Accessibility Statement

Our Commitment to Accessibility

At Celestial Sounds Studio, located in the heart of New York City, we are deeply committed to providing a website and digital content that are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. We believe that everyone deserves equal access to information and services, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. This commitment is fundamental to our mission of fostering creativity and collaboration within the music and audio production community.

We are actively working to improve the accessibility of our website to ensure we provide equal access to all of our users. This Accessibility Statement outlines our efforts and provides information on how to provide us feedback.

Measures to Support Accessibility

Celestial Sounds Studio takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of our website:

• Conformance to Standards: We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. These guidelines outline best practices for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. This includes guidelines for perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust content.
• ARIA Attributes: We utilize WAI-ARIA (Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to enhance the semantic structure and accessibility of our website. ARIA attributes provide additional information to assistive technologies, such as screen readers, allowing users with disabilities to better understand and interact with our content.
• Semantic HTML: We use semantic HTML5 elements to structure our content in a meaningful and logical way. This includes using appropriate heading levels (<h1> to <h6>), paragraph elements (<p>), lists (<ul> and <ol>), and other structural elements to convey the meaning and relationships between different parts of our content.
• Alternative Text for Images: All images on our website include descriptive alternative text (alt text) that accurately conveys the content and function of the image. This allows users who are unable to see the images to understand their purpose and context. For example, an image of our studio console will have the alt text "Studio console at Celestial Sounds Studio with various knobs, faders, and displays."
• Keyboard Navigation: Our website is designed to be fully navigable using a keyboard. Users can access all interactive elements, such as links, buttons, and form fields, using the keyboard alone. This is essential for users who are unable to use a mouse or other pointing device.
• Color Contrast: We ensure that sufficient color contrast is used throughout our website to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements. This helps users with low vision or color blindness to distinguish between text and background colors. Our dark theme, inspired by Bootstrap, is specifically designed to provide optimal contrast and readability.
• Responsive Design: Our website is built using a responsive design framework, which means that it adapts to different screen sizes and devices. This ensures that users can access our content regardless of whether they are using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
• Clear and Consistent Navigation: We provide clear and consistent navigation throughout our website to help users easily find the information they are looking for. Our main navigation menu is located at the top of each page and provides access to our key content areas.
• Forms Accessibility: All forms on our website are designed to be accessible to users with disabilities. We provide clear labels for all form fields, use appropriate input types, and provide error messages that are easy to understand.
• Video and Audio Accessibility: We strive to provide captions and transcripts for all video and audio content on our website. This allows users who are deaf or hard of hearing to access the information conveyed in these media.
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular accessibility audits of our website using automated tools and manual testing methods. This helps us identify and address any accessibility issues that may arise.

Specific ARIA Attributes Used

We strategically use ARIA attributes to enhance the accessibility of various elements on our website. Here are some examples:

• role="navigation": Used on our <nav> element to identify it as a navigation landmark, allowing screen reader users to quickly locate the main navigation menu.
• aria-label: Used to provide descriptive labels for elements that may not have clear text labels, such as social media icons. For example, <a href="#" aria-label="Facebook"><i class="fab fa-facebook-f"></i></a> provides a clear label for the Facebook icon.
• aria-describedby: Used to associate descriptive text with elements, such as images. For example, an image of Aria Nova performing on stage is associated with a paragraph that provides a detailed description of the image.
• aria-hidden="true": Used to hide decorative elements from assistive technologies, preventing them from being announced to screen reader users.

WCAG Compliance

Celestial Sounds Studio aims to meet the requirements of WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Some key WCAG principles we adhere to include:

• Perceivable: Providing text alternatives for non-text content, captions for videos, and ensuring content is adaptable and distinguishable.
• Operable: Making all functionality available from a keyboard, providing sufficient time for users to read and use content, and designing content in a way that does not cause seizures.
• Understandable: Making text readable and understandable, ensuring content appears and operates in predictable ways, and helping users avoid and correct mistakes.
• Robust: Ensuring content is compatible with a wide range of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers or have suggestions for how we can improve our website's accessibility, please contact us:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: (212) 555-2323 (Please indicate that your call is related to accessibility feedback)
• Mailing Address: Celestial Sounds Studio, Accessibility Department, 777 Harmony Lane, Suite 22, New York, NY 10019

We will make every effort to respond to your feedback in a timely manner and take appropriate action to address any accessibility issues that are identified.

Ongoing Efforts

Accessibility is an ongoing effort at Celestial Sounds Studio. We are committed to continuously improving the accessibility of our website and digital content to ensure that all users have a positive experience. We regularly review our website and policies to identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance accessibility. We also provide accessibility training to our staff to ensure that they are equipped to create and maintain accessible content.

Celestial Sounds Studio is dedicated to creating an inclusive digital environment where everyone can thrive. By adhering to WCAG guidelines, utilizing ARIA attributes, and actively seeking feedback, we are constantly working towards a more accessible future.