Website ADA Compliance in Montana: A Guide to Accessible Websites

Website ADA Compliance in Montana: what Montana sites need to know

Website ADA compliance in Montana matters for businesses, local government and organisations that offer goods or services online. This guide explains which laws and standards matter, how to check a site, a clear remediation checklist, and practical steps to reduce legal and accessibility risk.

Which laws and standards apply

The principal legal framework is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title II covers state and local government websites. Title III applies to places of public accommodation, which often includes private businesses that serve the public. For technical standards, most organisations follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA as the practical benchmark. Section 508 is a federal standard that applies to federal agencies and some contractors.

How courts and enforcement typically treat websites

Court decisions vary across jurisdictions. Some rulings support ADA claims about websites and apps, while others limit liability depending on the website’s connection to a physical place of public accommodation. Regulatory enforcement and private demand letters are common. When accessibility is in question, the safe approach is to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and keep documentation of audits and fixes.

Who in Montana should prioritise web accessibility

• Retailers, restaurants and hotels with an online presence or online booking
• Medical clinics, pharmacies and public health sites
• Local government and state agency websites
• Schools, colleges and training providers
• Any business that receives federal funds or government contracts

Core WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria to address first

Start with the most common barriers. These criteria give the largest accessibility benefit for the least effort.

• Text alternatives: All meaningful images need alt text or an appropriate empty alt for decorative images.
• Keyboard access: All functionality must work without a mouse, including menus, forms and interactive components.
• Contrast: Normal text should meet a 4.5:1 contrast ratio. Large text should meet 3:1.
• Captions and transcripts: Provide captions for prerecorded video and live captions when feasible. Supply transcripts for audio content.
• Semantic HTML and focus order: Use headings, lists and landmarks correctly and ensure logical tab order.
• ARIA: Use WAI-ARIA only to fill gaps when native HTML cannot provide the required semantics.

Step-by-step practical audit and remediation plan

1. Quick triage (1 day)

Run automated scans and a manual smoke test. Open the home page, one product or service page, and the checkout or contact form. Note obvious failures like missing alt text, broken focus, unreadable contrast or captions missing for video.

2. Full technical audit (1–4 weeks depending on site size)

• Automated testing with tools such as axe, WAVE or Lighthouse.
• Manual testing for keyboard navigation, screen reader experience with NVDA or VoiceOver, and mobile accessibility.
• Review PDFs and documents for tagging and readable text.
• Prioritise findings into critical, high, medium and low.

3. Remediation sprint

Fix critical issues first. Typical critical items are broken forms, inaccessible checkout steps, missing alt text for product images, and video without captions. Use semantic HTML, fix CSS focus styles, and add ARIA only when necessary.

4. User testing with people who have disabilities

Test core tasks with at least two people who use assistive technology. Their feedback finds real-world barriers automated tools miss.

5. Publish an accessibility statement and monitoring plan

The statement should list the WCAG version and conformance level you aim for, known limitations, contact details for accessibility issues and a clear commitment to ongoing improvement.

Checklist: a practical sprint for Montana sites

1. Run automated scan across the whole site.
2. Manually test the home page, top conversion pages, forms, and PDFs.
3. Fix broken keyboard focus and ensure all interactive controls are reachable and labelled.
4. Add alt text to important images and mark decorative images as empty alt.
5. Resolve contrast issues to meet 4.5:1 for normal text.
6. Provide captions for prerecorded videos and transcripts for audio.
7. Create a published accessibility statement with contact information.
8. Log changes and keep audit reports for record keeping.

Accessible PDFs and documents

PDFs need to be tagged, have a correct reading order, searchable text and descriptive titles. If a document originated from Word, export it with accessibility tags rather than scanning images of text. When tagging is not possible, provide the same content as an HTML page.

Accessibility overlays and widgets: pros and cons

Overlays can help some users but do not replace proper code fixes. Many overlays rely on JavaScript that cannot resolve structural issues like missing semantics or poor keyboard support. Treat any overlay as a temporary aid, not a legal or technical cure.

Contracts, procurement and vendor work in Montana

Include accessibility requirements in contracts. Require suppliers to: provide WCAG conformance targets, deliver audit reports, fix defects within a set timeframe, and warrant accessibility for a defined period. For public sector projects, coordinate with procurement officers to match state rules and federal funding conditions.

How to respond to a demand letter or complaint (practical steps, not legal advice)

1. Acknowledge receipt and set a short timeline to investigate.
2. Run a targeted audit of the pages and features cited.
3. Prioritise and implement fixes for critical barriers.
4. Document steps taken and share a remediation plan and timeline with the sender.
5. Consult a lawyer experienced in accessibility law for legal strategy and settlement discussions.

Ongoing monitoring and governance

Accessibility is not a one-off task. Use automated scans weekly or monthly, schedule quarterly manual checks, and run yearly user testing. Keep evidence of audits and fixes. Assign ownership inside the organisation so that new content is reviewed before publishing.

Tools and testers to consider

• Automated: axe, WAVE, Lighthouse
• Screen readers: NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS/iOS)
• Colour contrast checkers and keyboard-only navigation testing
• User testing with people who have disabilities

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Relying only on automated tools
• Using ARIA instead of fixing HTML structure
• Ignoring PDFs and third-party widgets
• Publishing no accessibility statement or no contact channel

Next steps for Montana organisations

Start with an audit and a short remediation sprint for the highest-risk pages. Publish an accessibility statement within weeks. Keep a maintenance schedule and include accessibility in procurement. For legal questions or complex disputes, consult counsel with experience in ADA and web accessibility.

This guide explains practical steps. It does not provide legal advice.