Accessibility Statement for Seaside Escapes

Seaside Escapes is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for everyone. We are continually improving the user experience for all visitors, and applying the relevant accessibility standards to ensure we provide equal access to information and services.

Our Commitment

We strive to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA, as published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities. Conformance with these guidelines helps make the web more user-friendly for all people.

Measures to Support Accessibility

Seaside Escapes takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of its website:

• Include accessibility as part of our mission statement.
• Integrate accessibility into our procurement practices.
• Provide continual accessibility training for our staff.
• Assign clear accessibility targets and responsibilities.
• Employ formal accessibility quality assurance methods.

Accessibility Features

The Seaside Escapes website incorporates the following accessibility features:

• Alternative Text: We provide alternative text descriptions for all images and non-text elements. This allows screen readers to convey the meaning and context of these elements to users with visual impairments.
• Keyboard Navigation: Our website is fully navigable using a keyboard. Users can access all interactive elements and content using the Tab key, arrow keys, and Enter key.
• Sufficient Color Contrast: We ensure that there is sufficient color contrast between text and background colors throughout the website. This helps users with low vision to easily read and understand the content. We use a color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, as required by WCAG 2.1 AA.
• Clear and Consistent Navigation: Our website has a clear and consistent navigation structure, making it easy for users to find what they are looking for. We use breadcrumbs and a sitemap to provide additional navigational aids.
• Semantic HTML: We use semantic HTML elements to structure our content. This helps screen readers and other assistive technologies to understand the organization and purpose of the content. For example, we use heading elements ( h1 , h2 , etc.) to create a logical heading structure.
• Forms Accessibility: All forms on our website are designed to be accessible. We provide clear labels and instructions for each form field, and we use ARIA attributes to enhance the accessibility of complex form elements.
• Resizable Text: Users can easily resize the text on our website using their browser settings. The website is designed to reflow and adapt to different text sizes without losing functionality or readability.
• Video Captions and Transcripts: We provide captions and transcripts for all video content on our website. This makes the video content accessible to users with hearing impairments.
• Skip Navigation Link: A "Skip to main content" link is provided at the top of each page to allow users to bypass the navigation menu and go directly to the main content.
• ARIA Attributes: We use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional information about the roles, states, and properties of interactive elements. This helps assistive technologies to understand and interpret these elements correctly.
• Responsive Design: The website is built using a responsive design, which means that it adapts to different screen sizes and devices. This ensures that the website is accessible on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Conformance Status

This website is partially conformant to WCAG 2.1 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard.

Specifically, we are working to improve:

• Ensuring all dynamically loaded content is fully accessible.
• Reviewing and updating the accessibility of third-party plugins and widgets.
• Providing more detailed transcripts for audio content.

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of the Seaside Escapes website. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers on Seaside Escapes.

• Phone: (805) 555-2323
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Visitor Address: 123 Ocean View Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

We try to respond to feedback within 5 business days.

Technical Specifications

Accessibility of Seaside Escapes 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.

Limitations and Alternatives

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility of Seaside Escapes, 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.

• Older PDF Documents: Some older PDF documents may not be fully tagged for accessibility. We are working to replace these documents with accessible versions. In the meantime, please contact us if you need assistance accessing the content of these documents.
• Third-Party Content: Some third-party content (e.g., embedded maps, social media feeds) may not be fully accessible. We are working with our third-party vendors to improve the accessibility of their content.

Assessment Approach

Seaside Escapes assessed the accessibility of Seaside Escapes by the following approaches:

• Self-evaluation: The website was evaluated internally by our accessibility team using automated testing tools and manual testing methods.
• External evaluation: We contract with a third-party accessibility consultant to conduct regular accessibility audits and provide recommendations for improvement.

Formal Complaints

If you have a formal complaint regarding the accessibility of our website, please submit your complaint in writing to:

Accessibility Compliance Officer
Seaside Escapes
123 Ocean View Avenue
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Please include a detailed description of the accessibility issue you encountered, the URL of the page where the issue occurred, and any assistive technology you were using. We will investigate your complaint and respond to you within 30 business days.

Formal Approval of this Accessibility Statement

This Accessibility Statement is approved by: Amelia Coastworth, CEO of Seaside Escapes.

Date of Statement

This statement was created on June 5, 2024, and is reviewed and updated regularly.

Navigating Our Website

To enhance your experience on our website, we encourage you to utilize the following browser and assistive technology combinations:

Please ensure that both your browser and assistive technology are up to date to benefit from the latest accessibility features and improvements.