Accessibility Statement

Last reviewed: March 30, 2026

Subacademy is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including people with disabilities. We strive to provide an inclusive learning experience that conforms to established accessibility standards. This statement describes our current conformance status, the measures we take, and how to report issues.

1. Conformance Standard

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the internationally recognized standard for web accessibility and is referenced by accessibility legislation in the United States (Section 508, ADA), the European Union (European Accessibility Act, EN 301 549), and other jurisdictions.

Conformance to these guidelines means that content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust — the four foundational principles of web accessibility.

2. Measures We Take

Subacademy takes the following measures to ensure accessibility:

• Accessibility is integrated into our design and development process from the earliest stages, not treated as an afterthought
• We conduct internal accessibility reviews during development using automated testing tools and manual evaluation
• We plan periodic third-party accessibility audits to identify and address issues we may have missed
• All team members involved in content creation and development receive training on accessibility best practices
• Accessibility criteria are included in our quality assurance and acceptance testing procedures
• We maintain an internal accessibility backlog and prioritize remediation of identified issues

3. Current Accessibility Features

3.1 Navigation and structure

• "Skip to content" links on all pages allow keyboard users to bypass repetitive navigation and proceed directly to the main content area
• Pages follow a logical heading hierarchy (h1 through h4) to enable screen reader users to navigate by heading level and understand content structure
• The Platform uses semantic HTML elements (nav, main, section, article, aside, footer) to convey page structure to assistive technologies
• Breadcrumb navigation provides clear indication of the user's current location within the module and lesson hierarchy
• All pages have descriptive, unique page titles that identify the specific content

3.2 Keyboard accessibility

• All interactive elements — including navigation links, buttons, form controls, module cards, assessment questions, and lesson navigation — are accessible and operable using only a keyboard
• Focus indicators are visible on all interactive elements, using a combination of outline and background color changes that meet contrast requirements
• Tab order follows a logical, predictable sequence that matches the visual layout of the page
• Modal dialogs and dropdown menus trap focus appropriately and can be dismissed with the Escape key
• No interactions require precise mouse movements, gestures, or other input methods that exclude keyboard-only users

3.3 Visual design

• Text color contrast ratios meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements: minimum 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18px+ or 14px+ bold)
• The Platform functions correctly when zoomed to 200% in the browser, reflowing content appropriately without loss of information or functionality
• No content relies solely on color to convey meaning — color coding is always accompanied by text labels, patterns, or icons
• No content flashes more than three times per second, minimizing risk for users with photosensitive conditions
• Interactive elements have a minimum target size of 44 × 44 CSS pixels on touch devices, per WCAG 2.5.5 guidance
• The responsive design adapts to various screen sizes and orientations without loss of content or functionality

3.4 Content and media

• All meaningful images include descriptive alternative text (alt attributes) that conveys the content and purpose of the image to screen reader users
• Decorative images are marked with empty alt attributes (alt="") so they are ignored by screen readers
• All instructional videos include synchronized captions
• Text transcripts are available for download alongside each video lesson, providing an alternative for users who cannot access video or audio content
• Data tables include proper header markup (th elements with scope attributes) and captions to convey structure to assistive technologies

3.5 Forms and assessments

• All form fields are associated with visible labels using the for/id attribute pairing
• Required fields are identified both visually and programmatically (using the required attribute and aria-required)
• Error messages are descriptive, associated with the relevant field, and announced to screen readers using live regions
• Assessment questions use standard HTML form controls (radio buttons, checkboxes) with appropriate grouping via fieldset and legend elements
• Users are not timed on assessments — there is no time limit that could disadvantage users who need additional time to process content

3.6 Motion and animation

• Users who have enabled the "prefers-reduced-motion" setting in their operating system will experience a version of the Platform with all non-essential animations disabled, including hero particle effects, scroll-triggered transitions, and hover animations
• No animation is essential to understanding the content — all information conveyed through animation is also available as static content
• Animated content does not autoplay with audio

4. Known Limitations

Despite our efforts, some areas of the Platform may have accessibility limitations that we are actively working to address:

• SVG module illustrations: Abstract SVG graphics used in module cards may not be fully described by screen readers. These images are decorative and do not convey essential information, but we are working to add improved descriptions where they could provide useful context.
• Horizontal scroll module gallery: The horizontally scrolling module card section on the landing page may present navigation challenges for some assistive technology users. Arrow buttons and keyboard scrolling are provided as alternatives to touch/mouse swiping. We are evaluating alternative layout approaches.
• Third-party embedded content: Some third-party components (e.g., authentication flows provided by Clerk) may not fully conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We work with our vendors to advocate for accessibility improvements and select alternatives where necessary.
• PDF certificates: Generated PDF certificates may have limited accessibility features. We are working on ensuring proper reading order, tagged content, and alternative text in generated PDFs.

5. Feedback and Issue Reporting

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of the Subacademy platform. If you encounter an accessibility barrier, please let us know so we can address it:

Email: accessibility@subacademy.org

When reporting an issue, please include:

• A description of the accessibility barrier you encountered
• The page URL and section of the Platform where the issue occurred
• The browser and assistive technology you were using (if applicable)
• Your preferred method of contact for follow-up

We aim to acknowledge all accessibility reports within 3 business days and provide a resolution or timeline within 14 business days. For barriers that prevent access to critical content, we will provide an alternative means of access while a permanent fix is developed.

6. Compatibility

Subacademy is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies:

• Screen readers: NVDA (Windows), JAWS (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), TalkBack (Android)
• Voice control: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Voice Control (macOS/iOS)
• Screen magnification: ZoomText, built-in OS magnification
• Switch access devices and alternative input methods

The Platform is tested on the latest stable versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend using the latest version of your browser for the best experience.

7. Legal Framework

This accessibility statement has been prepared with reference to the following standards and regulations:

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA — W3C Recommendation
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (United States)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title III
• European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882)
• EN 301 549 — Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (EU)

8. Review and Updates

This accessibility statement is reviewed and updated at least quarterly, or whenever significant changes are made to the Platform. The most recent review was conducted in March 2026.

We are committed to continuous improvement in accessibility. As standards evolve and as we receive feedback from us ← Back to Subacademy