Unqork + ADA Compliance

Unqork empowers government agencies to build applications that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Unqork is the world’s first no-code enterprise application platform. The Unqork platform empowers organizations to rapidly build and effectively maintain robust custom solutions—without code. 

The platform is designed to meet the digital needs of some of the world’s most demanding and heavily regulated state and local government sectors, where configurability and speed are critical. One of the key differentiators of Unqork is that it comes “out-of-the-box” (or, out-of-the-virtual-SaaS-box) with all the toolsets and elements necessary to quickly build and manage enterprise-ready applications.

Our team of local, state and federal government specialists are in lockstep with evolving federal regulations to be aware of any changes related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

To make content more accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities to implement proper Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)—as seen in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act—government agencies need new approaches that allow them to efficiently build compliant digital experiences. 

Among the various mandates for enhanced access, The ADA requires agencies to provide individuals with disabilities equal, unobstructed access to electronic information and data. Today, agencies are challenged with efficiently building digital services that address the needs of all users. To make content more accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities to implement proper Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)—as seen in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act—government agencies need new approaches that allow them to efficiently build compliant digital experiences. 

ADA Compliance Checklist

Digitized government services require web interaction from many people, including those with limitations on how they can interact with the web. Government agencies need to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to access web pages or applications as seamlessly as those without a disability.

The WCAG outlines four overarching goals a web page or application must achieve. Below is a simplified checklist for implementation.

Perceivable

To adapt to the varying senses (lack of sight, hearing loss, etc.), web pages and applications must cater to the following:

• Text alternatives: Provide text alternatives for any non-text content (e.g., images) so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language

• Time-based media: Provide alternatives for time-based media (e.g., synchronized captions on a video)

• Adaptable: Create content that can be presented in different ways without losing information or structure (e.g., content layout is not restricted to portrait orientation orientation)

• Distinguishable: Make it easier for users to see and hear content, particularly in regards to separating the foreground from the background 

Operable

To ensure user interface components and navigation are easily operable, web pages and applications must cater to the following:

• Keyboard accessible: Make all functionality available from a keyboard

• Enough time: Provide users enough time to read and use the content (e.g., when an authenticated session expires, the user can continue the activity without loss of data after re-authenticating)

• Seizures & physical reactions: Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures or physical reactions, like flashes that occur more than three times per second

• Navigable: Provide ways to help users intuitively navigate, find content, and determine where they are (e.g., pages have titles that describe the topic or purpose)

• Input modalities: Make it easier for users to operate functionality through various inputs beyond the keyboard (e.g., input is not restricted to a specific modality, such as touch-only or keyboard-only)

Understandable

For the information and operation of the user interface to be understandable, web pages and applications must cater to the following:

• Readable: Make text easy to understand, including unusual words (defined through adjacent text, a definition list, a glossary, or other suitable method) and abbreviations (writing the whole phrase out the first time it is used)

• Predictable: Have content and functionalities appear and operate in predictable, consistent ways (e.g., a search box at the top of the site should always be labeled the same way)

• Input assistance: Help users avoid and correct mistakes (e.g., error identification for required form elements)

Robust

For content to be interpreted by a wide variety of users, including assistive technologies, web pages and applications must cater to the following:

• Compatible: Maximize compatibility for current and future use, such as avoiding parsing errors in HTML

No-code software enables ADA compliance

While exceptionally necessary, ADA compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines is an extremely time- and resource-intensive undertaking—particularly for state, local, and federal agencies that have just begun their digitization journey. But it doesn’t have to be.

Unqork’s no-code application building capabilities enables state, local, and federal agencies to build public-facing applications that are ADA accessible from the start. The no-code platform allows simplified configuration around these rules; since the developer has a layer of abstraction between themselves and the codebase, they can build complex, highly-regulated applications by simply dragging and dropping elements.

These elements can be reused throughout your organization. Since all applications are built within a single, unified platform, accessing them across departments and other agencies is easier than ever before. Reusable components, snippets, and templates are housed in our Unqork Marketplace. Plus, as rules and expectations evolve, you can make changes in one location; those changes will scale-out from there, reducing the need for manual intervention across applications.

The priority is to help everyone have a great experience on websites and mobile applications. Unqork’s configurable platform is enabling governments to adapt and digitally transform. With efficient processes in place, agencies are freed up to more consistently have a pulse of what’s needed to ensure equitable access to users. Unqork’s highly configurable capabilities will address the entire experience from start to finish with a simple, intuitive visual that can be used by anyone. 

Looking to create flexible digital solutions that provide efficient services to the private sector and grow your local economy? Schedule a personalized demonstration with one of our in-house experts. Also, sign up for the Unqork newsletter and stay tuned into the latest no-code developments.