1. Understand What ADA Compliance Means

ADA compliance for websites is generally measured against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), most often WCAG 2.1, Level AA. Key requirements include:

• Text alternatives for images (alt text)
• Keyboard navigation (site usable without a mouse)
• Readable contrast between text and background
• Captions for videos
• Scalable text (zooming without breaking layout)
• Clear structure with headings and labels

2. Run Automated Accessibility Tests

You can start with free tools:

• WAVE Web Accessibility Tool (https://wave.webaim.org/) – paste in your URL and it will flag missing alt text, low contrast, missing form labels, etc.
• Google Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools) – runs an accessibility audit and gives you a score.
• axe DevTools (browser extension) – detailed accessibility scan with explanations.

⚠️ Automated tools usually catch about 30–40% of issues. Manual review is still needed.

3. Do Manual Checks

Try these yourself:

• Navigate only with your keyboard (Tab/Shift+Tab/Enter). Can you reach all menus, links, and buttons?
• Zoom your browser to 200%. Does the text remain readable without cutting off content?

Screen reader test (NVDA for Windows, VoiceOver for Mac/iOS). Does it read your site’s menus, buttons, and forms clearly?

4. Get a Professional Audit

If you need certainty, you may want a third-party accessibility audit. Local website companies or accessibility consultants can run compliance tests and give a remediation plan.