Deafness, hearing loss, and being hard of hearing are some of the most common disabilities in the U.S. and worldwide, yet there are still many misconceptions surrounding hearing disabilities — including that there are many different levels of hearing. Here are 8 facts about hearing impairment and how they relate to web accessibility.

The websites of twenty two presidential candidates for the 2020 election were tested for accessibility by the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, and the results are in: "Not one website – Democrat or Republican – was fully accessible for a blind or visually impaired person to navigate."

With so much recent focus on web accessibility, you might find yourself wondering: is it actually just a fad?

A careful review of the evidence suggests that web accessibility is much more than a passing fad. Here are 4 reasons why web accessibility is here to stay.

If a customer were visiting you in your store and needed assistance with something, most likely they would ask. If a customer or potential customer is visiting your website and they can't do or find something because it isn't accessible, what are they going to do?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are often called the most accepted and universal standards for web accessibility — but how widespread is WCAG really?

“Accessible travel” is the concept that all people — including people with vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive impairments — should be able to do what they want to do and go where they want to go without facing unnecessary barriers, physical or digital, that prevent them from enjoying their travel and tourism experiences to the fullest capacity possible.

Much has been written and discussed about the accessibility of digital materials used in education, and as the concepts of web accessibility become more-commonly understood and applied, there should be more movement in that space in the not-so-distant future. Most people understand why it's critical for a student's success that they have access to the information and materials they need when they need them. What happens, though, when it isn't the student that faces accessibility barriers, but the parent or parents?

It can be tricky to keep track of rapid changes in accessibility perception, laws, and lawsuits, and to understand which laws apply to certain websites. So, do state and local government websites have to be accessible?

For companies in the retail industry, they should make sure to especially consider whether:

• Their online presence is tied to a physical location.
• Their e-commerce functions are accessible to people with disabilities.
• They are maximizing SEO and website traffic through accessibility.
• Their emails, social media, and landing pages are also accessible.
• They are reaching every customer they could or excluding people because of the inaccessibility of their website or app.

We believe that creating a separate website for people with disabilities is a form of segregation and can be discriminatory, and we advise against it unless there is absolutely no way around it. If you asking if you should have a separate accessible website, please also ask yourself these questions.

Creating accessible videos can drastically broaden their reach and usability. Unfortunately an often-overlooked part of video production, accessibility doesn't have to add significant time or cost, especially when considered from the beginning. Everyone benefits from accessible videos. Here are the steps to creating an accessible video.

The number of website accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court in 2018 was nearly triple the lawsuits from 2017. Learn why this is happening and where we think the number of lawsuits will land in 2019.

An Investment in Your Company and Your Customers

There is still a myth out there that creating digital experiences to be accessible or remediating for digital accessibility is a cost with little or no benefit. Usually fueling this belief are the questions of how many people accessibility actually helps and whether it is really necessary. Here are just a few of the reasons to flip the script and think of digital accessibility as an investment, not a cost.

Businesses that have a Letter of Reasonable Accessibility will be better-protected from accessibility lawsuits, according to the Bureau of Internet Accessibility (BoIA). BoIA clients who have opted into ongoing support will receive a Letter of Reasonable Accessibility that helps prove their accessibility compliance. Clients’ attorneys can quickly refer to and share the letter to help defend against web accessibility lawsuits.

The ADA applies to websites

Domino's website and app must be accessible, appeals court says

Ninth Circuit Court Appeals has reversed the lower court's dismissal of a web accessibility case against the pizza company. The court determined the ADA applies to websites and that just because the ADA doesn't specify WCAG-compliance, accessibility is still the law.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a life so impactful, marked by such rare courage and strength of character, that words like "extraordinary" and "inspiring" knowingly fall short — well short. To honor his legacy and recognize that his leadership directly changed the course of American history — not just for the lives of the marginalized groups he fought and ultimately died for, but for the enlightened consciousness of an entire nation — we celebrate him on the third Monday of January each year.

The Bureau of Internet Accessibility (BoIA) announced today that it has launched the industry’s first live accessibility support phone line that will aid a website’s visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new support system enhances the company’s robust accessibility monitoring and support program to assist organizations with digital accessibility legal requirements.

How do you know if your website is ADA compliant? As web accessibility lawsuits continue to rise, many organizations are seeking to answer this question sooner than later. As places of public accommodation, websites need to be accessible to people with disabilities — in the same way that physical locations need to be accessible to be in compliance with laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Beyonce's company, Parkwood Entertainment, is being sued over allegations that the singer's official website (Beyonce.com) is not accessible to blind or visually-impaired people and is thus in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Here's what the lawsuit states and what we can learn from it.

By promising to change the way we live, work, and travel, the Internet of Things (IoT) is projected to have a more dramatic impact in the very near future. When IoT devices are built to be accessible, they can greatly enhance the quality of life for some people. But what happens when they aren't accessible?

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced big changes to its Case Processing Manual (CPM), removing the OCR's ability to dismiss complaints it deems an "unreasonable burden" and reinstating the opportunity to appeal.

WCAG 2.1 includes a new guideline for input modalities, helping to ensure that various input methods beyond keyboard input are functional. Read about the four Level A success criteria that support the new Input Modalities guideline.

Last year, the biggest 100 US retailers brought in $108 billion in online sales in November and December. But what happens when online retailers leave out the 1-in-4 American adults with a disability? Consider the impact accessibility has on the holiday shopping season and Cyber Monday.

The holiday shopping season is upon us again. E-commerce sites, just like physical stores, need to be accessible for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, online shopping sometimes poses unique challenges. Expand your audience and help ensure ADA compliance by making your e-commerce site accessible.

When a company decides to prioritize web accessibility, they've committed to making their website usable for people with disabilities. For companies to maintain that commitment, they need to avoid believing the myth that accessibility is a one-time fix — remaining ADA compliant requires maintenance and regular accessibility checks.