Accessibility Statement

1. Our Commitment

ModernSite Studio ("ModernSite") is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including people with disabilities. We believe everyone deserves equal access to the web, both as users of our platform and as visitors to the websites built with our service.

Our commitment extends to two areas:

• Our platform (modernsite.studio): the dashboard, visual editor, and all tools you use to build your site
• Published sites: the websites our customers create and publish using our templates

2. Standards We Follow

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. These guidelines, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), provide a framework for making web content more accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, including:

• Visual impairments (blindness, low vision, color blindness)
• Hearing impairments
• Motor impairments (limited fine motor control, inability to use a mouse)
• Cognitive and learning disabilities

3. Platform Accessibility (modernsite.studio)

For our dashboard and visual editor, we implement the following:

Perceivable

• All images and icons include appropriate alt text or aria-labels
• Color is never the sole means of conveying information
• Text meets minimum contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
• Content is responsive and reflows at up to 400% zoom without horizontal scrolling
• Form fields have visible labels and placeholder text is supplementary, not a replacement

Operable

• All interactive elements are keyboard accessible
• Focus indicators are visible on all focusable elements
• No content flashes more than three times per second
• Skip navigation links are provided for keyboard users
• Dropdown menus and modals can be operated with keyboard alone
• Touch targets meet minimum size requirements (44x44 CSS pixels)

Understandable

• Language is declared in the HTML element
• Navigation is consistent across pages
• Error messages clearly identify the problem and suggest corrections
• Form validation provides inline feedback before submission
• Instructions do not rely solely on sensory characteristics (shape, size, location)

Robust

• Semantic HTML is used throughout (headings, landmarks, lists, buttons)
• ARIA attributes are used where native HTML semantics are insufficient
• The platform is tested with popular screen readers (VoiceOver, NVDA)
• Content is compatible with current and future assistive technologies

4. Published Site Accessibility

Websites built with ModernSite templates are designed with accessibility in mind:

• All templates use semantic HTML structure (proper heading hierarchy, landmarks, lists)
• Templates maintain sufficient color contrast in their default configurations
• Navigation is keyboard accessible with visible focus states
• Contact forms include proper labels, error states, and ARIA attributes
• Images uploaded by users include alt text fields in the editor
• Responsive layouts ensure content is accessible on all devices
• Animations respect the prefers-reduced-motion media query
• Font sizes use relative units and scale with browser zoom

Site Owner Responsibilities

While our templates provide an accessible foundation, site owners are responsible for:

• Providing meaningful alt text for uploaded images
• Ensuring custom text content maintains sufficient contrast with the background
• Writing clear, understandable content
• Not removing or overriding built-in accessibility features
• Testing their published site with assistive technologies if serving users with disabilities

5. Assistive Technology Compatibility

ModernSite is designed to be compatible with:

• Screen readers: VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), NVDA (Windows), JAWS (Windows), TalkBack (Android)
• Voice control: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Voice Control (macOS/iOS)
• Magnification: ZoomText, built-in OS zoom features
• Switch access: Single-switch and sip-and-puff devices via keyboard interface
• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (latest two versions)

6. Known Limitations

Despite our efforts, some areas may have accessibility limitations:

• Visual editor: The drag-and-drop functionality in our visual editor may be difficult to use with keyboard alone. We provide alternative keyboard shortcuts for common editing actions.
• Template previews: Template thumbnail images in the gallery are decorative and may not convey the full design to screen reader users. Template names and descriptions are provided as text alternatives.
• Auto-scrolling carousels: Some marketing page elements auto-scroll. These pause on hover/focus and respect reduced-motion preferences.
• Third-party embeds: If site owners embed third-party content (maps, videos), we cannot guarantee the accessibility of that content.

We are actively working to address these limitations and improve accessibility across all areas of the platform.

7. Testing and Evaluation

We evaluate accessibility through:

• Automated testing with axe-core and Lighthouse during development
• Manual keyboard navigation testing for all new features
• Screen reader testing with VoiceOver and NVDA
• Color contrast verification using WCAG contrast checkers
• Responsive design testing across viewport sizes
• Periodic third-party accessibility audits

8. Feedback and Contact

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of ModernSite. If you encounter any accessibility barriers, have difficulty using any part of our platform, or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us:

When reporting an accessibility issue, please include:

• The URL or page where you encountered the issue
• A description of the problem
• The assistive technology you were using (if applicable)
• Your browser and operating system

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days and to resolve identified issues within 30 days where feasible.

9. Continuous Improvement

Accessibility is an ongoing effort. We are committed to:

• Training our team on accessibility best practices
• Including accessibility requirements in our design and development process
• Regularly auditing our platform and templates for compliance
• Staying current with evolving accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 and beyond)
• Incorporating user feedback into our accessibility roadmap
• Publishing updates to this statement as we make improvements

10. Legal Compliance

This accessibility statement is provided in accordance with applicable accessibility laws and regulations, including:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• European Accessibility Act (EAA)
• EN 301 549 (European standard for ICT accessibility)

If you believe our platform does not meet accessibility requirements, please contact us first so we can attempt to resolve the issue. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the appropriate regulatory authority in your jurisdiction.