Objective: Increase customer confidence in Bridge’s commitment to accessibility by 2x no later than July 2025.
Target Compliance Level: WCAG 2.2 Level AA
Initial Project Timeline: 1/2025 - 3/2026
Documentation and ongoing updates at: https://community.bridgeapp.com/hc/en-us/categories/31605975023635-Getting-Started
Accessibility Statement
At Bridge, we’re thrilled to continue being a champion of an accessibility centered approach that benefits everyone! We firmly believe that designing and developing software to be accessible not only empowers individuals with disabilities but also enhances the experience of all users. Our mission is to create an online learning environment that’s intuitive, flexible and engaging for every learner to unlock the full potential of every user.
Additionally, we acknowledge the significance of accessibility standards established by various regulatory bodies. These include the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which sets requirements for digital products and services across the European Union. Additionally, we recognize the standards set by the U.S. Department of Justice, which mandates that state and local governments ensure accessibility for people with disabilities on their websites and mobile applications.
By following these regulations and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards, we will ensure that our e-learning platforms and digital content are perceivable, operable, and understandable for all users, regardless of their abilities. Our ongoing and proactive approach to accessibility will not only ensure legal compliance but also reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive digital environment that benefits all learners.
Historically, Bridge has demonstrated a commitment to accessibility through several key actions:
External Auditing: We have previously contracted for externally conducted VPAT assessments based on WCAG 2.1 standards, covering our entire Bridge product line. The most recent was performed in 2022. However, there's room for improvement in specifying impacts on particular product areas and user groups.
User Feedback: Our development team prioritizes accessibility-related issues, treating them as critical bugs that could impede workflow execution.
Design Philosophy: We embrace an accessibility-first approach, integrating inclusive design principles from the earliest stages of conceptualization. This proactive strategy ensures that accessibility is a fundamental consideration in our process, driving the creation of features that are inherently usable by the widest range of users possible.
Development and Quality Assurance: Our teams utilize accessibility-supportive tools and frameworks. Testing protocols include both automated and manual evaluations, with specific attention to screen reader compatibility (JAWS for windows and VoiceOver for Mac).
Staff Training: We maintain an annual accessibility compliance training program for all employees.
These efforts have demonstrated our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive digital experiences. However, there are opportunities for enhancement, particularly in the areas of product-specific accessibility documentation, more granular user impact analysis and open communication with our community. We’ve designated an Accessibility Task Force to drive forward a more encompassing accessibility implementation plan.
Implementation Plan
We recognize that accessibility is not a one-time effort but an ongoing journey. Bridge established an Accessibility Task Force with representatives from design, development, QA, support, and management. In order to underscore our commitment and continually increase customer confidence, we have developed an implementation plan to chart a path toward excellence in accessibility.
Phase 1:
Strengthen Current Process Integration and Tool Enhancement (Jan. -March. 2025)
- Continue driving progress with conformance improvement for issues identified in the prior VPAT of 2022.
- Improve communication to users that the Accessibility Dark Mode is how users can engage with the platform in high contrast, exceeding standards, at a 7:1 ratio.
- Enforce accessibility checkpoints in the software development lifecycle, re-emphasizing early-stage design considerations
- Enhance the feedback review process to prioritize accessibility issues effectively and track resolution for accessibility bug types.
- Implement additional automated accessibility testing tools to complement existing ones.
- Review and update guidelines for manual testing with assistive technologies, expanding beyond JAWS and VoiceOver.
- Reinforce use of the centralized accessibility resource hub for designers and developers.
Phase 2:
Assessment and Gap Analysis (March -June)
- Obtain an updated, externally performed WCAG 2.2 Level AA audits of each separate Bridge products offering, clearly indicating area of the product and user(s) impacted. Starting with Learn LMS focusing on the learning user.
- Analyze the audit results for each of the above VPATs. Perform user impact analysis and identify specific areas of improvement for each product line to make thematic progress.
- Assess the effectiveness of the current feedback review process from support.
- Evaluate the integration of accessibility in the existing design and development approach.
- Review current development and QA tools and identify and implement any new tools for accessibility support into the current operations.
Strategy Development (June- July)
- Define specific, measurable accessibility goals aligned with WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards for each product as the external results of the product specific VPAT conformance becomes available.
- Develop a detailed timeline for remediation and ongoing monitoring.
- Create a communication plan for internal and external stakeholders, clearly indicating where and when updates will be available, as well as how customers can provide feedback.
Phase 3:
Updated Implementation and Remediation (July - Sept)
- Address high-priority accessibility issues identified in the initial audit.
- Implement accessibility improvements in the design and development processes.
- Enhance documentation and user guides to include detailed accessibility features.
- Develop and implement a robust feedback mechanism for users to report accessibility issues.
- Conduct regular progress reviews with the Accessibility Task Force.
Phase 4:
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement (Ongoing)
- Implement monthly automated accessibility scans across all digital assets.
- Conduct quarterly manual testing with various assistive technologies.
- Establish a bi-annual review cycle for accessibility policies and procedures.
- Engage with external accessibility experts and users with disabilities for ongoing feedback.
- Implement a public-facing accessibility scorecard on the company website.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Percentage of WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliance across all digital assets.
- Number of accessibility issues reported, resolved, and time to resolution.
- Staff completion rates for accessibility training programs.
- Improvement in automated accessibility scan results over time.
- Customer satisfaction scores for accessibility.
Finding Remediation, prioritized issues based on severity and impact.
Status Legend:
To Do: Work has not started yet
Underway: Development in progress
Addressed: Development completed to remediate non-conformance
Removed Items- have been assessed by our external VPAT vendor and are confirmed no longer an issue.
- GUIDELINE 1.1 TEXT ALTERNATIVES
No Remediation Needed
- GUIDELINE 1.2 TIME BASED MEDIA
No Remediation Needed
3. GUIDELINE 1.3 ADAPTABLE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. |
High |
10577 10575 10574 10572 |
Underway |
|
|
1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined. |
When viewing the pages at 200% magnification, the menu bar appears below the main content. The menu bar receives the focus first, then the main content, which is located above it. This is inconsistent with the general top-to-bottom reading paradigm |
High |
10547 |
To Do |
|
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics: Instructions provided for understanding and operating content do not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components such as shape, size, visual location, orientation, or sound. |
All major icons are explained but some are purely cosmetic and require no action from a user's perspective. These cosmetic icons may not be explained properly. |
Low |
10607 10604 10602 10595 10606 |
Underway |
|
1.3.4 Orientation: Content does not restrict its view and operation to a single display orientation, such as portrait or landscape, unless a specific display orientation |
Bridge does not fully support this requirement because there are a few places where Bridge uses a horizontal scrollbar, which could make the navigation a bit inconvenient. |
Low |
10553 |
To Do |
4. GUIDELINE 1.4 DISTINGUISHABLE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 |
High |
10788 10793 10792 10791 10790 10789 10787 10786 |
Addressed: Dark Mode Contrast = 7:1 |
|
|
1.4.4 Resize text: Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality. |
This success criterion defines, if the built-in magnification function of the browser is used up to 200 percent, the text can be read conveniently without using the horizontal scrollbar. |
Medium |
10649 10611 |
Underway |
1.4.10 Reflow: Content can be presented without loss of information or functionality, and without requiring scrolling in two dimensions for (Level AA): ● Vertical scrolling content at a width equivalent to 320 CSS pixels; ● Horizontal scrolling content at a height equivalent to 256 CSS pixels. Except for parts of the content which require two-dimensional layout for usage or meaning. |
High |
To Do |
||
1.4.11 Non-text Contrast: The visual presentation of the following have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent colour(s) (Level AA): ● User Interface Components: Visual information required to identify user interface components and states, except for inactive components or where the appearance of the component is determined by the user agent and not modified by the author; ● Graphical Objects: Parts of graphics required to understand the content, except when a particular presentation of graphics is essential to the information being conveyed. |
Analytics UI via vendor |
N/A |
5. GUIDELINE 2.1 KEYBOARD ACCESSIBLE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap: If keyboard focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface, then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard interface, and, if it requires more than unmodified arrow or tab keys or other standard exit methods, the user is advised of the method for moving focus away. |
Bridge strives to ensure that all elements can be entered and left via the use of a keyboard. |
High |
To Do |
6. GUIDELINE 2.2 ENOUGH TIME
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide: For moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating information, all of the following are true: (Level A) ● Moving, blinking, scrolling: For any moving, blinking or scrolling information that (1) starts automatically, (2) lasts more than five seconds, and (3) is presented in parallel with other content, there is a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it unless the movement, blinking, or scrolling is part of an activity where it is essential; and ● Auto-updating: For any auto-updating information that (1) starts automatically and (2) is presented in parallel with other content, there is a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it or to control the frequency of the update unless the auto-updating is part of an activity where it is essential. |
Preloaders are included within Bridge that include animations as page content loads. Bridge does not include other animations. |
Low |
10687 |
Addressed |
7. GUIDELINE 2.3 SEIZURES
No Remediation Needed
8. GUIDELINE 2.4 NAVIGABLE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks: A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages. |
It may be confusing or frustrating for screen-reader users since they navigate web content in a virtual buffer mainly using the arrow keys. In most of the cases, after activating this button, focus is lost. |
Medium |
10686 |
Addressed |
|
2.4.2 Page Titled: Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose |
High |
10670 |
To Do |
|
|
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context): The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general |
There are a couple of links that open on a new page without warning the user. |
High |
10669 10668 |
To Do |
|
2.4.7 Focus Visible: Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible |
Focus indicators on the pages, but these are not uniform in all of the cases. |
Medium |
10665 |
To Do |
9. Guideline 2.5: Input Modalities
No Remediation Needed
10. GUIDELINE 3.1 READABLE
No Remediation Needed
11. GUIDELINE 3.2 PREDICTABLE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3.2.1 On Focus: When any component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context. |
When a date field receives focus, a calendar component appears |
High |
10661 |
To Do |
|
3.2.2 On Input: Changing the setting of any user interface component does not automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component. |
Bridge does not use the changing of input fields for initiating context changes. |
N/A |
||
|
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. |
A part of the calendar component can be operated with the arrow keys, whereas another part with the Tab key. The Tab key can also be used to leave the component. This could confuse the screen-reader users. |
Medium |
10659 10623 |
To Do |
|
3.2.4 Consistent Identification: Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages are identified consistently. |
In some cases, when a field gets completed with content then it gets submitted automatically, whereas in other cases there’s a button that must be activated. This functionality is not consistent, hence, it may confuse the user. |
Low |
10620 10619 10618 10617 10596 |
To Do |
12. GUIDELINE 3.3 INPUT ASSISTANCE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3.3.1 Error Identification: If an input error is automatically detected, the item that is in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text. |
High |
10598 |
Addressed |
|
|
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions: Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input. |
Medium |
10667 |
Addressed |
13. GUIDELINE 4.1 COMPATIBLE
| Issue | Remarks | Priority Disposition | Internal ID | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4.1.1 Parsing: In content implemented using markup languages, elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and any IDs are unique, except where the specifications allow these features. |
Medium |
10584 |
To Do |
|
|
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies. |
Medium |
10583 |
Addressed |
Bridge Deemed High Priority Items
- 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text.
- 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined.
- 1.4.10 Reflow: Content can be presented without loss of information or functionality, and without requiring scrolling in two dimensions
- 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast: The visual presentation of the following have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent colour(s)
- 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap: If keyboard focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface, then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard interface, and, if it requires more than unmodified arrow or tab keys or other standard exit methods, the user is advised of the method for moving focus away
- 2.4.2 Page Titled: Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose
- 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context): The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general
- 3.2.1 On Focus: When any component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context.