Nowadays, we can witness countless instances of website owners and visitors discussing website accessibility. It is 2021, after all, and with all modern web design and layout aspects, it’s only logical for accessibility to make an impact. Still, it’s often an underrated subject since not all website owners are thoroughly familiar with the term. Namely, the best website accessibility software may benefit all sides in 2021. Implementing the website accessibility guidelines is obligatory in 2021 and, in most cases – lawfully enforced. So, this guide can perhaps provide the much-needed help for the owners to avoid any legal action against them. On the other hand, it also makes the entire website much more navigable for disabled visitors. That being said, let’s jump straight into the best website accessibility software available this year!
Using the Best Website Accessibility Software in 2021
According to the US Supreme Court, the number of accessibility-related lawsuits in 2020 has tripled compared to results in 2017. The guidelines are swiftly being implemented in the law of many countries all over the world. Still, avoiding legal charges isn’t the only motivation for website owners to include the guidelines.
The WCAG 2.0, ADA guidelines or updated version of the W3C guidelines can boost site visitors’ engagement. It only sounds logical that giving the disabled a fair chance of scrolling the sites can be beneficial for traffic. Besides, it’s a noble thing to do since it allows the disabled to have equal navigation through websites finally.
All these aspects are further boosted by the fact that these guidelines can be implemented on the site at its build. This makes it easier for the owners to ensure an equal usage of integrated site tools. However, although it’s now clear that website accessibility is an essential factor, it gets tough to choose specific software. Luckily, we’ll address the matter of website accessibility and choosing the best website accessibility software in 2021 shortly!
What makes a solution fit in the best website accessibility software?
Before we get to a detailed list of the best website accessibility solutions available so far, it’s crucial to understand the requirements. Moreover, without a perfect understanding of what makes a solution one of the best accessibility software, there are no results. For that matter, we’ll now focus on some of the important aspects that make a website accessibility solution effective.
A quality website accessibility solution should cover several usability factors. First off, it needs to have a scanning option that runs full testing of the site’s compatibility with web accessibility guidelines. Next, the functionality of the solution greatly depends on its testing method. Namely, some solutions use manual scans, while some run fully automated tests. Truth being said, the golden middle can be the most effective here. Some tools use automatic scans but with manually-set checkboxes that website owners can fill by their will. These checkboxes include a selection of audit focus points, different variants of guidelines, and preferred actions.
Since there are three levels of guidelines: A, AA, or AAA, manual selection is essential. Ultimately, the more complex solutions are often the most effective ones, considering the diversity of disabilities.
Instances of the Best Website Accessibility Software in 2021
Now that we’ve come all the way to explain the significance and variety of website accessibility software and tools, it’s time to get to the best solutions. The following instances of website accessibility checkers and implementation software are based on usability aspects and efficiency.
Of course, some website owners will settle for one option while others will go for another one, but all of the solutions mentioned make a difference.
The accessiBe tool is a perfect example of what the best website accessibility software should represent in 2021. It also comes with a two-part functionality that we’ve previously discussed. Seemingly, the accessiBe does everything for the website owner. It runs a full accessibility scan frequently at least once in 24 hours. The solution functions based on the AI system that including the WCAG guidelines. It will immediately report an accessibility issue to the site owner.
That’s where its second part gets in the equation. The accessiBe solution comes with a manual interface that includes specific disability checkers. Users can check the options for Epilepsy security, blinking prevention, alter texts, fonts, and much more.
The EqualWeb tool makes another impressive and complete tool to use for website accessibility in 2021. EqualWeb comes fully prepared for action at any point with its outstanding plugin that operates on several levels.
This checker also comes with an integrated list of scans and disability factors check depending on the level of compliance. It also ensures that the entire development team is supplied with all necessary info to continue providing an accessible environment.
The Deque solution is one of the best website accessibility software that operates based on manual checks. It also has some automated options, but it’s for the best that the site developer or owner puts in the requirements. Deque will run a fast first scan based on the checkboxes selected, and it includes a robust layout. It’s fairly easy to use and understand, while the guidelines included are the latest WCAG 2.1 and ADA focus points.
The report will tell you the conformance level, and which aspects need improvement, while Deque is best used for business-oriented sites. It’s one of the best tools to use for personally modified scans.
If you need complete accessibility training starting from scratch, Compliance Sheriff may be one of the best options to go with. The tool is unique in this line of solutions as it relies on customized audit elements. The Compliance Sheriff ensures complete website accessibility compliance with consulting aspects and several guideline types.
It’s perfect for use when it comes to discovering the different accessibility aspects, and it rates a site with an accessibility score.
One of the most prominent solutions of the website accessibility software is UserWay. This tool rates fairly high in the field, making it one of the logical choices. Still, before using it, the website owners need to know more about some of its main details.
The UserWay solution is an automated solution that deals with major disability problems like dyslexia. It also offers a unique way to make a site accessible. The widget makes sure that a site is compatible with the latest accessibility requirements. On the other hand, the UserWay scan in over a hundred points makes it impossible to overlook accessibility issues.
The DYNO mapper tool is one of the most interesting options to go with when picking the best website accessibility software. It comes with an easily adjustable scan track that runs detailed scans at the selected time.
This option is perfect for those that know exactly what they’re looking for, as it can be set to repeat the scan daily. Checkboxes allow customers to set up an individual set of guidelines that need to be addressed.
The A11Y solution fits in the group of the best website accessibility software for a good reason. Namely, this platform is also unique in the way that it is perfect for novice users. The platform itself provides sufficient accessibility training and aspects with a step-by-step guide. Its other task is to check the site via an automated test to confirm that it conforms with most regulations.
AChecker is one of the easiest solutions to find online, and it’s free and easy to use. It only requires the HTML file or URL navigation to ensure maximum conformance. The tool also provides the website owners with different possibilities in terms of guidelines included.
Besides the WCAG and ADA guidelines, the AChecker also includes section 508 and many other crucial guidelines.
AKEA Web solutions provide a quality checker for website accessibility conformance in 2021. It’s one of the most reliable options to go with, as millions of its users have stated. To further point out the significance of this tool, it’s enough to mention its guidelines.
The AKEA Web tool functions based on the latest WCAG guidelines, ADA act, section 508, and more. It comes with manual features combined with an automated scanner that swiftly points to any issues.
How to decide on the Best Website Accessibility Software?
Deciding on the most valuable accessibility software can be tough. Although most of the mentioned solutions should do the job, sometimes website owners need more narrow checks. So, it’s crucial to know the kinds of disabilities that require additional tests. Site owners should always look for dyslexia and color blindness, color checker, audio checker, and cognitive details.
Moreover, the tool used must allow the implementation of assistive tools on the site. Some of the most important assistive tools are screen readers, code detectors, voice recognition, and full keyboard operability plugins.
Conclusion
Ensuring that the site complies with all the latest website accessibility regulations is nearly impossible without accordant tools. The checkers and accessibility software provided in this article should be enough to cover most of the issues of site owners. Still, website accessibility is a much bigger issue than it seems.
That’s why it requires constant efforts from guideline creators, website owners, website users, and code developers. It’s of the utmost importance that we all address this issue together, and the best website accessibility software solutions can greatly help the cause.
