Accessibility Statement
Last reviewed: [INSERT DATE]
Update this page as the platform is built. An accessibility statement should describe the actual current state, not an aspiration. Claiming conformance you have not tested for is itself a problem.
Before launch: run an audit, record real findings in "Known limitations" below, and set a genuine review date. Delete this banner once the page reflects tested reality.
Civic participation only works if everyone can participate. A petition platform that a blind person cannot sign, or that a person using a keyboard cannot navigate, has failed at its basic purpose. Accessibility is a functional requirement of this platform, not a finishing touch.
Our target
PetitionWatch.org aims to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA across all public-facing experiences.
Current status: [SELECT ONE — "Partially conformant: some content does not yet fully conform" / "Fully conformant, verified by audit on INSERT DATE" / "In development; not yet audited"].
What we have built in
- Keyboard navigation — every interactive element is reachable and operable by keyboard, with a visible focus indicator.
- Skip link — a "Skip to main content" link is the first focusable element on every page.
- Semantic structure — proper landmarks, a logical heading order, and lists marked up as lists, so screen readers can navigate by structure.
- Text alternatives — meaningful images carry descriptive alt text; decorative images are hidden from assistive technology.
- Colour contrast — text and interface colours are chosen to meet AA contrast ratios, and colour is never the only way information is conveyed.
- Form labelling — every field has a visible, programmatically associated label; required fields are marked in text, not by colour alone; errors are announced to assistive technology.
- Responsive and zoomable — content reflows to 320px and remains usable at 200% zoom without horizontal scrolling.
- Reduced motion — animation and smooth scrolling are disabled for anyone whose system requests reduced motion.
- Plain language — petition and privacy explanations are written to be understood without legal or technical training.
- Large touch targets — interactive controls are sized for imprecise pointing and motor impairment.
Known limitations
We list these openly rather than leave you to discover them.
| Limitation | Impact | Planned fix |
|---|---|---|
| [EXAMPLE — replace with real audit findings] Third-party embedded content | Content embedded from external services may not meet our standard | [DATE / under review] |
| [EXAMPLE] Uploaded PDFs and documents | Documents submitted by users and organizations may not be tagged for screen readers | [DATE / guidance being issued to organizations] |
| [EXAMPLE] Older community-submitted media | Video submitted before captioning requirements may lack captions | [DATE] |
If this table still contains bracketed examples, the page has not been updated since the draft was written.
Assessment approach
[DESCRIBE WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DO. For example:] We assess accessibility through a combination of automated testing, manual keyboard-only testing, screen reader testing with [NAME THE TOOLS — e.g. NVDA, VoiceOver, JAWS], and [self-assessment / external audit by INSERT AUDITOR, INSERT DATE].
Technical specifications
Accessibility relies on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WAI-ARIA and SVG, and on the combination of a modern browser and any assistive technology installed on your device.
Tell us about a barrier
If you hit something on this site you cannot use, we want to hear about it. Reports of real barriers are more useful to us than any automated score.
Email inquiry@petitionwatch.org with the page address, what you were trying to do, what happened, and the browser and assistive technology you were using if you know them.
We aim to acknowledge within [INSERT PERIOD, e.g. 5 business days] and to tell you what we intend to do about it.
If you need another way to participate
If a barrier prevents you from signing a petition or submitting content, contact us and we will provide an alternative route. No one should lose the ability to take part in a civic process because of how our website is built.
Enforcement
[IF APPLICABLE IN YOUR JURISDICTION — name the relevant enforcement body and the procedure available to someone who is not satisfied with our response.]
Accessibility contact
Email inquiry@petitionwatch.org
Postal: [INSERT POSTAL ADDRESS]