Accessibility at Open Ridge

Open Ridge Benefit Co. is a Deaf-led organization. Accessibility is not an add-on to our work — it is the work. This statement describes what we do, what standards we hold ourselves to, and how to reach us if any part of our website or services does not work for you.

Standard

Our target conformance level is WCAG 2.2 Level AA, with the additional commitment that Deaf and hard-of-hearing users are included in usability testing — not only standards compliance. Standards alone do not catch the gaps that matter most to our community; direct testing with Deaf users does.

What we do on every page

• Captions on every published video. We use WebVTT, the web caption standard, with speaker labels and positioning that does not cover signing space. ASL content is captioned in English; English content is captioned in English. We do not publish video without captions.
• Alternative text on every image. Every image carries descriptive alternative text for screen-reader users. Decorative images are explicitly marked decorative so screen readers can skip them without reading filenames.
• Keyboard navigation. Every interactive control — links, buttons, form fields — is reachable and operable with a keyboard alone. A "Skip to main content" link is available at the top of every page.
• Color contrast and text sizing. Body text and interface elements meet WCAG 2.2 AA contrast ratios. Text scales cleanly when zoomed up to 200% without loss of content or function.
• Semantic structure. Pages use proper heading hierarchy and landmark regions so screen-reader users can navigate by structure, not just by reading order.

Testing

We test pages with automated tools (axe DevTools, Lighthouse) before publication, and we run manual screen-reader tests with NVDA and VoiceOver. Beyond automated and manual testing, we welcome direct feedback from Deaf and hard-of-hearing users — the kind of feedback that catches problems no scanner can find.

Alternative formats

If any page on this site is not accessible to you, or if you would prefer the content in a different format, contact us. We can provide:

• An ASL video version of written content
• A plain-text version of pages with complex layout or images
• Large-print or high-contrast versions
• A direct conversation by email

We aim to fulfill alternative-format requests within five business days. If a request will take longer, we will tell you and give you an estimated date.

Report a barrier

If you encounter a barrier on this website — something that does not work for you, that is confusing, that is missing captions or alt text, or that fails with your assistive technology — please tell us:

Email: rupert@openridgebc.com

Please include the page URL, a description of the barrier, and the assistive technology you are using (if applicable). We will acknowledge your message within two business days and tell you our plan to address the issue.

Scope and limits

This statement covers content published at openridgebc.com and controlled by Open Ridge Benefit Co. Third-party content embedded from external services may not always meet the same standard; we work with vendors to improve accessibility where we have leverage, and we describe known limitations on the pages where they occur.

This statement

This statement was last reviewed on May 15, 2026. We review it at least annually and after any substantial change to the website.