Built to be used by everyone
We want Red Herrings to work for every student and every instructor, including those who navigate by keyboard, use a screen reader, or need reduced motion. We build toward the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, and this page sets out plainly what's in place today, where we fall short, and how to reach us.
Keyboard navigable · visible focus · ARIA landmarks · reduced-motion aware · server-side grading
Our commitment
We treat accessibility as part of the product, not an afterthought. We measure our work against WCAG 2.1 AA and improve it as we ship.
Red Herrings is a desktop application whose interface runs in your browser, plus a static marketing site. We aim for both to substantially conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We haven't yet completed a formal third-party audit, so we don't claim full, certified conformance. What follows is an honest account of the measures in place and the areas we're still working on. If something on this page gets out of date, the email addresses below reach a person who can help.
What's in place today
These are concrete measures across the app and the site, the things an evaluator checks first.
Full keyboard operation
The app is operable without a mouse. A "Skip to main content" link is the first focusable element, interactive controls are reachable in a logical order, and keyboard shortcuts are documented in the in-app help.
Visible focus
A clear focus ring marks the focused control, driven by the browser's focus-visible behavior, so keyboard users can always see where they're on the page.
Landmarks and current state
Navigation, main and complementary regions are marked with ARIA landmarks, the current section is announced with aria-current, and status changes use polite live regions so assistive technology is kept informed.
Reduced motion
When your system is set to reduce motion, the interface honors it: animations are collapsed, iteration counts are capped and smooth scrolling is turned off.
Readable structure and contrast
Pages use real headings in order, labeled form controls and descriptive link text. The color system is built for AA contrast in both the light and dark themes, and the theme preference is remembered.
Works at zoom and on small screens
Layouts reflow rather than break: text stays readable when zoomed and the app and site adapt down to small and mobile viewports without a loss of content or function.
Grading doesn't depend on the browser
Answers are graded on your machine and only the result returns, so the solve experience doesn't rely on fragile client-side scripting or hidden visual cues to tell a student whether they were right.
Documents you can work with
Student worksheets are generated as PDF and DOCX with real, selectable text, and the DOCX uses Word heading styles, so they can be read with assistive technology or enlarged, rather than delivered as flat images.
Where we fall short
We would rather tell you than let you find out. These are the areas we know need more work.
No formal audit yet
Our conformance is based on our own testing against WCAG 2.1 AA, not an independent third-party audit. A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is available on request and reflects that same basis.
Some evidence is inherently visual
A few artifacts in advanced cases, such as screenshots or packet-capture views, are visual by nature. Where a case depends on one we'll work with you and your disability-services team on an equivalent; tell us the case and we'll help.
Ongoing work
Accessibility is never finished. We retest as the interface changes and we prioritize fixes reported to us by real users of assistive technology.
Request a VPAT or tell us about a barrier
Need our VPAT or an accessibility questionnaire completed for a procurement or Section 508 review? Email sales@redherrings.app and tell us what your review needs. If you hit an accessibility barrier using Red Herrings, please report it to the same address with the page or case and what happened, and we'll respond and work with you on a fix or an equivalent.