Have you been hearing more about ADA compliance lately? Some states have strict rules that are being enforced regarding ADA compliance. In order to make sure you and your district are ADA compliant, we want to run through a quick primer to help.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliance means that your website is as accessible as possible for those with a wide range of disabilities. From ensuring all of your images have clear alt text, to the ability to adjust contrast or font size, ADA compliance covers many bases. All public entities–meaning every public school–must comply with Title II of the ADA.
Health-e Pro’s Accessibility Update
Health-e Pro has achieved WCAG 2.2 Level AAA compliance, representing the highest standard of web accessibility. Level AAA goes beyond basic requirements and makes sure advanced accessibility needs are met, including:
- Enhanced contrast and readability
- Improved keyboard navigation and focus behavior
- Clear structure and navigation for screen readers and assistive technologies
- Strong support for users with cognitive and visual impairments
WCAG Explained: The Accessibility Standard
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the internationally recognized standards for digital accessibility.
WCAG is organized into four core principles, often referred to as POUR:
- Perceivable: Content is available to users through sight, hearing, and touch.
- Operable: Navigation and interactive elements work with keyboards and assistive devices.
- Understandable: Content and interface behavior are clear and predictable.
- Robust: Content works across browsers, devices, and assistive technologies.
WCAG includes three levels of conformance:
- Level A (minimum)
- Level AA (commonly required)
- Level AAA (highest standard)
Shared Responsibility for Accessibility
Our products are customizable and as such, you will need to ensure the information you add to the site meets these standards as well.
Here are some things you can do to make your public-facing web pages ADA compliant:
- Establish an accessibility policy.
- Include a notice in the My School Menus footer and/or the Health-e Living “Contact Us” page. Be sure to list a district contact email address (not Health-e Pro).
- Make sure content is accessible by providing descriptive alt text for all images, transcripts for video and audio content, and that any PDF documents that are linked to have an HTML-equivalent page.
What Is Alt Text and Why It Matters
Alt text (alternative text) is the descriptive text that is associated with each image on a web page. It allows a device or screen reader to understand the information within the image if the image itself isn’t rendered on a browser or screen. If a user is unable to see the image due to disability, alt text allows the user’s screen reader to speak the alt text audibly.
For example:
- A Health-e Pro logo might use alt text such as “Health-e Pro logo”
- A food image might use alt text such as “green apple”
Put another way, a screen reader allows a user to listen to the content that is being displayed visually on a web page. In order for a screen reader or a similar device to work, each web page needs to be coded properly.
Sample Website Accessibility Notice
XYZ School District websites are committed to providing access to all individuals, with or without disabilities, seeking information on our website. If, because of a disability, you are unable to access content on this website, have questions about the accessibility of content or technology used by the District, and/or would like to report barriers to accessing any technology used by the District, including this website, please email (district e-mail address) and describe:
- The nature of the accessibility needs
- The URL (web address) of the content you would like to access
- Your contact information
We will attempt to provide the information requested and seek to correct any accessibility issues on our website. We do recommend you seek your district’s legal counsel to ensure the wording is appropriate for your needs.
This blog post has been updated on 1/13/26 to reflect Health-e Pro’s compliance with WCAG 2.2 Level AAA.