1. Our commitment
ReachABLE is built for people with disabilities. Accessibility is a design requirement, not an add-on. Every product decision considers users of assistive technology, users with cognitive disabilities, users with low vision, users with motor limitations, and users navigating in a second language.
We commit to meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as the ongoing standard for every ReachABLE page. Where we fall short, we welcome your report and commit to remediate within 30 days.
2. What we have built in
Reading and content
- Every consumer-facing paragraph targets an 8th-grade reading level, measured by Flesch-Kincaid grade level score
- Plain-language editorial pass on every product before release, tested with self-advocate co-researchers
- Person-first disability language throughout ("people with disabilities" rather than "disabled people")
- Read-aloud button on every chatbot response using the browser's built-in speech synthesis at no cost to the user
Visual design
- Minimum contrast ratio 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and UI components, meeting WCAG AA
- Support for text zoom up to 200 percent without loss of content or function
- Support for user-controlled font size preferences via browser and system settings
- No essential information conveyed by color alone
- Focus indicators visible on every interactive element
Motor and input
- Keyboard navigation for every interactive element
- Tap targets minimum 44 by 44 pixels on mobile
- No time-limited interactions except for the video-lesson auto-advance, which can be paused
- Voice-input option on the Ask ReachABLE chatbot and the voice simulator for users who cannot use a keyboard or touchscreen easily
Screen readers and assistive technology
- Semantic HTML5 structure with proper landmark regions
- ARIA roles and live-region announcements for dynamic content
- Descriptive labels on every form input, button, and image
- Skip-to-main-content link on every page
- Tested with NVDA (Windows), JAWS (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS and iOS), and TalkBack (Android)
Video and multimedia
- Closed captions on every video in the video library
- Full text transcript below every video
- American Sign Language interpretation planned for every video in Year 1 of the DHHS cooperative agreement
- Spanish translation planned for every video in Year 1
- Audio description planned for videos where visual content carries meaning
Cognitive accessibility
- One idea per paragraph
- Short sentences, aimed at 15 to 20 words
- Consistent navigation across every page
- Progress indicators on multi-step tools
- Undo and back options on every input
- Clear labels of what each button will do before it does it
3. Our conformance testing
ReachABLE is tested against these accessibility standards on a rolling basis:
- Automated scans using axe-core and Lighthouse before each release
- Manual keyboard-only testing quarterly
- Screen-reader compatibility testing quarterly
- Live comprehension testing with 20 to 30 self-advocate co-researchers before every consumer-facing product release, per the pre-registered protocol described in our DHHS cooperative agreement
- Third-party WCAG audit planned annually beginning DHHS grant Year 1
4. Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)
A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template 2.4 documenting ReachABLE's conformance to Section 508 is available on request for enterprise procurement processes. Email accessibility@joinreachable.com.
5. Where we know we can do better
We publish our known-issue list to hold ourselves accountable.
- American Sign Language interpretation of videos is in development, target Year 1 of the DHHS grant (September 2027)
- Spanish translation of long-form content is in development, target Year 1
- Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog translations are planned for Year 2
- Voice input requires Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Firefox users cannot yet use the voice chatbot.
- The interactive maps have a keyboard-navigable alternate table view, but we are working on a more efficient screen-reader-first layout.
6. Report an accessibility issue
If you encounter an accessibility barrier or have a suggestion, please tell us.
Email: accessibility@joinreachable.com
Postal mail: ReachABLE Accessibility Officer, c/o RISEI Lab, Northwestern University, 2120 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208
We commit to acknowledging your report within two business days and to remediating confirmed barriers within 30 calendar days where technically feasible. If a fix requires longer, we tell you why and provide an interim workaround.
7. Regulatory framework
ReachABLE aligns with the following accessibility standards and regulations:
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA, the international standard from the World Wide Web Consortium
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), for federal partners
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II and Title III, for state and public accommodation contexts
- 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), for video content
- European Accessibility Act (EN 301 549), for EU-based enterprise partners