Accessibility Statement
SkillThrive is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We continually improve the user experience for everyone and apply relevant accessibility standards.
Last Updated: August 1, 2024
Compliance Level: WCAG 2.1 Level AA
♿ Quick Accessibility Features
1. Conformance Status
WCAG 2.1 Level AA Compliance
SkillThrive substantially conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. "Substantially conforms" means that most content conforms to the accessibility standard.
Standards Compliance
- • WCAG 2.1 Level AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
- • EN 301 549 (European accessibility standard)
- • Section 508 (US federal accessibility requirements)
- • UK Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations
Testing Methods
- • Automated accessibility scanning tools
- • Manual testing with assistive technologies
- • User testing with people with disabilities
- • Regular third-party accessibility audits
Supported Assistive Technologies
Screen Readers
- • JAWS (Windows)
- • NVDA (Windows)
- • VoiceOver (macOS/iOS)
- • TalkBack (Android)
- • Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Browsers
- • Chrome (latest 2 versions)
- • Firefox (latest 2 versions)
- • Safari (latest 2 versions)
- • Edge (latest 2 versions)
Other Tools
- • Keyboard-only navigation
- • Voice control software
- • Switch navigation devices
- • Eye-tracking systems
2. Accessibility Features
👁️ Visual Accessibility
Color and Contrast
- • Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text
- • Minimum 3:1 contrast ratio for large text
- • Information not conveyed by color alone
- • High contrast mode available
- • Color-blind friendly design choices
Text and Typography
- • Resizable text up to 200% without loss of functionality
- • Clear, readable fonts (minimum 16px base size)
- • Adequate line spacing and paragraph breaks
- • No horizontal scrolling at 320px width
- • Consistent visual hierarchy
⌨️ Keyboard Accessibility
Navigation Support
- • All functionality available via keyboard
- • Logical tab order throughout the interface
- • Visible focus indicators on all interactive elements
- • Skip links to main content areas
- • No keyboard traps in any interface components
Keyboard Shortcuts
- • Tab - Navigate forward through interactive elements
- • Shift + Tab - Navigate backward
- • Enter - Activate buttons and links
- • Space - Toggle checkboxes and buttons
- • Esc - Close modals and dropdown menus
🔊 Screen Reader Support
Semantic Structure
- • Proper heading hierarchy (H1-H6)
- • Semantic HTML elements (nav, main, article, etc.)
- • ARIA labels and descriptions where needed
- • Landmark regions for easy navigation
- • Form labels properly associated with inputs
Alternative Content
- • Alt text for all informative images
- • Captions and transcripts for video content
- • Descriptive link text (no "click here")
- • Error messages clearly announced
- • Status updates communicated via ARIA live regions
🖱️ Motor Accessibility
Interaction Design
- • Large click targets (minimum 44x44 pixels)
- • Adequate spacing between clickable elements
- • No time limits on critical interactions
- • Drag and drop alternatives provided
- • Motion-based interactions have alternatives
Input Methods
- • Mouse, touch, and keyboard input supported
- • Voice control compatibility
- • Switch device support
- • Eye-tracking system compatibility
- • Gesture alternatives for all actions
🧠 Cognitive Accessibility
Clear Communication
- • Plain language and clear instructions
- • Consistent navigation and layout patterns
- • Error prevention and clear error messages
- • Progress indicators for multi-step processes
- • Help and documentation easily accessible
User Control
- • Auto-playing content can be paused
- • Users can control timeouts and session limits
- • Important actions can be undone or confirmed
- • Distracting content can be disabled
- • Multiple ways to find and access content
3. Known Accessibility Issues
⚠️ Current Limitations
We are actively working to address these known accessibility issues. Our development team prioritizes these fixes in our regular release cycle.
PDF Documents
Issue: Some PDF documents may not be fully accessible to screen readers.
Impact: Screen reader users may have difficulty accessing content in certain PDF files.
Workaround: Contact us for alternative formats (HTML, Word, or plain text).
Timeline: All new PDFs will be accessible by Q4 2024.
Video Content
Issue: Some legacy video content lacks captions or audio descriptions.
Impact: Deaf/hard of hearing users and blind users may miss important information.
Workaround: Transcripts are available for all videos upon request.
Timeline: All videos will have captions by December 2024.
Third-Party Integrations
Issue: Some third-party widgets (chat, maps) may have accessibility limitations.
Impact: Reduced functionality for users with assistive technologies.
Workaround: Alternative contact methods and accessible alternatives provided.
Timeline: Working with vendors to improve accessibility.
4. Feedback and Support
📞 Accessibility Support
Contact Methods
- • Email: support@skillthrive.io
- • Phone: +44 800 123 4567 (free)
- • Text Relay: 18001 +44 800 123 4567
- • Live Chat: Available 9am-5pm GMT
- • Post: Accessibility Team, Asterix Technologies LLP
Response Times
- • Email responses within 24 hours
- • Phone support during business hours
- • Urgent accessibility issues prioritized
- • Alternative format requests within 3 days
- • Complex issues may take up to 5 business days
💬 How to Report Accessibility Issues
If you encounter an accessibility barrier, please let us know. Your feedback helps us improve our platform for everyone.
Information to Include
- • Description of the accessibility barrier
- • URL or page location where you found the issue
- • What assistive technology you were using
- • Browser and operating system information
- • What you were trying to accomplish
Our Response Process
- • Acknowledgment within 24 hours
- • Issue assessment and prioritization
- • Temporary workaround provided if possible
- • Development timeline communicated
- • Follow-up when issue is resolved
🎯 Accessibility Improvement Process
Report
User reports accessibility issue
Assess
Team evaluates and prioritizes
Fix
Development team implements solution
Test
Accessibility testing and user validation
5. Legal and Regulatory Information
⚖️ Applicable Regulations
UK Regulations
- • Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018
- • Equality Act 2010
- • Disability Discrimination Act compliance
EU Standards
- • European Accessibility Act (EAA)
- • EN 301 549 V3.2.1 accessibility requirements
- • Web Accessibility Directive compliance
📋 Monitoring and Review
Regular Reviews
- • Quarterly accessibility audits
- • Annual statement review and update
- • Continuous monitoring with automated tools
- • User feedback integration into improvement plans
Testing Schedule
- • Pre-release accessibility testing for all new features
- • Monthly automated scanning
- • Bi-annual expert accessibility review
- • User testing sessions with disabled users
🏛️ Enforcement and Complaints
UK Enforcement Body
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
Website: equalityhumanrights.com
Email: correspondence@equalityhumanrights.com
Phone: 0808 800 0082
Complaint Process
- • First contact SkillThrive accessibility team
- • If not satisfied, contact EHRC
- • EHRC will investigate if necessary
- • Formal enforcement action may be taken
Help Us Improve Accessibility
Your feedback is essential to making SkillThrive accessible to everyone. Contact us with suggestions, issues, or questions.