Accessibility
Our commitment to accessibility
SSWEI is committed to ensuring our website and resources are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. Accessibility is not an afterthought — it is a structural requirement for equity.
Accessibility as equity
As an institute centred on equity and inclusion, we recognize that accessibility is inseparable from the work we do. Barriers to digital access disproportionately impact the same communities we serve — Black, Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized populations. We are committed to removing those barriers wherever possible and to continuously improving our digital presence.
Built-in accessibility features
- Skip to content: Keyboard users can skip navigation and jump directly to main content.
- Text size controls: Increase or decrease text size using the accessibility toolbar (bottom-right corner).
- High contrast mode: Toggle high contrast for improved readability and visual clarity.
- Reduced motion: Disable animations and transitions for users who are sensitive to motion.
- Keyboard navigation: All interactive elements are accessible via keyboard with visible focus indicators.
- Semantic HTML: Proper heading hierarchy and ARIA labels for screen reader compatibility.
- Responsive design: All pages are optimized for mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.
Multilingual support
Our website includes a built-in translation feature accessible from the language button (globe icon) in the top-right corner of the navigation bar. Currently supported languages include:
We are working to expand language support as we grow. If you need content in a language not listed here, please contact us.
Standards we follow
We strive to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. Our site uses responsive design, clear typography, sufficient colour contrast, descriptive link text, and proper document structure. We regularly review our site for accessibility issues and address them as they are identified.
Publication accessibility
All SSWEI publications (briefs, practice guides, and reports) will be published as accessible PDFs with proper heading structure, alt text for images, and screen reader compatibility.
Known limitations
We are aware that some areas of our site may not yet fully meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. We are actively working to address these gaps, including:
- Machine translation may produce inaccurate or incomplete translations in some languages
- Some third-party embedded content may not meet our accessibility standards
Feedback
If you encounter any accessibility barriers on our website or in our publications, please let us know. We take all feedback seriously and will work to address issues promptly. Your input helps us build a more equitable digital experience.