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Accessibility Statement

Effective Date: December 13, 2025

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1. Our Commitment to Inclusion
At the Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "the Foundation," "we," "us," or "our"), our mission is rooted in the belief that opportunity should be universal. We are dedicated to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that every individual, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, has equal access to the resources, information, and opportunities we provide.

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We view web accessibility not merely as a technical requirement or a legal obligation, but as a moral imperative that aligns seamlessly with our core values of integrity, generosity, and community support. Just as we work to remove economic barriers in the physical world, we are equally committed to removing digital barriers in the virtual world. We strive to ensure that our website (the "Site") allows persons with disabilities to have a full and equal user experience.

 

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2. Standards and Guidelines
To achieve this commitment, the Foundation looks to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 as our guiding standard. These guidelines, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), explain how to make web content more accessible for people with a wide array of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities. We are currently striving to meet Level AA conformance standards.

  • Level A: Essential accessibility features.

  • Level AA: The standard usually required by regulations (such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA).

  • Level AAA: The highest and most complex level of web accessibility.

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3. Specific Accessibility Measures
The Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation has implemented the following technical and design measures to ensure the accessibility of our Site:

 

3.1 Perceivable

  • Alternative Text (Alt Text): We strive to provide appropriate alternative text for all non-text content, specifically images, icons, and graphics. This ensures that users utilizing screen reader technology (such as JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver) can understand the meaning and context of visual elements.

  • Time-Based Media: For any video content hosted on our site, we aim to provide closed captioning or transcripts to assist users with hearing impairments.

  • Adaptable Content: Information and structure are separated from presentation. This allows the content to be correctly interpreted by assistive technologies without losing meaning or coherence.

  • Distinguishability: We have designed the Site with high-contrast color combinations to ensure that text is readable for users with low vision or color blindness. We ensure that color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

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3.2 Operable

  • Keyboard Navigation: We have engineered the Site to be fully navigable via a keyboard interface. Users can access all interactive elements (links, buttons, forms) using the Tab key, without requiring a mouse or trackpad. We ensure there are no "keyboard traps" that prevent a user from navigating away from a specific component.

  • Seizure Safe Profiles: We do not include any content that flashes more than three times in any one-second period, thereby minimizing the risk for users prone to photosensitive seizures.

  • Navigable: We provide multiple ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are. This includes clear page titles, consistent navigation menus, and the ability to bypass blocks of content (Skip-to-Content links).

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3.3 Understandable

  • Readable Text: We use clear, simple language wherever possible and avoid unnecessary jargon. We define abbreviations and acronyms upon their first use.

  • Predictable Input: Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways. Navigation mechanisms are repeated on multiple Web pages in the same relative order each time.

  • Input Assistance: When users are required to fill out forms (such as donation forms or contact requests), we provide labels or instructions. If an input error is automatically detected, the item that is in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text.

 

3.4 Robust

  • Compatibility: We strive to maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies. Our code is written to standard HTML/CSS practices to ensure it can be reliably interpreted by a wide range of browsers and devices.

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4. Assessment Approaches
To ensure that our accessibility standards are maintained, the Foundation utilizes a multi-layered approach to evaluation:

  • Self-Evaluation: Our internal web team performs regular checks of new content against WCAG 2.1 guidelines.

  • Automated Testing: We utilize automated accessibility scanning tools to identify and rectify common coding errors (such as missing alt tags or broken ARIA labels).

  • User Feedback: We rely on feedback from our community to identify issues that automated tools might miss.

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5. Known Limitations and Exceptions
despite our best efforts to ensure the accessibility of the Site, there may be some limitations. We are currently working to resolve these issues. Below is a description of known limitations and potential solutions:

  • PDF Documents: Some older historical documents, annual reports, or financial filings (IRS Form 990s) may be in PDF format that has not yet been fully remediated for screen readers. We are in the process of auditing these files.

  • Third-Party Integrations: Our Site utilizes third-party tools for specific functions, such as donation processing (e.g., payment gateways) or social media feeds. While we select partners who claim accessibility compliance, we do not have direct control over their code.

  • Video Archives: Older video content featuring the founder or historical events may lack synchronized captions or audio descriptions.

  • Alternative Options: If you encounter a document or piece of content that is not accessible to you, please contact us immediately. We will make every reasonable effort to provide you with an alternative format (such as a text transcript, large print, or audio reading) in a timely manner.

 

 

6. Technical Specifications
Accessibility of the Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation website relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer: HTML, WAI-ARIA, CSS, and JavaScript. These technologies are relied upon for conformance with the accessibility standards used.

 

 

7. Feedback and Contact Information
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of the Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation website. We are always learning and looking for ways to improve the user experience. If you encounter accessibility barriers, have suggestions for improvement, or need assistance accessing any part of our website, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated team. We take all feedback seriously and will consider it as we evaluate ways to accommodate all of our users and our overall accessibility policies. Please contact us via email at [email protected]

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8. Enforcement Procedure
If you are unsatisfied with our response to your accessibility concerns, you have the right to escalate your complaint. However, we strongly encourage you to contact us first so that we may have the opportunity to resolve the issue directly and provide you with the information you need. We are committed to an open dialogue and to doing the hard work necessary to make our digital home open to everyone.

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