Accessibility Statement

Mossman Support Services is committed to ensuring our digital services are accessible to every member of our community — including people with disability, older Australians, people with low literacy or from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and First Nations community members across the Douglas Shire.

Aligned with:
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
AS EN 301 549:2024
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
AHRC Digital Accessibility Guidelines
WCAG 2.1 Level AAA (partial)
Qld Digital Accessibility Requirements
Our commitment

Digital accessibility as a core value

Mossman Support Services has invested significant resources in ensuring that this website is accessible to all users — with particular care given to the needs of people with disability, older Australians, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and First Nations community members in the Douglas Shire.

Digital accessibility is not a checkbox we tick at the end of a project. It is an ongoing commitment that shapes every decision made in the design, development and maintenance of our digital services. We recognise that accessibility requires continuous monitoring, improvement and adaptation as both technology and community needs evolve.

This website has been designed and built in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, as set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Our target conformance level is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with a number of Level AAA criteria also met or exceeded.

We also align our practices with AS EN 301 549:2024 — the Australian Standard for ICT Accessibility — and ensure our services are compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and relevant Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) guidelines on digital accessibility. We are further guided by the Queensland Government Digital Accessibility Requirements and the Digital Experience Policy (effective January 2025).

Conformance Status

This website is substantially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. "Substantially conformant" means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard — these are identified, documented and actively being addressed as part of our ongoing accessibility programme.

✓ WCAG 2.1 Level A — Conformant ✓ WCAG 2.1 Level AA — Substantially conformant ◑ WCAG 2.1 Level AAA — Partially conformant

Statement last reviewed: May 2026 · Next scheduled review: December 2026 · A full WCAG audit will be conducted following public launch of www.mossmansupportservices.org.au

Built-in accessibility toolbar

Accessibility tools available on every page

Rather than relying on visitors to have their own assistive technology, we have built a free, fully featured accessibility toolbar directly into this website. It appears on every page and requires nothing to install or download.

Look for the navy accessibility icon in the bottom-right corner of any page, and the teal speaker button in the bottom-left corner.

Text Size

Switch between Normal, Large and Extra Large text at any time. Text scales across the entire site without loss of content or functionality — helpful for users with low vision or anyone who finds small text difficult to read on screen.

High Contrast Mode

One click switches the entire site to a high-contrast display — black background, white text, and yellow links. This is the standard visual accessibility mode for users with low vision, light sensitivity, or visual impairment, and meets WCAG AAA contrast requirements.

Dyslexia-Friendly Font

Switches all body text to OpenDyslexic — a typeface specifically designed to reduce letter confusion and improve readability for people with dyslexia. Letter spacing, word spacing and line height are also increased automatically to further support ease of reading.

Speak to Type

Allows visitors to fill in any form field on the site using their voice instead of typing. Click the microphone button, speak naturally, and words are transcribed directly into the active field. Particularly helpful for people with motor impairments, older community members, or anyone on a small mobile screen. Uses Australian English speech recognition.

Read Page Aloud

The teal speaker button in the bottom-left corner reads the entire content of the current page aloud in a clear Australian English voice. Visitors can stop playback at any time. Designed to assist people with low vision, print disability, low literacy, or anyone who prefers to listen rather than read.

Remembers Your Preferences

All toolbar settings — text size, contrast mode and dyslexia font — are saved automatically in the visitor's browser. This means preferences persist across pages and return visits without needing to be set again. A single Reset button restores all defaults instantly.

Page Translation — 130+ Languages

The toolbar includes a built-in translation feature powered by Google Translate. Visitors can choose from 12 priority languages displayed as flag buttons — including Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, Samoan, Tongan, Vietnamese, Spanish and Portuguese — chosen to reflect the diverse communities of the Douglas Shire. A "More languages" option provides access to all 130+ languages Google Translate supports. The translation loads on demand with no impact on page performance for visitors who don't need it, and a single click restores the original English at any time.

Browser compatibility: The Speak to Type and Read Aloud features use the Web Speech API built into modern browsers. They work best in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Safari on iPhone and iPad supports Read Aloud. The translation feature works across all modern browsers. If a feature is not supported by your browser, a clear message will appear explaining this and suggesting an alternative. No downloads or installations are required for any accessibility tool on this site.

Built into every page

What we designed and coded for accessibility

Beyond the toolbar, the following accessibility features and practices have been deliberately designed and built into the foundation of this website.

Semantic HTML Structure

  • Correct heading hierarchy on every page — H1, H2, H3 in sequence, never skipped
  • One H1 per page throughout the entire site
  • Semantic landmark elements — <nav>, <main>, <section>, <footer> used throughout
  • All lists marked up as <ul> or <ol> — never simulated with divs
  • Form fields associated with visible labels — not placeholder-only
  • Tables used only for tabular data — never for layout

Colour Contrast & Visual Design

  • All text colour combinations audited and confirmed WCAG AA compliant (minimum 4.5:1 ratio)
  • Every service department colour corrected during build to meet WCAG AA contrast requirements
  • Information is never conveyed by colour alone
  • Focus indicators visible on all interactive elements for keyboard users
  • Minimum touch target size of 44px applied to all buttons and links
  • Text does not overlap images without sufficient contrast overlay

Keyboard & Navigation Accessibility

  • Skip to main content link present on every page — visible on keyboard focus
  • Full keyboard navigation including all dropdowns and menu items
  • Focus-within CSS applied to all dropdown menus for keyboard sub-menu access
  • ARIA roles applied throughout — aria-expanded, aria-controls, aria-label, aria-live and aria-pressed
  • Expand/collapse buttons wired with correct aria-expanded states
  • Tab order follows logical reading sequence on all pages

Images, Documents & Media

  • Descriptive alt text written for every informative image across all pages
  • Decorative images assigned empty alt attributes (alt="") so screen readers skip them correctly
  • The Community Flood Preparedness Pack PDF built with full accessibility — tagged headings, reading order, alt text, metadata and copyright notices
  • PDF downloads labelled with file type and new-tab warning in link text
  • Above-fold images use loading="eager"; below-fold images use loading="lazy"

Multiple Ways to Navigate

  • Site Map page (/site-map) satisfying WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.5 (Multiple Ways)
  • Site map linked from the footer, Resources navigation, Contact page and this page
  • Consistent navigation structure across all pages
  • Service finder for direct-access routing from the homepage
  • Emergency relief information surfaced prominently — never buried

Forms & Interactive Content

  • Smart contact form with enquiry type tiles — keyboard-accessible with ARIA labels
  • All form fields have visible, associated labels — not placeholder-only
  • Service referral form includes privacy notice, consent guidance and alternative contact paths
  • All links have descriptive text — no "click here" or "read more" in isolation
  • Links opening in a new tab consistently labelled with "(opens in new tab)"
  • prefers-reduced-motion media query respected in all animated elements
Legal & technical framework

Standards we align with

Our accessibility work is guided by internationally recognised standards and Australian legal requirements.

WCAG 2.1 (AA & AAA)

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, published by the W3C. The primary international standard for web accessibility. Our target is Level AA, with partial Level AAA conformance.

AS EN 301 549:2024

The Australian Standard for ICT Accessibility, required for government and government-funded websites in Australia. Based on the European EN 301 549 standard and covers websites, software and digital services.

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

Australian federal law prohibiting discrimination against people with disability in the provision of services — including digital services. Our accessibility programme ensures ongoing DDA compliance.

AHRC Digital Accessibility Guidelines

The Australian Human Rights Commission's practical guidance on digital accessibility under the DDA. Regularly updated and central to our approach to accessible content and design decisions.

Queensland Digital Accessibility Requirements

Queensland Government references both WCAG and AS EN 301 549 for web and ICT accessibility. As a Queensland-based community service provider, we align with these requirements across our digital presence.

Digital Experience Policy (2025)

The Australian Government's Digital Experience Policy, effective January 2025, requires enhanced accessibility and user experience for government-funded digital services. Our site design aligns with the updated Digital Service Standards.

Accessibility provisions

Accessibility across all dimensions

Visual

Sight & low vision

Active
  • WCAG AA colour contrast throughout
  • High contrast mode via accessibility toolbar
  • Text size controls — Normal, Large, Extra Large
  • Screen reader compatible (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
  • Alt text on all informative images
  • Read Aloud feature on every page

Hearing

Deaf & hard of hearing

Active
  • Text alternatives for all audio content
  • Visual notification indicators throughout
  • Auslan interpreters available on request
  • TIS National interpreting service — 131 450
  • TTY service — 133 677

Motor

Mobility & input

Active
  • Full keyboard navigation — no mouse required
  • Skip to main content on every page
  • Speak to Type — fill forms by voice
  • Minimum 44px touch targets on all interactive elements
  • No time limits on any interactions
  • Reduced motion preferences respected

Cognitive

Learning & processing

Active
  • Plain English content throughout
  • Dyslexia-friendly font toggle (OpenDyslexic)
  • Read Aloud for those who prefer to listen
  • Page translation into 130+ languages
  • Consistent navigation on every page
  • Clear heading structure and page hierarchy
  • Multiple pathways to the same content

Language

CALD & multilingual

Active
  • Built-in translation — 130+ languages via Google Translate
  • 12 priority languages shown as one-tap flag buttons
  • Samoan, Tongan, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic and more
  • Loads on demand — zero performance impact for non-translating visitors
  • TIS National telephone interpreting — 131 450
  • Auslan interpreters available on request
  • TTY relay service — 133 677
  • Restore original English in one click

Statement last reviewed

May 2026

Following accessibility toolbar upgrade

Next scheduled review

December 2026

Full WCAG audit post-launch

Review methodology

Manual + Automated

Combined audit approach

Transparency

Known limitations

In the spirit of transparency, we document the known accessibility limitations of this website below. These are areas we are actively working to address. If you encounter any of these — or any other issue not listed — please contact us and we will respond within 2 business days.

PDF Documents

Some historical PDF documents may not be fully accessible to screen reader users. The Community Flood Preparedness Pack has been purpose-built with full accessibility. Where other PDFs are not fully accessible, this is noted beside the download link. An alternative format can be requested by contacting us directly.

Third-Party Widgets

Event calendar and booking widgets are provided by third parties. While we select providers who prioritise accessibility, we cannot guarantee full WCAG conformance of third-party components. Where these widgets are not accessible, equivalent information is available through our team by phone or email.

Voice Tools — Browser Compatibility

The Speak to Type and Read Aloud features use the Web Speech API built into modern browsers. Full functionality is available in Chrome and Edge. Safari on iOS supports Read Aloud. Where a feature is unavailable, a clear message is displayed and alternative contact options are provided.

Page Translation — Machine Translation Limitations

The translation feature uses Google Translate, which provides machine translation. While highly capable across 130+ languages, machine translation may not always convey nuance, cultural context or technical terminology with complete accuracy. For critical matters — including legal, health or financial information — we recommend confirming details by phone or with a professional interpreter via TIS National (131 450).

Mobile Navigation

The custom two-tier desktop navigation is hidden on mobile devices and replaced by Squarespace's native navigation. The mobile navigation experience is managed at the platform level and will be reviewed as part of our December 2026 accessibility audit.

This website is built on the Squarespace platform. Some aspects of accessibility are managed at the platform level and are outside our direct control. We work within and beyond Squarespace's capabilities to maximise accessibility, and we actively advocate for continued platform improvements.

We want to hear from you

Accessibility feedback & support

If you encounter any accessibility barriers on this website, or need information in an alternative format, we want to hear from you. Your feedback directly shapes our ongoing accessibility work.

We commit to acknowledging all accessibility reports within 2 business days and to providing an alternative means of accessing the information or service while any issue is being investigated.

Accessibility email coordinator@dscsa.org.au
Phone (07) 4098 2836 — Mon–Fri 8:30am–4:30pm
TTY service 133 677 (then ask for 1300 363 992)
Interpreting service TIS National — 131 450
In person 20 Mill Street, Mossman QLD 4873 Fully accessible premises

Not satisfied with our response?

If you have raised an accessibility concern with us and are not satisfied with how it was handled, you may contact the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) at www.humanrights.gov.au or call 1300 369 711. For privacy-related concerns, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or call 1300 363 992.