Accessibility Statement for SkillForge Academy

SkillForge Academy is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for everyone. We are continually improving the user experience for all visitors and applying the relevant accessibility standards. We believe everyone deserves equal access to online education, regardless of ability.

Our Commitment to Accessibility

SkillForge Academy is committed to making our website and online learning platform accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website and in doing so adhere to many available standards and guidelines.

We strive to conform to level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities. Conformance with these guidelines will help make the web more user-friendly for all people.

Measures to Support Accessibility

SkillForge Academy takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of SkillForge Academy:

• Include accessibility throughout our internal policies.
• Integrate accessibility into our procurement practices.
• Provide continual accessibility training for our staff.
• Assign clear accessibility targets and responsibilities.

Accessibility Features

We have implemented the following features to enhance the accessibility of our platform:

• Alternative Text: We provide descriptive alternative text for all images and other non-text content. This allows screen readers to convey the meaning and context of the images to users with visual impairments. For example, images of instructors include alt text describing their appearance and expertise: "Dr. Anya Sharma, smiling, PhD in Computer Science, expert in machine learning."
• Keyboard Navigation: Our website is fully navigable using a keyboard. Users can easily move through links, forms, and interactive elements without relying on a mouse.
• Clear and Consistent Navigation: We maintain a clear and consistent navigation structure throughout our website to help users easily find the information they need. The main navigation is located at the top of each page and provides access to key sections of the site.
• Sufficient Color Contrast: We ensure that there is sufficient contrast between text and background colors to make the content readable for users with low vision or color blindness. Our color palette has been carefully chosen to meet WCAG contrast requirements.
• Resizable Text: Users can easily increase or decrease the text size using their browser settings. This allows individuals with low vision to customize the text size to their preferred reading level.
• Form Labels and Instructions: All form fields are clearly labeled with descriptive instructions to help users understand the required input. We also provide error messages to guide users in correcting any mistakes.
• Semantic HTML: We use semantic HTML elements (e.g., <header>, <nav>, <main>, <article>, <aside>, <footer>) to structure our content. This provides a clear and logical hierarchy that helps screen readers and other assistive technologies interpret the content correctly.
• ARIA Attributes: We use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional information about interactive elements and dynamic content. This enhances the accessibility of our website for users with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies.
• Video Captions and Transcripts: All video content includes accurate captions and transcripts to make the content accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Descriptive Links: Link text is descriptive and provides clear information about the destination of the link. Avoid generic phrases like "click here" and instead use specific and informative text.

Known Limitations

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility of SkillForge Academy, there may be some limitations. Below is a description of known limitations, and potential solutions. Please contact us if you observe an issue not listed below.

• Third-party content: Some of our courses may include content from third-party providers that may not be fully accessible. We are working with these providers to improve the accessibility of their content. Potential Solution: Provide alternative accessible versions of the content or offer alternative learning materials.
• Older Documents: Some older documents may not be fully compliant with current accessibility standards. Potential Solution: We are in the process of reviewing and updating these documents. In the meantime, please contact us if you need an accessible version of a specific document.

Technical Specifications

Accessibility of SkillForge Academy relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• ARIA

These technologies are relied upon for conformance to the accessibility standards used.

Accessibility Conformance Report

This report outlines our conformance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. It details the level of adherence we have achieved for each guideline.

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of SkillForge Academy. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers on SkillForge Academy:

• E-mail: accessibility@skillforgeacademy.com
• Visitor address: 123 Learning Lane, Suite 400, Techville, CA 91234

We try to respond to feedback within 2 business days.

Assessment approach

SkillForge Academy assessed the accessibility of SkillForge Academy by the following approaches:

• Self-evaluation: Internal testing by our team.
• External evaluation: Hired professional accessibility consultants for audit.