ACCESSIBILITY

1. Our Commitment to Accessibility

AREND is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We believe that good design — in architecture and on the web — is inherently inclusive. We strive to provide a digital experience that is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all visitors, regardless of ability or the technology they use to access our Site.

Accessibility is an ongoing effort, not a one-time task. We continually evaluate and improve our Site and welcome feedback from users who encounter barriers.

2. Conformance Status

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines define how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities and are the internationally recognized standard for web accessibility.

Standard

WCAG 2.1

Conformance Level Targeted

Level AA

Current Status

Partially Conformant

"Partially conformant" means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard. We are actively working to address known gaps as described in Section 5 below.

WCAG 2.1 success criteria are organized around four core principles, often referred to as POUR:

• Perceivable: Information and interface components must be presentable in ways users can perceive — including through assistive technologies such as screen readers.

• Operable: Interface components and navigation must be operable by keyboard, voice, switch control, and other input methods beyond a mouse.

• Understandable: Information and operation of the interface must be clear and predictable.

• Robust: Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents and assistive technologies, including current and future tools.

3. Accessibility Features of This Site

We have implemented the following features to support accessible use of our Site:

Visual Design

• Text and background colors are selected to meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 AA contrast ratios (minimum 4.5:1 for body text, 3:1 for large text)

• Text can be resized up to 200% using browser zoom without loss of content or functionality

• The layout is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes, including mobile devices

• We avoid using color alone to convey information

Navigation and Structure

• All pages include a descriptive, unique page title

• Content is structured using semantic HTML headings (H1–H6) to convey hierarchy

• Navigation landmarks (header, main, footer, nav) are used to assist screen reader users in orienting and moving through pages

• A skip-to-main-content link is available at the top of each page for keyboard users

• The current page or active state is indicated both visually and programmatically

Keyboard Accessibility

• All interactive elements — links, buttons, and form fields — are reachable and operable using a keyboard alone

• Focus indicators are visible on all interactive elements

• No keyboard traps are present; users can always navigate away from any component

• Logical tab order is maintained throughout all pages

Images and Media

• All meaningful images include descriptive alternative text (alt text)

• Decorative images are marked so they are ignored by screen readers

• Any video content includes captions and, where appropriate, audio descriptions

• Audio-only content includes a written transcript

Forms and Interactive Elements

• All form fields have clearly associated, visible labels

• Required fields are identified both visually and programmatically

• Error messages are descriptive and indicate how to correct the issue

• No content flashes more than three times per second, in compliance with seizure safety guidelines

Documents and Downloadable Files

• Where PDF documents are provided, we aim to supply accessible, tagged versions or offer an alternative format on request

• Linked documents are identified by file type and size where relevant

4. Assistive Technology Compatibility

Our Site is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies and browsing environments:

• Screen Readers: NVDA with Firefox, JAWS with Chrome, VoiceOver with Safari (macOS and iOS), TalkBack with Chrome (Android)

• Keyboard-Only Navigation: All major desktop browsers

• Voice Control: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Apple Voice Control

• Browser Zoom: Up to 200% without loss of content or functionality

• High Contrast Mode: Windows High Contrast Mode and macOS Increase Contrast

• Reduced Motion: Respects the prefers-reduced-motion media query to minimize animations for users who are sensitive to motion

We recommend using the latest version of your preferred browser and assistive technology for the best experience. Older browser versions may not support all accessibility features.

5. Known Limitations

While we strive for full WCAG 2.1 AA conformance, we are aware of the following limitations that are currently being addressed:

• Portfolio and Project Gallery Images: Some older portfolio images may lack complete or sufficiently descriptive alt text. We are systematically reviewing and updating these.

• Legacy PDF Documents: Older PDF documents in our archive may not be fully tagged for accessibility. We are working to remediate these or provide alternative formats upon request.

• Third-Party Embedded Content: Some third-party content embedded on our Site (such as maps or social media feeds) may not fully meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. We are not able to directly control the accessibility of third-party tools, but we endeavor to select providers with strong accessibility commitments and to provide alternative access where possible.

• Video Content: Some video content published prior to 2023 may not include captions. We are prioritizing captioning for all new video content and retroactively adding captions to existing material.

We are committed to resolving these issues and will update this statement as improvements are made.

6. Feedback and Accessibility Support

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our Site. If you encounter a barrier, cannot access any content, or need information in an alternative format, please contact us. We take all accessibility concerns seriously and aim to respond within 5 business days.

AREND — Accessibility Contact

Email: info@arend.com

Phone: (217) 417-6506

Mailing Address:
[Street Address]
[City, State, ZIP]

When contacting us, please describe the accessibility barrier you encountered, the page or content affected, the assistive technology or browser you are using, and any steps we can take to assist you in the interim.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility concern, you may contact the relevant authority in your jurisdiction. In the United States, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division or the U.S. Access Board. In the European Union, you may escalate to your national accessibility enforcement body.

7. Legal Framework and Standards

Our accessibility efforts are guided by and intended to support compliance with the following laws and standards, where applicable:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title III — requires places of public accommodation, including websites of businesses open to the public, to be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act — applies to federal agencies and organizations receiving federal funding, requiring electronic and information technology to be accessible.

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA — the international technical standard referenced by most accessibility laws and regulations.

• European Accessibility Act (EAA) / EN 301 549 — the EU standard for digital accessibility, applicable to products and services offered in European markets.

• California Unruh Civil Rights Act — extends ADA protections in California and has been applied to website accessibility by courts.

This statement does not constitute a legal guarantee of full compliance. AREND is committed to continuous improvement and working in good faith toward full accessibility conformance.

8. Formal Complaints and Escalation

If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility concern after contacting us directly, you have the right to escalate your complaint through formal channels:

• United States: File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice ADA Information Line or the U.S. Access Board.

• European Union: Contact your national accessibility enforcement body, as designated under the Web Accessibility Directive or the European Accessibility Act.

• United Kingdom: Contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

9. Our Ongoing Accessibility Efforts

Accessibility at AREND is treated as a continuous discipline rather than a checklist. Our ongoing efforts include:

• Conducting periodic accessibility audits of the Site using both automated tools (such as axe, WAVE, and Lighthouse) and manual testing with assistive technologies

• Including accessibility review as part of our standard design and development process for any new pages or features

• Training our team and any third-party developers we engage on WCAG principles and inclusive design practices

• Reviewing and updating this Accessibility Statement at least annually, or whenever significant changes are made to the Site

• Monitoring accessibility-related guidance from the W3C, the U.S. Access Board, and other authoritative bodies

10. Alternative Access to Information

If any content on our Site is inaccessible to you due to a disability, we are happy to provide that content in an alternative format. Please contact us at the address in Section 6 and specify:

• The content or page you are trying to access

• Your preferred alternative format (e.g., plain text, large print, audio, braille-ready document)

• Your contact information so we may respond to you directly

We will make every reasonable effort to fulfill your request in a timely manner, typically within 5 business days.

11. Changes to This Statement

We review and update this Accessibility Statement at least once per year and whenever we make significant changes to our Site or accessibility practices. Updates will be reflected in the "Last Revised" date at the top of this page.

We encourage users to revisit this page periodically to stay informed about our accessibility commitments and progress.

© 2026 AREND. All rights reserved. This statement does not constitute legal advice or a guarantee of full WCAG conformance. AREND recommends consulting a qualified accessibility specialist and legal counsel to assess your specific compliance obligations.