Hurix DigitalHurix DigitalHurix DigitalHurix Digital
  • Home
  • What we do
    • Digital Content Solutions
      • eLearning & Training Solutions
      • Higher Education Solutions
      • K-12 Content Solutions
      • Design, Animation & Video Services
    • Digital Content Transformation
      • Production Services
      • Editorial and Pre-Press Services
      • Quality As A Service
      • Robotic Process Automation
    • Digital Engineering & Technology
      • Learning Technology Services
      • Managed Cloud Services
      • Custom Software Development
      • E-Commerce Solutions
      • Business Analysis as a service
    • Digital Platforms
      • Kitaboo
      • Kitaboo Insight
      • Kitaboo College
      • Learning Management System
  • Who we are
    • About Us
    • Life at Hurix
    • Careers
  • Who We Serve
    • Higher Education Institutions
    • K-12 Institutions
    • Enterprises
    • Publishers
    • Societies & Nonprofit Associations
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Case Studies
    • How To Guides
    • Whitepapers
    • Point Of View
    • Awards
    • Press Releases
    • Podcast
    • Glossary
  • Contact Us
    Home Digital Engineering & Technology The Difference Between Accessibility Compliance and Accessibility Conformance
    NextPrevious

    The Difference Between Accessibility Compliance and Accessibility Conformance

    By Gokulnath B | Digital Engineering & Technology | Comments are Closed | 24 April, 2023 | 0

    Do you use the terms accessibility compliance and accessibility conformance synonymously? If so, then you should know that a difference exists between them. 

    While compliance refers to mandatory adherence, conformance is all about voluntary adherence. In other words, accessibility compliance refers to compulsorily following all the web accessibility standards.

    On the other hand, accessibility compliance refers to a formal or informal commitment of a company to web accessibility standards. 

    Purpose Of Accessibility Compliance And Conformance 

    As far as purpose is concerned, website accessibility compliance and website accessibility conformance share an overlap. The main purpose of both of these concepts is to make websites accessible to all people, including those who live with disabilities. 

    Fulfilling this purpose keeps you away from potential lawsuits and helps you comply with the ADA (the Americans with Disabilities Act). Accessibility conformance is a civil rights law that forbids discrimination against those who have disabilities in all facets of life, especially while utilizing electronic and informational technology.

    Besides this, it also helps you meet the requirements of accessibility standards like –

    • Section 508: This law came about in 1988 with the amendment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974. It’s a US federal law that requires federal agencies to ensure that their electronic and information technology is accessible to people who live with disabilities.

      Apart from the federal agencies, it applies to companies associated with them or doing business with them. In 2017, Section 508 was modified to mandate that agencies adhere to WCAG 2.0 Level A/AA. 
    • WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): These guidelines were created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) with the intention of making content accessible to people, especially those who have deafness, blindness, cognitive limitations, speech deficits, etc.

      The latest version of these globally accepted web accessibility guidelines is called WCAG 2.1.

    Applications Of Accessibility Compliance

    There are many practical applications of being compliant with web accessibility standards, with one of them being that your website will be accessible to everyone because of having –

    • Properly styled and coded headings
    • Good image descriptions with alt-text
    • Subtitles and captions for videos 
    • Presence of high color contrast
    • The feature of autofill for forms
    • Well-written table of contents and glossaries
    • Error-free and readable language
    • The consistent layout of web pages
    • Easy to navigate with a keyboard 
    • User-friendly web interface

    Besides this, you will also be able to enjoy having the following:

    Increased Reach To New Audiences

    When your website is accessible, people with disabilities will spend time on your website instead of clicking away. And word of mouth will only increase this and make new people flock to your website. 

    When your website is easy to navigate and use, people with access needs will keep coming back to use your website rather than going to another one. Such a website will eventually build a sense of trust and reputation for your brand. This will, in turn, lead to the retention of customers and add to loyalty towards your brand. 

    Improved SEO Score

    WCAG website compliance will easily increase your SEO score. Accessibility standards and search engines require you to produce quality content with great structure and functionality. Taking measures to avoid empty headers, providing appropriate link text, etc., will satisfy your users.

    And it will likely persuade search engines like Google that the content and user experience on your website is inclusive to everyone. This will increase your likelihood of ranking higher on Google. 

    Inclusive Work Environment

    Diversity in the workplace is very important in creating an inclusive work environment. When your website is accessible, people with disabilities can easily use the website. It also lets them know that you care about them and are mindful of their access needs.

    This will increase the loyalty of your employees to your company and motivate them to take it to new heights. Apart from businesses, people with disabilities will also be able to enjoy benefits such as:

    • Independent living: They will be able to access whatever information they want in its complete form without feeling limited by technology and without requiring assistance from others. 
    • Increased participation in society: An accessible website will allow people with disabilities to participate more in society. It will also allow them to engage in activities like online banking, online shopping, online booking, etc. 
    • Increased employment opportunities: Accessibility will increase the access of people with disabilities to training materials, job postings, and other job resources. As a result, their employability will increase, and so will the employment opportunities for them. 
    • Enhanced mental health: Being able to carry out activities without having to rely on others and having access to mental health resources online will have a positive impact on the mental health of people with disabilities. 

    Applications Of Accessibility Conformance 

    You won’t be sued or have to face lawsuits if you don’t conform to web accessibility standards. But it’s always a better idea to adhere to WCAG criteria.

    This is because it has many practical applications, one of them being that it helps you retain more customers. Some other applications and benefits include:

    • Building better connections with your customers
    • Upholding your moral responsibility to the society
    • Reduction in the long-term web development costs 
    • Reaching new demographics of the population

    The End Note 

    Accessibility compliance and accessibility conformance are different in terms of legal requirements: the former is mandatory, while the latter is voluntary. Yet, they are pretty similar in terms of their purpose – making websites accessible for everyone, especially 16% of the global population living with disabilities. 

    Regardless of their differences, web accessibility is crucial for your business. So, if you want to check whether your website is compliant with accessibility standards, reaching out to web accessibility consultants like Hurix can help. 

    Hurix offers the combined services of software tools and IAAP-certified experts for checking accessibility according to the WCAG compliance checker. Besides an accessibility audit, Hurix also provides VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) report. 

    Hurix helps you adhere to accessibility laws and aids you in enhancing the usability of your website. In addition, Hurix is the trusted choice of Deloitte, IKEA, Cambridge University Press, etc. 

    To create an accessible web presence for all, connect with Hurix. 

    web accessibility

    Gokulnath B

    Gokulnath B is the Associate Vice President - Editorial Services. He is PMP, CSM, and CPACC certified and has 20+ years of experience in Project Management, Delivery Management, and managing the Offshore Development Centre (ODC).

    More posts by Gokulnath B

    Related Post

    • Web Accessibility: The Importance of Heading Levels and How to Use Them Effectively

      By Gokulnath B | Comments are Closed

      Headings are an essential component of web accessibility, as they help users navigate and understand the content of a web page. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) thatRead more

    • Accessibility for Publishers

      The Business Benefits of Accessibility for Publishers

      By Hurix | Comments are Closed

      What is accessibility? Simply put, accessibility is a means to ensure that digital content is inclusive and accessible to all people, with or without disabilities. Accessibility ensures that people, especially those with disabilities have theRead more

    • wcag

      5 Reasons Why Enterprises Need to be WCAG Compliant

      By Hurix | Comments are Closed

      Businesses aim for legal compliance in order to avoid any run-ins with the law. In addition to the usual compliance processes followed by a company, such as GDPR, workplace safety, HIPAA, POSH, etc., WCAG complianceRead more

    • Why Colour Contrast Matters for Web Accessibility?

      By Gokulnath B | Comments are Closed

      Colour contrast is the degree of difference in hue, lightness, or saturation between two or more colours. It is the visual distinction between foreground and background colours, text and background colours, or any two elementsRead more

    • The Importance of Web Accessibility and How Hurix is Making a Difference

      By Gokulnath B | Comments are Closed

      In today’s digital age, web accessibility has become a critical aspect of website design and development. With the growing number of people with disabilities using the internet, ensuring accessibility on websites is essential. This hasRead more

    NextPrevious

    More Resources

    • Case Studies
    • Whitepapers
    • How To Guides
    • Point of View
    • Awards
    • Press Release
    • Podcast
    • Glossary

    Follow Us

    Recent Posts

    • 9 June, 2023
      Comments Off on Is Game-Based Learning the Future of Education?

      Is Game-Based Learning the Future of Education?

    • 9 June, 2023
      Comments Off on Top 8 Benefits of Educational Games in K12 Learning

      Top 8 Benefits of Educational Games in K12 Learning

    • 9 June, 2023
      Comments Off on 4 Reasons Why AR Training is Improving L&D

      4 Reasons Why AR Training is Improving L&D

    • 9 June, 2023
      Comments Off on Top 7 Benefits of Online Learning Platforms for Working Professionals

      Top 7 Benefits of Online Learning Platforms for Working Professionals

    Categories

    • Digital Content Solutions
    • Digital Engineering & Technology
    • Digital Products & Platforms
    • Digital Transformation Services
    • Higher Ed & K-12 Solutions

    Services & Solutions

    • Managed Cloud Services
    • Custom Software Development
    • eLearning & Training Solutions
    • Editorial and Pre-Press Services
    • Higher Education Solutions

    Products and Platforms

    • Kitaboo
    • Kitaboo Insight
    • Kitaboo College
    • Learning Management System
    • ePUB3 Conversion

    Resources

    • Blog
    • Case Studies
    • Press Releases
    • How To Guides
    • Whitepapers
    • Point Of View
    • Glossary

    About Us

    • Our Clients
    • Contact Us
    • Awards
    • CSR Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    Copyright © 2023 Hurix | All Rights Reserved.
    • Home
    • What we do
      • Digital Content Solutions
        • eLearning & Training Solutions
        • Higher Education Solutions
        • K-12 Content Solutions
        • Design, Animation & Video Services
      • Digital Content Transformation
        • Production Services
        • Editorial and Pre-Press Services
        • Quality As A Service
        • Robotic Process Automation
      • Digital Engineering & Technology
        • Learning Technology Services
        • Managed Cloud Services
        • Custom Software Development
        • E-Commerce Solutions
        • Business Analysis as a service
      • Digital Platforms
        • Kitaboo
        • Kitaboo Insight
        • Kitaboo College
        • Learning Management System
    • Who we are
      • About Us
      • Life at Hurix
      • Careers
    • Who We Serve
      • Higher Education Institutions
      • K-12 Institutions
      • Enterprises
      • Publishers
      • Societies & Nonprofit Associations
    • Resources
      • Blog
      • Case Studies
      • How To Guides
      • Whitepapers
      • Point Of View
      • Awards
      • Press Releases
      • Podcast
      • Glossary
    • Contact Us
    Hurix Digital