Accessibility Statement

Our Commitment to Accessibility

AW-CARDS is committed to ensuring that our digital business card platform is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We believe that every professional deserves the ability to create, share, and manage their digital identity regardless of their abilities or the assistive technologies they use.

We are continually improving the user experience for all visitors and applying the relevant accessibility standards to ensure we provide equal access to all users. Accessibility is not a one-time effort for us; it is an ongoing commitment integrated into our design and development processes.

Conformance Status

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.

While we strive for Level AA compliance across the entire platform, we acknowledge that some areas may not yet fully meet all criteria. We are actively working to identify and resolve any gaps in conformance.

Accessibility Features

We have implemented the following accessibility features throughout the AW-CARDS platform:

Keyboard Navigation

• All interactive elements (buttons, links, form fields, menus, toggles) are accessible via keyboard
• Logical tab order follows the visual reading order of each page
• Modal dialogs, drawers, and lightboxes trap focus within the overlay and can be dismissed with the Escape key
• Skip-to-content links are provided where appropriate to bypass repetitive navigation
• Dropdown menus and accordion components support arrow key navigation

Screen Reader Support

• Semantic HTML elements are used throughout: <main>, <nav>, <section>, <header>, <footer>
• All images and decorative icons include appropriate alt text or are marked with aria-hidden="true"
• Form inputs are associated with visible labels using htmlFor attributes
• ARIA landmarks, roles, and properties are used to enhance navigation and convey component states (e.g., aria-expanded, aria-modal, aria-label)
• Error messages are announced to screen readers using role="alert"
• Dynamic content changes are communicated via ARIA live regions where appropriate

Visual Design and Color

• Color contrast ratios meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 AA requirements (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
• Information is never conveyed by color alone; text labels, icons, and patterns are used alongside color indicators
• Focus indicators are visible on all interactive elements using consistent focus ring styling (:focus-visible outlines)
• Disabled states are clearly communicated through both visual styling (reduced opacity) and ARIA attributes
• Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality
• Card themes are designed to maintain sufficient contrast ratios across all 12+ theme options

Responsive and Adaptive Design

• The platform is fully responsive and functions on screen sizes from 320px width and up
• Content reflows properly at all viewport widths without requiring horizontal scrolling
• Touch targets meet minimum size requirements (44x44 CSS pixels) for mobile users
• The interface adapts gracefully to different zoom levels, font sizes, and display preferences
• Small-screen optimizations are provided for card components at narrow widths (below 380px)

Forms and Interactive Components

• All form fields have visible labels and placeholder text for additional guidance
• Form validation errors are clearly described with specific instructions for correction
• Required fields are marked and communicated to assistive technologies
• Loading states are indicated both visually and with disabled button states to prevent duplicate submissions
• Auto-save in the card editor provides feedback without interrupting workflow

Motion and Animation

• We respect the prefers-reduced-motion media query and reduce or disable animations for users who prefer less motion
• No content flashes more than three times per second
• Auto-playing animations can be paused or stopped by users

Public Card Accessibility

• Published digital business cards use semantic HTML with proper heading hierarchy
• Card sections are wrapped in <section> elements with descriptive aria-label attributes
• Contact information links (email, phone, address) are properly coded for assistive technology recognition
• Social media links include descriptive labels identifying the platform
• vCard download and share actions are accessible via keyboard and screen readers

Known Limitations

While we work continuously to improve accessibility, the following areas have known limitations that we are actively addressing:

• Card editor drag-and-drop: reordering card sections via drag-and-drop in the card editor may be difficult for keyboard-only users. We provide alternative controls (move up/move down buttons) as a keyboard-accessible fallback.
• QR code images: QR codes are inherently visual. We provide the corresponding URL in text form alongside every QR code so the information is accessible to screen reader users.
• User-uploaded images: images uploaded by users to their cards (profile photos, portfolio images) may not always have descriptive alt text. We encourage users to provide alt text and display guidance prompts in the editor.
• Third-party integrations: some features that rely on third-party services (e.g., embedded maps, external CRM widgets) may have accessibility limitations outside of our control. We select partners with accessibility commitments where possible.
• Complex analytics charts: data visualizations in the analytics dashboard may present challenges for screen reader users. We provide data tables as an alternative to charts and are working on improved chart descriptions.

Testing and Evaluation

We evaluate the accessibility of our platform through a combination of methods:

• Automated accessibility testing using tools such as axe-core and Lighthouse
• Manual testing with keyboard-only navigation across all major workflows
• Screen reader testing with NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), and TalkBack (Android)
• Browser testing across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
• Code review processes that include accessibility checks as part of our QA checklist
• Periodic third-party accessibility audits

Compatibility with Assistive Technologies

AW-CARDS is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies:

• Screen readers: NVDA (Windows), JAWS (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS, iOS), TalkBack (Android)
• Screen magnifiers: ZoomText, built-in OS zoom features
• Voice recognition: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, built-in OS voice control
• Switch devices: switch navigation via standard accessibility APIs
• Browsers: latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge

The Service is built with standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript using modern frameworks (React, Next.js) that produce accessible DOM structures when used with proper ARIA attributes.

Feedback and Contact

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of AW-CARDS. If you encounter accessibility barriers, have difficulty using any part of the platform, or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know:

• Email: accessibility@aw-cards.com
• General support: hello@aw-cards.com
• Postal address: AW-CARDS Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom

When contacting us about an accessibility issue, please include:

• A description of the issue you encountered
• The page URL or feature where the issue occurred
• The browser and assistive technology you were using
• Any error messages or screenshots, if applicable

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

Enforcement Procedures

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility concern, you may contact the relevant enforcement body in your jurisdiction. In the UK, you may contact the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS). In the EU, you may contact your national enforcement body. In the US, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.