Accessibility Statement

Effective Date: 01/02/2023

Words by Sask is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive experience for all visitors to our website. We believe that everyone, regardless of ability or technology, should be able to access and interact with our content easily. To achieve this, we actively work to ensure that our website complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA, the recognised standard for web accessibility.

This statement outlines the measures we have taken, the ongoing steps we are implementing, and how you can share your feedback to help us make the Words by Sask website as accessible as possible.

COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY

We are dedicated to creating a digital experience that is inclusive and user-friendly for all individuals, including those with disabilities. We are constantly working to improve accessibility and usability in response to technological advancements, user feedback, and evolving accessibility standards.

STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

The accessibility of Words by Sask is guided by the following:

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1: These internationally recognised guidelines outline how to make web content more accessible to a wide range of people with disabilities. We are committed to meeting Level AA conformance.
Best Practices for Usability: Beyond accessibility, we strive to create a seamless and intuitive user experience for all visitors, regardless of their abilities.

ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES

Words by Sask has implemented a variety of features to enhance the accessibility of our website:

1. PERCEIVABLE CONTENT

Alternative Text: All meaningful images include alternative (alt) text to describe their content, ensuring that screen readers can convey this information to users who cannot see the images.
Text Transcripts and Captions: Video and audio content is supplemented with captions or transcripts to make it accessible for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Colour Contrast: We ensure sufficient colour contrast between text and background elements to make content readable for users with low vision or colour blindness.
Scalable Text: Visitors can enlarge text using browser settings or assistive technology without loss of functionality or clarity.

2. OPERABLE DESIGN

Keyboard Accessibility: All functionality on our website is accessible via keyboard navigation, ensuring users who rely on keyboard-only input can fully interact with the site.
Focus Indicators: Clear visual indicators highlight the currently focused element for users navigating with a keyboard or other assistive devices.
Pause, Stop, and Hide Controls: Any moving, blinking, or scrolling content includes user controls to pause or stop the movement.

3. UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION

Consistent Navigation: The site uses a consistent structure and layout to help users predict the location of key content and navigation elements.
Plain Language: Content is written in clear, concise language to ensure it is easy to read and understand. Complex ideas are explained in simple terms whenever possible.

4. ROBUST COMPATIBILITY

Assistive Technology Support: Words by Sask is tested for compatibility with a range of assistive technologies, including screen readers, magnifiers, and speech recognition software.
Responsive Design: Our website is optimised for various devices and screen sizes, ensuring usability on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

ACCESSIBILITY TESTING AND IMPROVEMENTS

Words by Sask conducts regular testing and evaluation of our website to identify and address potential accessibility barriers. Our process includes:

Automated Accessibility Scanning: Using industry-standard tools to check for WCAG 2.1 compliance.
Manual Testing: Conducting manual audits and testing with assistive technologies like screen readers and keyboard navigation.
User Feedback: Actively seeking feedback from our users to identify areas that need improvement.

We are aware that accessibility is an ongoing process. As such, we are committed to continuous improvements and updates to ensure compliance with accessibility standards and to better serve our users.

THIRD-PARTY CONTENT

While we aim to ensure all content on our site is accessible, some third-party materials, such as embedded videos, external links, or content provided by other platforms, may not yet fully meet accessibility standards. Whenever possible, we will collaborate with third-party providers to encourage improvements in accessibility and offer alternative options where available.

LIMITATION AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility, there may be some areas where we are still working toward achieving full WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance. This may include:

Certain visual or multimedia elements provided by third parties.
Complex documents or older files that were created before our accessibility policy was established.

We are actively addressing these issues as part of our ongoing commitment to accessibility.

FEEDBACK AND ASSISTANCE

Your feedback is essential in helping us identify and address accessibility barriers. If you encounter any difficulties while using the Words by Sask website or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know.

We are committed to responding to all accessibility-related inquiries promptly. Please reach out to us in any of the following ways:

Email: admin@wordsbysask.com

In your message, please include:

A description of the issue you encountered.
The web page or feature where the problem occurred.
The type of device and browser or assistive technology you were using.

We will respond to your inquiry within 2-5 business days and work to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.

ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES

If you would like to learn more about web accessibility and assistive technologies, here are some helpful resources:

FUTURE GOALS

Our goal is to achieve and maintain full compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards and to go beyond these requirements whenever possible. We are continuously exploring new technologies, practices, and user feedback to enhance the accessibility of Words by Sask.

Thank you for visiting Words by Sask. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive space where everyone can engage with our content and share in our mission.