Accessibility
NatalCalculator.com aims to meet or exceed Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. We believe astrology should be accessible to everyone, including users with visual, motor, cognitive, or hearing differences.
Standards we target
WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires that web content be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. AA is the internationally accepted baseline for public-facing websites and is required for EU public-sector sites under the Web Accessibility Directive. We target AA rather than AAA because full AAA compliance for a complex interactive tool involves trade-offs that would degrade usability; our goal is meaningful, practical accessibility rather than a compliance certificate.
Current accessibility features
- Keyboard navigation. All interactive elements — the calculator form, navigation links, the chart wheel — can be operated with the keyboard alone. Visible focus indicators are provided throughout.
- Screen reader support. Form inputs have associated labels; the chart wheel exposes its data through structured tables that screen readers can read sequentially; ARIA labels are used where semantic HTML alone is insufficient.
- Color contrast. Body text meets a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against its background; large text and UI components meet 3:1. The cosmic dark theme has been tested with multiple contrast checkers.
- Resizable text. Text reflows correctly when zoomed up to 200% without loss of content or functionality.
- Reduced motion. Animations respect the user's
prefers-reduced-motionsetting; the constellation background and any decorative motion is suppressed when reduced motion is requested. - No autoplay media. The site contains no audio or video that plays without user action.
- Semantic structure. Pages use a single H1 and a logical heading hierarchy; landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) are correctly marked up.
Assistive technology compatibility
The site is designed to work with current versions of common screen readers: NVDA and JAWS on Windows, VoiceOver on macOS and iOS, TalkBack on Android. We aim for full compatibility with keyboard-only navigation and with browser zoom up to 200%. If you encounter a compatibility issue with a specific assistive technology or browser combination, please report it via the contact page.
Testing approach
We test new features using automated tools (axe DevTools for quick audits, Lighthouse for integrated scoring) and manual testing with keyboard-only navigation and screen readers on both macOS and Windows. Automated testing catches many issues but cannot substitute for real-world use; we welcome reports of barriers our testing process did not surface.
Known limitations
The chart wheel is rendered as SVG with a sequential-table fallback. While the table is screen-reader accessible, the spatial relationships of aspects are inherently visual; we are exploring sonification for a future release.
Reporting issues
If you encounter an accessibility barrier on this site, please contact us via the contact page with the subject "Accessibility issue." Describe the page, the issue, and any assistive technology you are using. We aim to respond to accessibility reports within five business days and to resolve substantive issues within 30 days.
Commitment to improvement
Accessibility is an ongoing process. We test new features against WCAG 2.1 AA before release and welcome feedback from the disability community. Substantive accessibility improvements are recorded in the changelog.