Vision Impaired Users Make Strides in Ensuring Accessible Sites

In early September, a precedent was set that retailers must make their websites accessible to vision impaired users. Those who fail to comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not making their sites accessible, risk the chance of being sued.

This all comes from a recent class-action suit brought on by the National Federation of the Blind against Target Corporation. National Federation challenged that Target's website is inaccessible to the vision impaired and therefore violates ADA. The court denied Target the request to acquit the action claiming that no law required their site to be accessible. The court held that federal and state civil laws apply to a large retailer site like Target's. Because ADA compliant brick-and-mortar Target stores are accessible for those with disabilities to enjoy goods and services, all services they provide must be accessible for those with disabilities, like their website.

According to National Federation of the Blind president Dr. Marc Maurer, this has been a great triumph for vision impaired people throughout the country.

Some particular areas on Target's site that were nearly impossible for vision impaired users to independently navigate were product browsing and purchasing as well as being able to find important information like employment opportunities, investor news, and policies. This is because alt-text that allows users to obtain information vocally was not included and maps and graphical features were very unfriendly for those with accessibility needs. Vision impaired users use screen reading software to navigate websites where on-screen information is vocalized to the user.

This case calls for web site owners to analyze their site for accessibility. Places of public accommodation are not allowed to discriminate, meaning if they provide goods in brick-and-mortar ADA compliant establishments, the website the company uses to enhance and provide those same goods on must be ADA compliant.

SAMSA specializes in web accessibility and can help make your company's website truly accessible to all.