Accessibility Statement

1. Standards we follow

• WCAG 2.1 Level AA ... the international baseline for digital accessibility. We measure ourselves against the success criteria across Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
• Section 508 (29 U.S.C. § 794d) and the U.S. Access Board's ICT refresh ... where applicable to public-sector deployments of OpenSpeak.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III ... we treat openspeakaac.org and the OpenSpeak app as places of public accommodation in spirit, regardless of debates about ADA's reach to digital services.
• EN 301 549 ... the European accessibility standard for ICT, harmonized with WCAG 2.1.
• Apple Human Interface Guidelines — Accessibility and Google Material Design Accessibility Guidelines for platform-native patterns.

2. Current conformance status

OpenSpeak is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. "Partially conformant" means most parts of the app and website meet the success criteria, but some content does not yet fully meet the standard.

What conforms today:

• Keyboard navigation across the website.
• Sufficient color contrast on all key UI elements (4.5:1 minimum for body text, 3:1 for large text and UI components).
• Visible focus indicators on all interactive elements.
• Semantic HTML on the website (proper headings, landmarks, ARIA roles where appropriate).
• Logical tab order and reading order.
• Alt text for non-decorative images.
• Form labels and error identification on every input.
• Support for native screen readers (VoiceOver on iOS, TalkBack on Android) in the app's primary screens.
• Support for OS-level dynamic type and font-size adjustment.
• High-contrast theme option in the app.
• Adjustable grid sizes (3x3, 4x4, 5x5, and larger on tablets) to accommodate motor accessibility.
• Multi-language support with right-to-left scripts handled appropriately (Arabic).
• Offline-first design that does not require sustained internet connectivity, supporting users in low-connectivity environments.

Known limitations we are working to fix:

• Some illustrations on the marketing site do not yet have descriptive alt text appropriate for screen readers. Target fix: Q3 2026.
• Switch-access support (single switch, two switch, dwell selection, eye tracking) is on the roadmap for the mobile app but not yet shipped. Target ship: Q4 2026.
• Sign-language video tutorials for the onboarding flow are in development. Target ship: Q1 2027.
• A formal VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template / ACR) is in preparation for procurement reviews. Target completion: Q3 2026.

3. Assistive technologies tested

OpenSpeak is regularly tested with:

• iOS: VoiceOver, Switch Control, AssistiveTouch, Dynamic Type, Reduce Motion, Bold Text.
• Android: TalkBack, Switch Access, Magnification, large-text settings.
• Web: NVDA (Firefox, Chrome), JAWS (Chrome), VoiceOver (Safari), Voice Control, full keyboard navigation, browser zoom up to 400%.

4. App-store accessibility metadata

Where the Apple App Store and Google Play Store support accessibility declarations, OpenSpeak provides:

• Accurate listings for screen-reader compatibility.
• Information about adjustable text size, color contrast, and audio descriptions.
• Disclosure of any features that may not be accessible (e.g., still-in-development switch access).

5. Procurement and compliance documentation

If you are an institutional buyer (school district, clinic, government agency) and need accessibility documentation for procurement, we can provide:

• A WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance statement.
• A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) once finalized.
• A Section 508 conformance statement.
• EN 301 549 conformance details for EU procurement.

Email accessibility@openspeakaac.org with your request.

6. Feedback and complaints

If you encounter an accessibility barrier in OpenSpeak, please tell us. We treat accessibility issues with the same urgency as security issues.

• Email: accessibility@openspeakaac.org (or support@openspeakaac.org if accessibility@ is not yet provisioned).
• What to include: A description of the barrier, the page or screen, the device and assistive technology you were using, and your contact info if you'd like a reply.
• Response window: We aim to acknowledge accessibility reports within 2 business days and provide a fix or a planned remediation timeline within 10 business days.
• Escalation: If our response is not satisfactory, you may escalate to the U.S. Department of Justice (for ADA-related complaints) or the equivalent body in your country.

7. Continuous improvement

We commit to:

• Reviewing the entire app and website against WCAG 2.1 Level AA at least annually.
• Conducting accessibility testing with users who rely on assistive technology, including AAC users themselves where possible.
• Publishing this statement's updates publicly.
• Training contributors and partners on accessibility best practices.
• Designing new features accessibly from the start, not retrofitting after launch.