Accessibility Statement
Emerald Stage Academy is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards.
Our Commitment
We strive to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA, a set of guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with a wide array of disabilities. Conformance with these guidelines helps make the web more user-friendly for all people.
Measures to Support Accessibility
Emerald Stage Academy takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of its website:
- Including accessibility as part of our mission statement.
- Integrating accessibility into our procurement practices.
- Providing continual accessibility training for our staff.
- Assigning clear accessibility targets and responsibilities.
- Employing formal accessibility quality assurance methods.
Specific Accessibility Features
We have implemented the following features to enhance accessibility:
- Keyboard Navigation: Our website is fully navigable using a keyboard, allowing users to access all interactive elements without a mouse. Focus indicators are clearly visible to show the current element in focus.
- Screen Reader Compatibility: We have structured our content to be compatible with screen reader software. This includes using semantic HTML, providing alternative text for images, and ensuring that form fields are properly labeled.
- Color Contrast: We have carefully chosen color combinations to ensure sufficient contrast between text and background, making it easier for users with low vision or color blindness to read our content. The contrast ratio meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
- Alternative Text: All images and non-text content on our website have descriptive alternative text (alt text), providing users with screen readers with a meaningful description of the content. For example, an image of Eleanor Vance, our head instructor, is described as "Headshot of Eleanor Vance, Tony Award-winning actress and Head Instructor at Emerald Stage Academy."
- Resizable Text: Users can easily increase or decrease the text size on our website without losing content or functionality. This can be done using browser settings or assistive technologies.
- Clear and Simple Language: We strive to use clear and simple language in our content to make it easier for everyone to understand, including people with cognitive disabilities.
- Consistent Navigation: The navigation structure is consistent throughout the website, making it easy for users to find the information they need.
- Form Accessibility: All forms are designed to be accessible to users with disabilities, including clear labels, instructions, and error messages.
Keyboard Navigation Details
Users can navigate our website using the following keyboard commands:
- Tab: Moves focus to the next interactive element.
- Shift + Tab: Moves focus to the previous interactive element.
- Enter: Activates links and buttons.
- Spacebar: Scrolls the page down.
- Arrow Keys: Used to navigate within specific elements such as menus or lists.
Screen Reader Compatibility Information
Our website is designed to be compatible with the following screen readers:
- NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access)
- JAWS (Job Access With Speech)
- VoiceOver (Apple)
We regularly test our website with these screen readers to ensure that it provides a consistent and accessible experience.
Color Contrast Information
We have ensured that all color combinations on our website meet the minimum contrast ratio requirements specified in WCAG 2.1 AA. For example, the contrast ratio between the text and background colors in our main content areas is at least 4.5:1. We use tools to verify that the contrast is sufficient.
Ongoing Efforts to Maintain Accessibility
Emerald Stage Academy is dedicated to continuously improving the accessibility of our website. We conduct regular audits and testing to identify and address any accessibility issues that may arise. We also welcome feedback from our users and encourage anyone who encounters an accessibility barrier to contact us.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of Emerald Stage Academy's website. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers on Emerald Stage Academy. You can contact us via:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (212) 555-ACT1 (2281)
- Postal address: 1500 Broadway, Suite 200, New York, NY 10036
We try to respond to feedback within 5 business days.
Formal complaints
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can file a formal complaint with our accessibility officer, Amelia Hernandez, at [email protected]. We are committed to addressing all complaints in a timely and effective manner.
Assessment approach
Emerald Stage Academy assessed the accessibility of this website by the following approaches:
- Self-evaluation: The website was evaluated internally by our development team.
- External evaluation: Periodical audit by "AccessFirst" accessibility consultancy.
This statement was created on July 26, 2024, using the W3C Accessibility Statement Generator Tool.
Our other policies: