Accessibility Statement for SkillForge Academy

At SkillForge Academy, we are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We strive to ensure our online platform complies with the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.

We are continually working to improve the accessibility of our website. This includes regularly reviewing our site and implementing improvements to meet or exceed accessibility standards. Our goal is to provide an inclusive and seamless online learning experience for all users, including those with disabilities.

Features Implemented to Enhance Accessibility

To ensure our website is accessible to everyone, we have implemented the following features and best practices:

  • Semantic HTML: We use semantic HTML5 elements to structure our content, providing a clear and logical organization that is easily navigable by assistive technologies such as screen readers. This includes proper use of headings ( h1 to h6 ), paragraphs ( p ), lists ( ul and ol ), and landmarks ( header , nav , main , footer , article , aside ).
  • Alternative Text for Images: All images include descriptive alternative text ( alt attribute) to convey the image's content and function to users who cannot see them. Decorative images have empty alt attributes.
  • Keyboard Navigation: Our website is fully navigable using a keyboard, allowing users who cannot use a mouse to access all content and functionality. We have ensured that all interactive elements are focusable and that the focus order is logical and intuitive.
  • Sufficient Color Contrast: We have carefully chosen color combinations to ensure sufficient contrast between text and background, making our content easier to read for users with low vision or color blindness. We regularly use tools to check and maintain appropriate contrast ratios.
  • Resizable Text: Users can easily resize the text on our website without losing content or functionality. We have used relative units (e.g., em , rem , percentage) for text sizing to ensure scalability.
  • Clear and Consistent Navigation: Our website features a clear and consistent navigation structure, making it easy for users to find the information they need. The main navigation menu is always accessible at the top of each page.
  • Forms with Labels and Instructions: All form fields include clear labels and instructions, helping users understand the information being requested. We use the label element and associate it with the corresponding input field using the for attribute.
  • ARIA Attributes: We use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional information to assistive technologies about the role, state, and properties of interactive elements. This helps improve the accessibility of complex widgets and dynamic content.
  • Video Captions and Transcripts: All videos include accurate captions and transcripts, making the content accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions are synchronized with the audio and video, and transcripts are available for download.
  • Skip Navigation Link: A "Skip to main content" link is provided at the top of each page, allowing keyboard users to bypass the navigation menu and jump directly to the main content area.
  • Responsive Design: Our website is designed to be responsive and adapt to different screen sizes and devices, ensuring a consistent and accessible experience on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
  • Use of Tables for Data Only: Tables are used only for displaying tabular data and not for layout purposes. Each table includes a caption element that provides a summary of the table's content. Column and row headers are marked up using th elements with the scope attribute to define their scope.
  • Consistent Styling: CSS is used to control the presentation of content, ensuring a consistent and predictable experience across the website. We avoid using inline styles, which can make it difficult to maintain accessibility.
  • Keyboard Trap Prevention: We ensure that users cannot get trapped within any element on the page while using a keyboard.

We are committed to conducting regular audits of our website to identify and address any accessibility issues. Our team receives ongoing training on accessibility best practices to ensure we are always improving the user experience for everyone.

Conformance Status

The SkillForge Academy website is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA, meaning that some parts of the content do not yet fully conform to the accessibility standard. We are actively working to remediate these issues and bring all content into full conformance.

We adhere to the following principles:

  • Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
  • Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
  • Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
  • Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Known Limitations

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility of SkillForge Academy, there may be some limitations. Below is a description of known limitations, and potential solutions. Please contact us if you observe an issue not listed below.

  • Third-party content: Some of our content is provided by third parties, and we are working with them to ensure that their content is also accessible. We cannot guarantee the accessibility of all third-party content at this time. We encourage users to provide feedback on any accessibility issues they encounter with third-party content.
  • Older documents: Some older documents may not be fully accessible. We are in the process of reviewing and updating these documents to meet accessibility standards. In the meantime, if you need assistance accessing any of these documents, please contact us, and we will be happy to provide you with an accessible alternative.

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of SkillForge Academy. Please let us know if you encounter any accessibility barriers while using our website.

You can contact us in the following ways:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: (510) 555-0144
  • Postal Address: 555 Innovation Drive, Berkeley, CA 94704

We try to respond to feedback within 5 business days.

Contact for Accessibility Issues

If you have any questions or concerns about the accessibility of our website, or if you encounter any barriers to access, please contact our Accessibility Coordinator, Dr. Anya Sharma, at [email protected] or call (510) 555-0144. Dr. Sharma and her team are dedicated to addressing your concerns and providing assistance to ensure you have a positive learning experience on our platform. You can also reach us by mail at 555 Innovation Drive, Berkeley, CA 94704.

We are committed to continuously improving the accessibility of our website. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we appreciate your help in making SkillForge Academy accessible to everyone.