Accessibility Policy

Introduction

The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible digital environment that allows everyone, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly, full access to all our digital platforms and services. This policy aims to ensure the removal of digital barriers by adopting the highest international standards and providing assistive tools that guarantee an equal and effective user experience for all visitors to the Commission's platforms.

Policy Objectives

  1. Ensure all digital platforms and services affiliated with CST are accessible to all users, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.
  2. Provide and activate advanced assistive tools that facilitate content navigation and access to digital services.
  3. Fully comply with global best practices by implementing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the highest level (AAA).

Scope

  • All digital platforms, web portals, mobile applications, and services affiliated with CST.
  • Internal technical teams, frontend developers, and content creators involved in the design, development, and maintenance of the platforms.
  • Any new or modified digital services or interfaces launched in the future.

Core Principles

The accessibility policy at the Commission is based on the four main principles (POUR):

  • Perceivable: Ensure that information and user interface components are presented in ways that all users can perceive through different senses.
  • Operable: Design interfaces and navigation systems that are easy to operate and compatible with various input methods.
  • Understandable: Ensure clarity and ease of understanding for readable and visual content, and intuitive interaction with user interfaces.
  • Robust: Develop robust content and software architecture that reliably works with current and future assistive technologies.

Accessibility Standards and Integrated Technologies

CST adopts the following standards and tools to enhance accessibility:

  • Compliance Standard (WCAG 2.1 - AAA): All CST platforms are committed to implementing WCAG 2.1 guidelines at the AAA level, the highest available standard to ensure maximum digital inclusivity. This includes providing text alternatives for images and videos, and a responsive design compatible with all tablets, desktops, and mobile devices.
  • Integrated Assistive Tools on Platforms: To facilitate the user experience, CST platforms provide the following direct tools:
    • Text-to-Speech: A built-in feature that converts text content into audio formats to support users with visual impairments or reading difficulties.
    • Contrast Adjustment: A tool that allows users to enable high contrast mode to change background and text colors, radically improving readability for visually impaired users.
    • Font Resizing: Options allowing text to be enlarged or reduced according to user comfort without causing distortion to the platform's interface or loss of functionality.
    • Keyboard Navigation: Full support for browsing using the keyboard without the need for a mouse.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Platform and Business Management: General supervision of the digital inclusivity strategy, ensuring all launched services comply with the policy requirements, and monitoring performance.
  • Internal Development Team and Frontend Developers: Directly responsible for building the software architecture and writing code in strict alignment with (AAA 2.1) standards, and ensuring interfaces are fully compatible with assistive technologies before releasing any updates.
  • Content Creators: Ensure all published materials are accessible by providing alternative texts for images, using correct hierarchical headings, and simplifying the language used.

User Feedback and Support

CST places the user experience at the forefront of its priorities and encourages platform visitors to share their feedback or report any accessibility difficulties they encounter. You can contact us for support through the following official channels:

Commitment to Continuous Improvement and Compliance

  1. Conduct periodic technical audits and accessibility tests to ensure continued compliance with (WCAG 2.1 AAA) standards.
  2. Immediately address any software gaps or barriers identified in accessibility assessments.
  3. Annually review this policy to update it in accordance with the latest assistive technologies and developments in global web standards.
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