Our Commitment to Accessibility

At Pearl Adventures, we are committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. We strive to provide a website that is both user-friendly and inclusive, regardless of technology or ability. We are continually working to improve the accessibility of our website and to ensure that it meets or exceeds the standards set forth by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Measures to Support Accessibility

Pearl Adventures takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of our website:

• Integrating accessibility into our design and development processes.
• Providing alternative text for all images and non-text content.
• Ensuring sufficient color contrast between text and background.
• Using clear and simple language throughout the website.
• Providing keyboard navigation support.
• Making our website compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies.
• Regularly testing our website for accessibility and addressing any issues that arise.
• Providing captions and transcripts for video and audio content where applicable.
• Ensuring that forms are accessible and easy to use.

Conformance Status

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. Pearl Adventures is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard.

Specific Accessibility Features Implemented

Here are some specific accessibility features we have implemented on our website:

• Semantic HTML: We use semantic HTML elements to provide structure and meaning to our content, making it easier for assistive technologies to understand and navigate. For example, we use
  , , , and appropriate heading levels (
  to
  ).
• ARIA Attributes: We use ARIA attributes to enhance the accessibility of dynamic content and interactive elements. ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) provides additional information to assistive technologies about the role, state, and properties of elements.
• Keyboard Navigation: Our website is fully navigable using a keyboard. Users can use the Tab key to move between interactive elements and the Enter key to activate them.
• Alternative Text for Images: All images on our website have descriptive alternative text (alt attributes). This allows screen reader users to understand the content and purpose of the images. For instance, an image of a Ugandan mountain gorilla might have the alt text "A silverback mountain gorilla sits amongst lush vegetation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda."
• Color Contrast: We have carefully selected color combinations to ensure sufficient contrast between text and background. This makes it easier for users with low vision or color blindness to read the content. We strive for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, as recommended by WCAG.
• Resizable Text: Users can easily increase or decrease the text size on our website without losing content or functionality. We use relative units (e.g., em, rem) for text sizes to ensure that text scales properly.
• Form Accessibility: All forms on our website are designed to be accessible to users with disabilities. We use labels to clearly identify each form field and provide instructions where necessary. We also use ARIA attributes to provide additional information about form fields, such as required fields and error messages.
• Video Captions: Where appropriate, we provide captions and transcripts for our video content. This makes it accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions are synchronized with the audio and provide a text-based representation of the spoken content and relevant sound effects.

Limitations and Alternatives

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility, there may be some limitations. For example, some older content may not be fully accessible. We are continuously working to address these limitations and improve the overall accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers, please contact us using the information below.

In the meantime, please contact us for alternative formats of the information you require.

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us:

• Email: accessibility@pearladventuresuganda.com
• Phone: +256 293 659966 (Accessibility Support Line)
• Address: Accessibility Department, Pearl Adventures, Plot 42, Nakasero Hill, Kampala, Uganda

We will do our best to respond to your feedback in a timely manner.

Formal Complaints Procedure

Pearl Adventures aims to meet the highest standards of web accessibility. However, if you are not satisfied with our response, you can make a formal complaint to: Mr. James Okello, Head of Customer Relations, Pearl Adventures, Plot 42, Nakasero Hill, Kampala, Uganda. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to provide a full response within 20 business days.

Date of Statement

This statement was last updated on October 26, 2023.

Future Updates

We will regularly review and update this accessibility statement to reflect any changes in our accessibility practices. We encourage you to check back periodically for the latest information.

Resources

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
• Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA): https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/aria/