Built for people who do not want to learn an app.

01The storyteller needs no technology at all

The most important accessibility decision was made before any of this was designed: the storyteller does not use software. Joan calls an ordinary telephone. There is no app to install, no account to create, no password to remember, no screen to read, and no interface to learn.

That removes the barrier that defeats most tools aimed at older adults. A person with no vision, no dexterity, no internet, and no patience for technology can use Joan completely, because using Joan means answering the phone and talking.

02On the phone

• Joan speaks at a measured pace and repeats things when asked.
• Joan calls from the same number every time, so it becomes recognizable rather than looking like an unknown caller.
• Sessions can be shortened. If forty-five minutes is too long, tell us and we will set a shorter rhythm before the first call.
• A family member can sit in on a call. Some storytellers prefer it, and it is often the right answer for someone with memory difficulty.
• Ending a call early loses nothing. What was already said is kept.

03On this website

We aim at WCAG 2.2 Level AA. What is in place today:

• Text and background colours are tested against AA contrast ratios, and we correct combinations that fail rather than adjusting the target.
• Every interactive element shows a visible keyboard focus ring, in a colour chosen per background so it stays visible on dark bands.
• A skip link is the first thing a keyboard or screen-reader user reaches on every page.
• Headings are ordered, and landmarks and form labels are real.
• Nothing important is conveyed by colour alone, and animation is suppressed for anyone whose system asks for reduced motion.
• Body text is serif at a generous size and can be zoomed to 200% without content being lost or overlapping.

04What is not done yet

Stating this plainly is more useful than a claim of full conformance.

• We have not completed an independent audit or published a formal accessibility conformance report. We intend to before we are out of the founding phase.
• Testing so far has been with keyboard navigation, browser zoom, and automated contrast checks. It has not yet included structured sessions with screen-reader users, which is the gap we are most aware of.
• The family-facing archive is still being built. It will be held to this same standard, and it is the part where interface accessibility actually matters, since the storyteller never has to touch a screen.

05Tell us and it gets fixed first

If something here is hard to use, hard to hear, or hard to see, write to us and say so. Accessibility problems go to the front of the queue ahead of feature work, and we will tell you what we are doing about it rather than only thanking you for the report.

Use the contact form and choose “Accessibility”. If the form itself is the problem, say so any way you can reach us and we will work around it.