Enhancing Ada Compliance for Websites and Online Applications: A Heuristic Evaluation Approach

Abstract

The guidance provided by the ADA regarding online applications can be unclear and has led to the adoption of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as the standards for assessing online accessibility and achieving ADA compliance. While these standards are helpful, they are not perfect and have faced criticism due to usability concerns. As a result, our objective is to create review heuristics that combine the guidance of WCAG 2.0 and Section 508, which can serve as a practical and effective tool for assessing web ADA compliance. The heuristics function similar to a usability heuristic evaluation, which has been proven successful for decades. This article will first focus on developing the ADA compliance heuristics, then it demonstrates the use of the heuristics.