Built to be used by everyone

What we test, and how

Every page is checked two ways before it ships and again after any change.

Automated

• axe-core runs against every rendered route at desktop and mobile widths, with the WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 A and AA rule sets enabled.
• Color contrast is measured on the resting state and again on hover and keyboard focus, because a label that is legible at rest can disappear under a hover color.
• Focus indicators are measured, not just looked for: at least a two-pixel perimeter and a three-to-one contrast change against both the control and what sits behind it.

Manual

• Every page is operated start to finish with a keyboard alone, including the menu, the search box, the calendar filters and every form.
• Screen-reader passes with VoiceOver on Safari and NVDA on Firefox, checking heading order, landmark structure, form labels, error messages and the live region on the homepage.
• Reflow at 320 pixels wide and at 200% and 400% zoom, with no loss of content or horizontal scrolling.
• Every animation is checked with reduced motion turned on. The still version is the default.
• Core tasks are checked with JavaScript disabled: the navigation still works and no region renders blank.

Known limits

The site is currently in English only. Spanish-language pages are a proposed option, subject to City approval.

Getting into the building

Constitution Plaza is a raised deck, so getting to the Lab means getting up to it. Tell us what you need before you come and someone will meet you and take you in. Email or call using the details below.

Tell us about a barrier

Call (860) 757-9600, or use the form on the Contact page. Say what page, what you were trying to do, and what you use to browse. We aim to reply within two business days with either a fix or a date for one.