ADA & WCAG 2.2 Accessibility · Audit + Real Code Remediation
Accessibility Audits & Real Code Remediation
We audit your website against WCAG 2.2 AA, then fix the actual code — not a band-aid overlay — so your site works for people with disabilities and your legal exposure goes down.
- WCAG 2.2 AA standard
- Automated + manual testing
- Real fixes, no overlays
- We audit and remediate
- Images without alt textAlt text added
- Low-contrast textContrast fixed
- Form fields without labelsLabels added
- Keyboard trap in menuKeyboard access fixed
What it is
ADA & WCAG accessibility, audited and fixed
Elash Design Studio audits your website against WCAG 2.2 AA, the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. We use both automated scanning and manual testing with keyboard navigation and screen readers, then remediate the real source code, so issues are genuinely fixed rather than masked by an accessibility widget.
Web accessibility is both the right thing to do and a real source of legal risk. WCAG 2.2, published by the W3C in October 2023, is the current version of the guidelines, so it’s the standard we audit and remediate to.
As a combined UX and technical studio, Elash is unusually suited to this work: accessibility lives at the intersection of design, content, and code, and we cover all three. We don’t just hand you a report — we fix the issues.
Note: Elash Design Studio is not a law firm, and an audit does not constitute legal advice or guarantee immunity from litigation. For legal questions about ADA compliance, consult a qualified attorney.
The basics
What Is the ADA — and Does It Apply to Your Website?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a U.S. civil-rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Under Title III, courts have increasingly treated business websites as “places of public accommodation” that must be accessible. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the benchmark most often used to judge whether a site is accessible.
In plain terms: if customers can browse, buy, book, or contact you online, your website is expected to work for people who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive technology. The ADA applies to most businesses open to the public — retail, restaurants, healthcare, professional services, home services, and more — regardless of size.
There is no official government “ADA certification” for websites, which is exactly why WCAG matters: WCAG 2.2 AA is the current measurable, testable standard Elash audits against and remediates to. For state and local governments, the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2024 ADA Title II rule names WCAG 2.1 AA, and a site that meets 2.2 AA also meets 2.1 AA.
The risk
How Businesses End Up With an ADA Lawsuit
Most ADA web cases start the same way: an automated scan or a tester finds accessibility barriers on your site, and you receive a demand letter or a lawsuit — often with little warning. A single claim can mean legal fees, a settlement, and an urgent scramble to fix the site.
The pattern is predictable:
Barriers exist
Missing alt text, poor contrast, keyboard traps, or inaccessible forms — usually invisible to the owner.
Your site is flagged
Automated tools and testers scan many sites for barriers; yours gets identified.
Demand letter or suit
A legal demand arrives — and the clock, and the costs, start ticking.
It is far cheaper and less stressful to fix accessibility before a complaint arrives than after. A proactive audit and remediation removes the barriers plaintiffs look for, makes your site usable for everyone, and demonstrates a good-faith effort toward compliance. We help businesses act before the demand letter — not scramble after one.
This section is educational and not legal advice; Elash Design Studio is not a law firm. If you have already received a demand letter or lawsuit, contact a qualified attorney right away.
Real cases
Website accessibility lawsuits that shaped the law
Courts have held businesses responsible for websites that blind and low-vision customers can’t use, from national retailers to hospital systems. Dental and medical practices now face the same claims, and a federal rule sets a WCAG deadline for many healthcare providers.
Target (2006–2008)
The National Federation of the Blind sued because blind shoppers couldn’t use Target.com with screen readers. In 2008, Target agreed to a $6 million class settlement and to fix the site. Source
Domino’s Pizza (2016–2019)
A blind customer couldn’t order a pizza on the website or app. In 2019, the Ninth Circuit held that the ADA covers them, and the Supreme Court declined to review the case. Source
HCA hospitals (2017)
A legally blind patient sued a hospital company over websites with missing image descriptions and pages that couldn’t be used by keyboard alone. Source
Anthem / WellPoint (2014)
After blind members reported they couldn’t use the website, the insurer signed an agreement to bring it up to WCAG 2.0. Source
Doctors and dentists
What this means for medical and dental practices
Practice websites are a target because patients use them to book, fill out forms and pay. In California, the state dental association has warned members about accessibility claims against practice websites. And a federal health rule now requires WCAG 2.1 AA for many practices.
- California claimsThe California Dental Association reports minimum damages of $4,000 or more per claim, plus legal fees
- HHS Section 504 ruleProviders receiving HHS funds, including Medicaid and CHIP dental providers, must meet WCAG 2.1 AA
- What it coversWebsites, apps, patient portals, online intake and consent forms, and online payments
- DeadlinesMay 11, 2027 with 15+ employees; May 10, 2028 with fewer
Sources: California Dental Association, ADA News (American Dental Association), Federal Register, May 11, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Ask your attorney whether the rule applies to your practice.
No overlays
Real Remediation vs. Accessibility Overlays
Accessibility overlay widgets layer a script on top of your site and do not reliably fix the underlying code. Elash fixes the source code itself, which is what actually makes a site accessible and durable.
| Approach | Elash code remediation | Overlay / widget |
|---|---|---|
| Fixes underlying code | Yes | No |
| Works with all screen readers | Yes | No |
| Durable across redesigns | Yes | No |
| Addresses root causes | Yes | No |
| No third-party script dependency | Yes | No |
What we test
What a Full WCAG 2.2 AA Audit Covers
We evaluate against WCAG’s four principles — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust — combining automated scans with manual keyboard and screen-reader testing to catch the barriers tools alone miss.
- Color & contrastText and UI meet AA contrast ratios
- Text alternativesMeaningful alt text for images & media
- Keyboard operabilityEverything works without a mouse
- Visible focusClear focus indicators, never hidden behind sticky content
- Headings & landmarksLogical structure for screen readers
- Accessible formsLabels, instructions & clear error messages
- ARIA usageCorrect roles & states, no ARIA misuse
- Motion & mediaCaptions, pause controls, reduced motion
- Mobile accessibilityTouch target size & responsive zoom
- Robust markupValid, parseable code for assistive tech
Before and after
See what accessibility remediation changes
Drag the handle, or use the arrow keys, to compare a typical contact form before and after we fix it.
Placeholder text instead of labels, low-contrast text, an error shown only in red, and an icon-only button.
Visible labels, readable contrast, a clear focus ring, an error message that says how to fix it, and a labelled button.
Process
How Our Audit & Remediation Works
Audit
Automated scans plus manual testing with keyboard and screen readers, mapped to WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria.
Prioritized report
Every issue documented by severity and criterion, with screenshots and the exact recommended fix.
Code remediation
Our developers fix the real markup, ARIA, contrast, focus, and forms — highest-risk barriers first.
Verification
We re-test fixed items to confirm they pass and don’t introduce regressions.
Monitoring
Optional ongoing monitoring and re-audits keep you accessible as the site changes.
Documentation
A clear record of what was tested and fixed for your internal and compliance needs.
We audit to WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the current version of the guidelines. Meeting it also meets WCAG 2.1 AA, the version named in the DOJ’s ADA Title II rule for state and local governments.
Pricing
Accessibility audit pricing
No two businesses are the same. We’re not cookie cutters.
Your price depends on your goals, your market and where you stand today. Start with a free evaluation:
- We review how visible your business is today
- We run a quick audit of what’s holding you back
- You get a custom plan and a fixed quote
Remediation is quoted after the audit, based on what we find. If you hire us for the fixes, the audit fee is credited toward that work.
Get your free evaluationBeyond compliance
What an accessible site also improves
Accessibility fixes help every visitor, not only people who use assistive technology. The same work improves SEO, conversions and how well AI tools understand your pages.
SEO
Clear headings, descriptive alt text and semantic HTML help search engines understand each page.
Conversions
Labelled forms, clear error messages and readable contrast make it easier for everyone to call, book or buy.
AI parsing
Well-structured pages are easier for AI assistants to read and quote correctly. See AI search optimization.
Related
Accessibility for healthcare and retail sites
Healthcare and retail sites are frequent targets of accessibility demand letters. We build accessibility into these services:
Compliance and security
Website compliance and security audit: accessibility plus privacy, cookie consent and security.
Dental practices
Dental practice marketing: accessible practice websites with HIPAA-aware forms.
Liquor stores
Liquor store ecommerce: accessible online stores for liquor and wine shops.
Grocery stores
Grocery store ecommerce: accessible online ordering for grocery stores and markets.
For law firms
Accessibility Audits for Law Offices
Law firms are held to a high standard of trust and professionalism, and their own websites need to be accessible too. Elash provides ADA and WCAG 2.2 AA audits and code remediation for law offices, so your firm’s site meets the same standards your clients expect you to uphold — and removes the same risk every other business faces.
We support law offices in several ways: making your firm’s website accessible, defensible, and easy for every client to use, and providing clear, documented technical accessibility assessments for your compliance needs. Every audit maps each issue to a specific WCAG success criterion with evidence and the exact remediation, so nothing is vague or hand-wavy.
Technical accessibility analysis for legal teams
Elash also provides independent technical accessibility audits and expert analysis to law firms handling web accessibility matters. For legal teams representing plaintiffs in ADA cases, we deliver objective documentation mapped to WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria — precisely where and how a site fails each criterion, captured with reproducible evidence (screen-reader and keyboard testing, screenshots, and code references). The same rigor supports defense-side review. Our role is the technical findings; legal strategy stays with your attorneys.
Answers
Accessibility Audit FAQs
What is an ADA / WCAG accessibility audit?
An audit evaluates your website against WCAG 2.2 AA, the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. We combine automated scans with manual keyboard and screen-reader testing to find real barriers, then document each issue with the exact code fix.
Does the ADA apply to my website?
For most businesses open to the public, yes. Under ADA Title III, courts increasingly treat business websites as places of public accommodation that must be accessible, and this generally applies regardless of company size. If customers can browse, buy, book, or contact you online, your site is expected to be usable with assistive technology. This is educational, not legal advice — consult an attorney for your specific situation.
What should I do if I received an ADA demand letter or lawsuit?
First, contact a qualified attorney — Elash is not a law firm and this isn’t legal advice. On the technical side, you’ll typically need a prompt WCAG audit and real code remediation to fix the barriers cited. We can move quickly to audit, prioritize, and remediate, and document the work. The better long-term move is to audit proactively before a letter ever arrives.
Do you provide accessibility audits for law firms?
Yes. We audit and remediate law-office websites to WCAG 2.2 AA, and provide documented technical accessibility assessments for law firms’ own sites and compliance needs — each issue mapped to a specific WCAG success criterion with the evidence and fix.
Can Elash provide accessibility analysis to support a legal case?
Yes. We provide independent technical accessibility audits and expert analysis for legal teams — including firms representing plaintiffs in ADA cases — with objective documentation mapped to WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria, showing where and how a website fails, captured with reproducible evidence. The same rigor supports defense-side review. We provide the technical findings; legal strategy stays with your attorneys.
Do accessibility overlay widgets make my site ADA compliant?
No. Overlay widgets add a script on top of your site and don’t reliably fix the underlying code. We remediate the actual source code so the fixes are real and durable.
What does Elash check in an accessibility audit?
We test WCAG’s four principles — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust — covering contrast, alt text, keyboard operability, visible focus, structure, accessible forms, ARIA, motion/media, target size, and mobile accessibility.
What do I receive from the audit?
A prioritized report mapping each issue to its WCAG criterion and severity, with screenshots and recommended fixes. Because we’re also a development studio, we can implement the remediation directly.
Will an audit make my website lawsuit-proof?
No audit or vendor can guarantee immunity, and we’re not a law firm — this isn’t legal advice. A thorough audit and real remediation substantially reduce risk and make your site usable by people with disabilities. For legal questions, consult an attorney.
How long does accessibility remediation take?
An audit typically takes one to two weeks depending on site size; remediation depends on the number and complexity of issues. We fix the highest-impact, highest-risk barriers first.
Do you offer ongoing accessibility monitoring?
Yes. New content and design changes can introduce new barriers, so we offer ongoing monitoring and periodic re-audits to keep your site accessible as it evolves.
Which accessibility standard do you follow?
WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the current version published by the W3C. Content that meets WCAG 2.2 AA also meets WCAG 2.1 AA, the version named in the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2024 ADA Title II rule for state and local government websites.
Make your site accessible
Get an ADA & WCAG accessibility audit
Find the barriers, fix the real code, and reduce your risk — with a team that audits and remediates in one place.