Accessibility Statement

Our commitment to inclusive arts education for all

Our Commitment

ArtsED West believes that arts education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability. We are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, including individuals with disabilities.

We have achieved WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance with enhanced color contrast that exceeds AA standards across all interactive elements. Our high-contrast body text provides exceptional readability with 16.5:1 contrast. We use cutting-edge AI technology to continuously monitor and maintain accessibility standards.

Current Status: WCAG 2.1 Level AA Compliant with Enhanced Contrast

WCAG 2.1 Compliance Status

Level A

Basic accessibility features

Achieved

Level AA

Enhanced accessibility standards

Achieved

Level Enhanced AA

Exceeds minimum AA requirements

Achieved

Accessibility Features

Keyboard navigation throughout the site
Screen reader compatible content
Alt text for all informational images
Enhanced color contrast (exceeds AA requirements)
Resizable text up to 200% without loss of functionality
Clear heading structure (H1-H6)
Focus indicators for interactive elements
Responsive design for mobile devices
Skip navigation links for keyboard users
Breadcrumb navigation for context
High contrast mode toggle
Comprehensive ARIA labels and landmarks
Progress indicators for multi-step processes
Respects prefers-reduced-motion settings
Print-friendly stylesheet

Automated Testing & Continuous Compliance

We use an AI-powered Accessibility Compliance Agent and automated testing in our CI/CD pipeline to maintain and continuously improve our accessibility:

  • Pa11y CI: Automated WCAG compliance checking on every code push
  • Axe-core: Catches accessibility violations before deployment
  • Lighthouse CI: Performance and accessibility scoring
  • WAVE: WebAIM's accessibility evaluation tool
  • AI Compliance Agent: Regularly audits and fixes accessibility issues
  • GitHub Actions: Automated testing on pull requests
  • Manual testing: Keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility

Last comprehensive audit: January 2026

AI-Powered Accessibility Compliance

Innovation in Accessibility: ArtsED West employs an advanced AI Accessibility Compliance Agent that continuously monitors and improves our website's accessibility. This agent:

  • Maintains a persistent compliance checklist that tracks all WCAG requirements
  • Automatically identifies and fixes accessibility issues
  • Updates this accessibility page to reflect current compliance status
  • Runs comprehensive audits on a regular schedule
  • Ensures no accessibility improvements are lost or regressed

The agent tracks 26 WCAG compliance points, with items marked as either compliant or non-compliant (never deleted), ensuring continuous improvement and accountability.

Known Limitations

While we strive for full accessibility, some areas may present challenges:

  • Some interactive features may not be fully optimized for all assistive technologies
  • Complex form interactions are being enhanced for better screen reader support

We are actively working to address these limitations and welcome feedback on any issues you encounter.

Supported Browsers & Technologies

Our website is optimized for accessibility with:

Browsers

  • Chrome (latest version)
  • Firefox (latest version)
  • Safari (latest version)
  • Edge (latest version)

Assistive Technologies

  • JAWS (Windows)
  • NVDA (Windows)
  • VoiceOver (macOS/iOS)
  • TalkBack (Android)

Alternative Formats

If you need information from our website in an alternative format, we're happy to help. We can provide:

  • Large print versions of documents
  • Audio descriptions of visual content
  • Simplified text versions
  • Alternative formats for data and charts

Please contact us with your specific needs and we'll work to accommodate them.

Feedback & Contact

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know:

Accessibility Coordinator

Email: info@artsedwest.org

Phone: Contact us through our contact form

Phoenix, Arizona

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 2 business days and work to resolve identified issues as quickly as possible.

Legal Compliance

ArtsED West is committed to compliance with applicable accessibility laws and regulations, including:

  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (for federally funded programs)
  • State of Arizona accessibility requirements

Our Ongoing Journey

Accessibility is not a destination but an ongoing journey. We are committed to continuous improvement and regularly update our website to enhance accessibility. Our goals include:

  • Daily: Automated accessibility tests run on every code change
  • Weekly: AI Compliance Agent audits and updates
  • Monthly: Manual accessibility review and testing
  • Quarterly: Comprehensive WCAG compliance review and enhancement
  • Ongoing: User feedback integration and disability community partnerships

Our Goal: Continuously improve accessibility and user experience for all visitors