US Accessibility Mandates Influence UK, Australia
Regulatory scrutiny over digital accessibility is increasing in the United Kingdom and Australia, following the lead of U.S. mandates. According to analysis on the “International EdTech Today” podcast, English-speaking markets are moving swiftly to update their own procurement standards and auditing processes in response to the precedent set by the DOJ's Title II deadline.
- The UK's Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 mandate that public sector websites and apps meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard. Enforcement is carried out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. - A UK government report covering January 2022 to September 2024 revealed that out of 1,203 public sector websites and 21 mobile apps monitored, 29,787 accessibility issues were found. While over half of these issues were resolved during the monitoring period, it highlights the ongoing compliance challenges. - Common accessibility failures identified in UK public sector websites include low text-to-background color contrast, lack of visible keyboard focus, and layouts that do not adjust to different screen sizes. - In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) underpins digital accessibility, and has been interpreted to apply to websites and mobile apps. Landmark cases, such as *Maguire v. Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games* and *Mesnage v. Coles*, have set legal precedents for web accessibility. - The Australian Human Rights Commission handles complaints regarding violations of the DDA and recommends conformance with WCAG Level AA. If conciliation fails, individuals can pursue legal action, which has resulted in financial compensation in some cases. - Australia's Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) released a Digital Experience Policy in July 2024, which requires federal government agencies to make their digital offerings more inclusive, coming into effect from January 2025. This policy applies to a wide range of government entities, including those not previously covered. - While public sector mandates are the primary focus, the UK's Equality Act 2010 also applies to private sector organizations, requiring them to make "reasonable adjustments" for people with disabilities, which extends to digital services. - Both the UK and Australia are also influenced by the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which sets standards for products and services in the EU. UK businesses that offer goods and services to the EU must comply with the EAA.
