Provider

Atlantic.Net offers its customers reliable cloud hosting solutions to address any size business or usage scenario. Your company can leverage advanced processors and cutting-edge technology to meet business requirements and maintain a consistent, high-performing web presence. Atlantic.Net has been in business for over 30 years and has a proven track record of successfully providing cost-effective hosting solutions.

Companies can meet their accessibility goals by partnering with Atlantic.Net and engaging a specialized company to address accessibility barriers. Contact the team at Atlantic.Net to learn how our cloud hosting solutions can help your business thrive in today’s competitive business landscape.