Accessibility

Accessibility Statement

Our WCAG 2.1 Level AA commitment, the measures we take, the limitations we know about, and exactly how to request an accommodation.

Effective date: February 1, 2026 · Last reviewed: February 1, 2026

GCS is committed to making this website usable by the widest possible audience, including people who use screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, screen magnification, speech input, or other assistive technology.

1. Our Commitment

Accessibility is not a compliance checkbox for us. GCS works extensively with municipalities, school districts, healthcare organizations, and public agencies — institutions with a legal and civic duty to serve everyone. We hold our own materials to the same standard we recommend to our clients.

2. Conformance Standard

We target conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA, published by the World Wide Web Consortium. We also design with Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act and EN 301 549 in mind, since many of our clients are subject to those requirements.

We describe this site as partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. “Partially conformant” means most of the site meets the standard, and we have identified specific areas where work remains. Those areas are listed in Section 5. We publish this honestly rather than claiming full conformance we have not independently verified.

3. Measures We Take

  • Accessibility requirements are considered during design rather than retrofitted afterward.
  • Semantic HTML is used as the foundation of every page, with ARIA applied only where native semantics are insufficient.
  • Color contrast is checked against WCAG AA thresholds for text and meaningful interface elements.
  • Every interactive element is reachable and operable by keyboard alone, with a visible focus indicator.
  • Interfaces are tested at 200% zoom and at narrow viewport widths for reflow without loss of content or function.
  • Motion is reduced automatically for visitors whose systems request prefers-reduced-motion.

4. Accessibility Features of This Site

  • Skip link. A “Skip to main content” link is the first focusable element on every page.
  • Landmark structure. Each page uses header, nav, main, and footer landmarks with accessible names.
  • Heading hierarchy. One h1 per page, with headings nested in order and not skipped for visual effect.
  • Keyboard-accessible components. The navigation menu, dashboard tab sets, map layer toggles, map pins, and accordions all operate by keyboard. Tab sets support arrow-key, Home, and End navigation following the WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices.
  • Form accessibility. Every field has a persistent visible label, required fields are marked programmatically, and validation errors are announced through a live region and linked to their field.
  • Data tables. Tabular content uses real table markup with header cells and captions rather than styled div elements.
  • Non-color status. Status indicators pair color with a text label so meaning does not depend on color perception alone.
  • Reduced motion. Chart, gauge, and pulse animations are disabled when reduced motion is requested.
  • Decorative graphics. Ornamental SVG and background elements are hidden from assistive technology with aria-hidden.
  • Text resizing. Layouts use relative units and remain usable when text is enlarged.

5. Known Limitations

We know about the following issues and are working on them. If you encounter something not listed here, please tell us.

  • Dense data visualizations. The demonstration dashboards present a large amount of information at once. While each chart has an accessible text equivalent, navigating a full dashboard panel by screen reader is more effortful than we would like. We are working to add summary-first structures and per-panel skip targets.
  • The illustrative map. The Map Intelligence page uses an abstract, non-geographic visualization. Every pin is a real focusable button with an accessible name, and selecting a pin updates a text detail panel through a live region — but spatial relationships between pins are not conveyed non-visually. A tabular “list view” equivalent of all mapped records is planned.
  • Horizontally scrolling tables. On narrow viewports, wide data tables scroll horizontally. The scroll container is keyboard focusable, but the pattern is not ideal for magnification users. Responsive stacking is planned.
  • Third-party web fonts. Fonts load from an external provider. If that request fails, the site falls back to system fonts, which changes appearance but preserves all content and function.
  • No formal third-party audit yet. Our conformance assessment is based on internal review with automated and manual testing. An independent audit has not been completed.

6. Compatibility and Testing

This site is built to work with current versions of major browsers — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari — on desktop and mobile, in combination with the assistive technology those platforms provide. Our internal testing includes keyboard-only traversal of every page, screen reader review of navigation and forms, contrast measurement, 200% zoom checks, and reduced-motion verification.

The site does not depend on JavaScript for access to its content. If scripting is unavailable, all written content, navigation, and form fields remain readable and usable; interactive enhancements such as tab panels degrade to visible stacked content.

7. Accessibility in Our Products and Deliverables

Accessibility carries into the work we deliver. When GCS builds dashboards, reports, or platform modules for a client, we apply the same principles: semantic structure, keyboard operability, sufficient contrast, non-color status encoding, and text alternatives for visual information. Where a client is subject to Section 508, the ADA, or EN 301 549, we treat conformance as an explicit deliverable requirement rather than a best effort.

8. Requesting an Accommodation

If any content on this site is inaccessible to you, or if you need information in an alternative format, contact us and we will provide it. There is no cost, and you do not need to explain why you are asking.

Formats we can provide on request include plain-text or large-print versions of any page, an accessible document version of published material, a text or tabular equivalent of any chart or map, and a live walkthrough of a demonstration by phone or video call with a person describing what is on screen.

To help us respond quickly, it is useful — but never required — to include the page address, a description of the problem, and the browser and assistive technology you are using.

9. Feedback and Response Commitment

We aim to acknowledge accessibility reports within two business days and to provide a remediation plan or an accessible alternative within ten business days. If a fix will take longer, we will tell you why and give you a realistic date.

10. If You Are Not Satisfied

If our response does not resolve your issue, reply to the same thread and ask for escalation to the founder. Accessibility complaints reach leadership directly at GCS; they are not routed into a queue and forgotten.

This statement was prepared using the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative's accessibility statement guidance and is reviewed at least annually.