ADA Compliance in Maine
ADA compliance in Maine is a legal obligation that requires you to provide accessible online content for all users. But accessibility is about more than just meeting standards. Every barrier you remove improves usability and creates a more inclusive experience for everyone who visits your website. Build a more accessible digital presence that meets the law and truly serves your audience.
Maine ADA Requirements
The State Government of Maine has long been doing its part to make information technologies and systems easier for everyone to access, steadily putting federal and state accessibility laws and policies into meaningful practice.
Americans With Disabilities Act and Section 508
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990, marked a turning point in civil rights, offering people with disabilities long-overdue protection from discrimination. In today’s age of digital technologies, Titles II and III carry serious weight.
Title III, while originally aimed at physical locations like stores and restaurants, has been interpreted by courts and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to stretch into virtual territory. If your website locks people out, you could face a discrimination lawsuit.
Then there is Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which spotlights federal agencies and requires that any technology they use or purchase be accessible to all, with no exceptions.
The Maine Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) is a grassroots advocacy group backed by federal funding, committed to ensuring Mainers with developmental disabilities are not left behind. It offers hands-on resources, policy know-how, and collaboration opportunities to help businesses truly open their doors to everyone.
Maine Digital Accessibility and Usability Policy
The Maine State Government Digital Accessibility and Usability Policy guarantees that all digital information and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Its purpose is to uphold equal access in compliance with the ADA, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Maine Human Rights Act.
The policy applies to digital content and technology, including websites, applications, documents, and multimedia, created, procured, or maintained by agencies under the Chief Information Officer. It also applies to external vendors and contractors, with limited exceptions for archived or legacy content not undergoing significant updates.
All covered digital resources must meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1, Levels A and AA. Agencies must build accessibility into all phases of digital development.
For Maine businesses, even if this policy does not officially apply to them, ignoring accessibility is a risky gamble.
Making your website or app usable for people with disabilities is not just good practice; it is good business. You avoid potential legal complications and, more importantly, welcome a broader audience that is too often overlooked.
Consequences of Noncompliance
In Maine, ignoring the ADA can result in serious legal and reputational consequences for businesses. A first offence can cost up to $75,000, and if it happens again, fines can soar to $150,000.
But money is not the only thing at stake. Individuals can sue, demanding not just damages, but real change, policy shifts and tech upgrades.
For small Maine businesses, those costs can be tough pills to swallow. Worse still, word gets around. In a tight-knit state that values fairness and community, a reputation for shutting people out does not just bruise your image; it can break it.
How To Make Sure Your Website Complies With Maine Accessibility Policies
Take these steps to make your website more welcoming to everyone and protect your business from potential legal complications, unexpected costs, and damage to your reputation:
- Conduct an Accessibility Audit: Conduct a comprehensive examination of your website with an accessibility audit. It will spotlight the rough patches that are tripping people up and show you how to smooth the path for every visitor.
- Implement Accessible Features: To boost accessibility and user experience, use descriptive link text, add captions and transcripts for multimedia, and maintain consistent layouts so visitors can navigate your site with ease.
At Be Accessible, we believe accessibility is not just about checking off legal requirements; it is about opening digital doors for everyone. We conduct comprehensive site audits, fine-tune issues with smart fixes, implement professional PDF remediations, and offer custom training built around real-world needs. As a result, a website that not just meets standards but feels intuitive, inclusive, and effortless for every visitor who lands there.
Be Accessible Increases Digital Accessibility Every Day
We serve a wide range of industries from restaurants to tech companies to financial institutions and everything in between.
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