AAAtraq’s ADA audit finds 96% of Higher Education websites are not Inclusive and vulnerable to litigation

The national report provides state by state analysis and found there to be little variance between them, with more than 90% non-compliance across the board.

The report is aimed at raising awareness to the fact that websites, like buildings, are subject to the ADA and need to similarly accommodate. Such revered higher education institutions do not intentionally discriminate – yet, despite billions being spent, the report concludes that the vast majority are doing just that.

Working together with Gallagher www.ajg.com (opens in a new window), a leading insurance broker for the higher education sector, and Wilson Elser www.wilsonelser.com (opens in a new window), a leading national law firm with a wealth of digital and ADA litigation experience, AAAtraq seeks to improve inclusion for the internet user, and protect organizations and institutions from unnecessary litigation.

The report also provides insight as to why ADA compliance for websites has proved to be so elusive for institutions and concludes that the current approach is a major factor:

Lawrence Shaw, CEO of AAAtraq, commented “There is an obsession with the technicalities and this is at the heart of the problem. An organization-wide, risk management approach is required if institutions are to avoid expensive, and distracting litigation.”

John McLaughlin, Global Head of Higher Education for Gallagher, said “ADA compliance is a growing and real risk for colleges and universities. Recognizing the need for a pro-active, ongoing process to identify and respond to website compliance issues is an essential first step in protecting your institution from the recent onslaught of ADA claims facing the education sector.”

Getting the right contracts in place with suppliers is also critical as Adam Bialek, co-chair of Wilson Elser’s Intellectual Property & Technology practice from Wilson Elser outlined. “It is critical for the institutions to ensure that every vendor it uses agrees to comply with the ADA and indemnifies the institution for its failures.”

Concluding, Lawrence Shaw of AAAtraq added “The first step is to understand your level of risk. To facilitate this, AAAtraq provides a free audit service, to check the risk status of any website in 60 seconds or less. The simple color coding; red is bad, green is good, makes risk easy to understand without getting into technicalities.”

You can check now at www.AAAtraq.com/check/ (opens in a new window) (We don’t ask you to register or promise a report by email)

A webinar to discuss the results of the report will take place at 1200 EST on March 1st. To reserve your place, please email lshilstone@AAAtraq.com

Please contact (mhay@AAAtraq.com)[mailto:mhay@AAAtraq.com] for a copy of the report.

Notes to Editor:

About Gallagher www.ajg.com (opens in a new window)

Gallagher is a global business insurance, risk management and consulting services company offering clients and customers innovation and tenacity across 150 countries. We use our 90 years of intelligence and insight to protect what matters most: your business. We form lifelong partnerships with our clients and underwriters which, when combined with our world class data and analytics, helps our customers face their futures with confidence. In every community where we do business, more than 30,000 Gallagher colleagues create and follow a culture based on strong values, collaboration and professional excellence. Over 6 billion USD in revenues Gallagher are a global leader in insurance.

About Wilson Elser www.wilsonelser.com (opens in a new window)

More than 800 attorneys strong, Wilson Elser is a law firm serving clients of all sizes, across multiple industries and around the world. Wilson Elser has 41 strategically located offices in the United States and another in London. This depth and scale has made us one of the nation’s most influential law firms, ranked in the Am Law 200 and top 53 in the National Law Journal 500.

About AAAtraq AAAtraq.com (opens in a new window)

Websites, like buildings, must adhere to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Despite efforts, the majority are discriminating – resulting in distracting, expensive litigation. Offering comprehensive protection; AAAtraq combines insurance, risk clarity and continuous mitigation from $99/month.

Press Contact:

Michelle Hay mhay@AAAtraq.com