Accessibility Statement
Last updated: June 2026
Our commitment
GeoWorkbench is committed to making its website and tools accessible to the widest possible audience, including people with disabilities. We work to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as a target standard and continue to make improvements on an ongoing basis.
Measures taken
GeoWorkbench has implemented the following accessibility features across its pages and tools:
- Semantic HTML structure with proper heading hierarchy on all pages
- ARIA labels on all interactive elements, buttons, and form controls
- Skip navigation links on all pages to allow keyboard users to bypass repeated content
- All decorative images and icons marked with
aria-hidden="true"so screen readers ignore them - Form fields on the contact page are fully labeled and associated with their inputs
- Live regions (
aria-live) on tool result areas so screen readers announce updates - Keyboard navigation support on all interactive elements
- Color contrast designed to meet WCAG AA minimum ratios throughout the interface
- Page language declared (
lang="en") on all pages for screen reader compatibility
Known limitations
While we strive for broad accessibility, the following known limitations exist:
- Interactive maps: The map components used across GeoWorkbench tools are inherently complex for screen reader and keyboard-only users. Full keyboard and screen reader access to interactive mapping interfaces is a known industry-wide challenge. Users who are unable to use the map interface may still access tool results by entering an address or coordinates in the search field and using keyboard navigation to read the results in the sidebar.
- Third-party content: Advertisements served by third-party networks are outside GeoWorkbench's control and may not meet the same accessibility standards.
Reporting accessibility barriers
We welcome feedback about any accessibility barriers you encounter on this site. If you experience difficulty accessing any content or functionality, please contact us and we will make reasonable efforts to provide the information or functionality through an alternative means or to address the barrier.
To report an accessibility issue, use the contact form and select General question as the message type. Please describe the barrier you encountered, what assistive technology you were using if applicable, and the page or tool where it occurred.
We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days.
Formal complaints
GeoWorkbench is operated as a free public resource with no commercial transactions. We make good faith efforts to maintain accessible content in accordance with applicable standards. If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility concern, you may contact the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division or your relevant national accessibility authority.
This statement does not constitute a legal certification of full WCAG 2.1 AA conformance. GeoWorkbench makes no warranty, express or implied, that this website is fully accessible to all users, and accepts no liability for accessibility failures beyond what is required by applicable law for a non-commercial public website of this nature.
Technical information
GeoWorkbench is built with standard HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. It has been tested for basic accessibility using keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility checks. No third-party accessibility overlay tools are used.
Browsers and assistive technologies tested include recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari with VoiceOver (macOS) and NVDA (Windows).
Updates to this statement
This accessibility statement is reviewed and updated as changes are made to the site. The date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.