Accessibility

01What we are aiming at

This site is built to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA, which is the standard United States courts look to under the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are not claiming a certificate. We are stating a target, what we have done towards it, and what we know is not yet right.

02What has been done

• The book reads without JavaScript. The narrators’ prose and every excerpt are in the page itself, so a page that fails to run a script still shows the writing.
• Text and background colours were chosen against measured contrast ratios, not by eye. Body text sits well above the 4.5:1 minimum, and the indigo accent was picked to hold the same contrast as the colour it replaced.
• Every control is reachable and operable by keyboard, in a sensible order, with a visible focus outline. A “skip to content” link comes first.
• Headings are properly nested, landmarks are marked (header, main, nav, footer), and the narrator list, roster and composer carry names for screen readers.
• The Reading Room log is a live region, so an answer is announced when it arrives rather than appearing silently.
• The composer’s input has a real label, and the AI notice appears above it in text, not only as an icon.
• Nothing flashes, nothing moves on its own, and nothing is on a timer you have to beat.
• Text can be enlarged by browser zoom to 200% without content being lost, and the layout reflows down to a small phone.

03What is known to be imperfect

• Photographs are still placeholders. When the real images go in, each one needs a written description, and until that is done those plates carry a caption rather than a proper alternative text.
• The Reading Room has not been tested end to end with every screen reader. It has been checked by keyboard and against the accessibility tree, which is not the same thing.
• The site is set in serif faces at book proportions. That is a deliberate choice and it is not the easiest setting for everyone. Browser zoom and reader mode both work, and we would rather hear that it is a problem than assume it is not.

04If something is in your way

Please tell us. Say what you were trying to do, what page you were on, and what happened, and if it helps, what browser or assistive technology you use. We will acknowledge within 2 business days, and either fix it or tell you honestly when we can.

If a page is unusable for you and you need what is on it, write and we will send you the content in a form you can read.

TODO: operator legal name and postal address
peggyannanderson1@gmail.com