Joseph C. Dolson -- "In the United States, there are no laws binding business to conform to any level of website accessibility. Many government and government-supported organizations are bound by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, but these rules do not extend to private business concerns. However, even if you conduct business only in the United States, this is little reason to fail to conform to common website accessibility standards found in the WCAG 2.0.

"The Americans with Disabilities Act Regulation for Title III prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in "places of public accommodation," covering businesses and non-profit agencies which serve the public and "commercial facilities." This regulation is highly specific to physical places of business, and imposes strict requirements on any remodeling performed on your place of business or any new construction. While no such law exists to protect the disabled while visiting your virtual place of business online, there is a strong movement from disability advocates to create or adapt existing regulations in order to provide these protections....

"What Should eCommerce Merchants Do?

"Ultimately, ecommerce merchants should ensure their website is as accessible as it possibly can be. Take some time to learn about web accessibility so that you are familiar with the issues at stake before you hire a consultant to review or repair your website. But don't neglect to protect your business because you didn't realize your risks."

Published by:  PracticaleCommerce.com

Date: June 30, 2009

URL: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/1167-Web-Accessibility-and-the-Law

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