Our Commitment to an Accessible Site — WCAG 2.1 AA & the ADA
How we build for accessibility, the U.S. standards we target (WCAG 2.1 Level AA, ADA Title III, the 2010 ADA Standards, Section 508), the assistive technologies we test with, the built-in features on every page, our known limitations, and exactly how to report a barrier and escalate.
What is on this page
1. Our Commitment
uswaterparkguide.org/ is committed to being usable by the widest possible audience, regardless of ability or technology. Planning a family day out is something everyone deserves to be able to do — including people who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, screen magnification, or voice control. Accessibility is part of our editorial standard, not an afterthought.
2. Standards We Target
We design and build to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Its four principles are that content must be:
- Perceivable — text alternatives, sufficient color contrast, adaptable layout
- Operable — full keyboard access, no keyboard traps, enough time, no seizure-inducing flashing
- Understandable — readable text, predictable behavior, input assistance
- Robust — valid, semantic markup that works with assistive technologies
3. U.S. Legal Framework
| Law | What it covers |
|---|---|
| ADA Title III (42 U.S.C. §12181 et seq.) | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by places of public accommodation; widely applied by courts and the DOJ to commercial websites |
| 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design | Physical-access standards including accessible means of entry to pools (e.g., pool lifts and sloped entry) — relevant to the parks we cover |
| Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. §794d) | Requires federal agencies’ electronic and information technology to be accessible; references WCAG and informs best practice for all sites |
| DOJ guidance | U.S. Department of Justice guidance on web accessibility under the ADA — ada.gov |
We voluntarily target WCAG 2.1 AA and reference Section 508 as best practice. We are not a federal agency, and this statement is our good-faith commitment, not a representation of legal compliance certification.
4. Built-In Accessibility Features
- Mobile-first responsive design down to a 320px viewport, reflowing without horizontal scrolling
- Body text of 17px or larger with generous line spacing
- System fonts that respect your device and browser font-size settings
- Semantic HTML — proper headings, lists, and landmarks for screen-reader navigation
- Color-contrast ratios meeting WCAG AA (4.5:1 normal text, 3:1 large text)
- Visible keyboard focus indicators on all interactive elements
- Full keyboard operability — no mouse required, no keyboard traps
- Descriptive link text — links make sense out of context
- Touch targets sized for easier tapping on mobile
- Respect for “prefers-reduced-motion”
- No autoplay audio or video, and no flashing content
- Information not conveyed by color alone
5. Assistive Technology Compatibility
- Screen readers — NVDA and JAWS (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS and iOS), TalkBack (Android), and Narrator (Windows)
- Screen magnification — ZoomText and built-in OS magnifiers
- Voice control — Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Voice Control (Apple), and Voice Access (Android)
- Browser zoom up to 200% without loss of content or functionality
- Keyboard-only navigation across all browsers
6. Accessibility at the Park Itself
We work to note accessible-entry provisions in our guides where a park publishes them, but the authoritative source for on-site accessibility — accessible pool entry, wheelchair access, accessible parking and restrooms — is the park’s own official page. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, public-accommodation pools are generally required to provide an accessible means of entry. Confirm specific provisions with the park before you visit.
7. Known Limitations
- Third-party advertising — ad content served by partners may not always meet WCAG 2.1 AA; we cannot fully control third-party ad markup
- Embedded maps — third-party map embeds may have limited screen-reader support; we always provide the park’s address as plain text as well
- Linked external sites — park, operator, CPSC, and CDC sites have their own accessibility levels that we do not control
- Older archived pages — we are progressively bringing all legacy content up to the current standard
If any of these limitations blocks you, contact us and we will provide the information in an accessible alternative format.
8. How to Report an Accessibility Barrier
If you encounter any barrier using uswaterparkguide.org/, please tell us. Email info@uswaterparkguide.org with the subject “Accessibility issue” and include:
- The page URL where you hit the barrier
- A description of the problem and what you were trying to do
- The assistive technology you were using (e.g., NVDA, VoiceOver) and its version
- Your browser and operating system
- How you would like us to send any information you need in the meantime
9. Our Response Commitment
| Stage | Target |
|---|---|
| Acknowledge your report | 1 business day |
| Provide the requested content in an accessible alternative format | 1-3 business days |
| Fix straightforward barriers | 1-3 business days |
| Resolve complex barriers (with interim workaround offered) | As quickly as practicable, with progress updates |
10. Escalation
| Body | Contact |
|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Justice (ADA) | ada.gov — file an ADA complaint |
| Your state Attorney General | Via the National Association of Attorneys General directory at naag.org |
| Your state human-rights / civil-rights commission | Many states (e.g., California, New York) operate a commission that handles disability-access complaints |
11. Ongoing Review
We review accessibility on a quarterly cycle alongside our park-verification cycle, using a combination of automated testing tools and manual checks with keyboard navigation and screen readers. The “Last reviewed” date at the top of this statement reflects the most recent review.
12. Contact
For any accessibility question, barrier report, or request for content in an alternative format, email info@uswaterparkguide.org with the subject “Accessibility issue”. We acknowledge within 1 business day.
Hit an Accessibility Barrier?
Email info@uswaterparkguide.org with the subject “Accessibility issue”. We acknowledge within 1 business day and provide the content you need in an accessible format within 1-3 business days.
♿ info@uswaterparkguide.org