Accessibility

Last reviewed October 21, 2026

I want everyone who visits this site to be able to read it, find what they need, and reach me, including people who use a screen reader, navigate by keyboard, magnify the screen, or are sensitive to motion. This statement explains the standard the site aims for, what has been done to meet it, where it still falls short, and how to tell me if something does not work for you.

1. The standard

The site aims to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA, the benchmark generally used for websites under the Americans with Disabilities Act and comparable laws elsewhere. Based on the review described below, the site partially conforms to WCAG 2.2 AA: the pages built for this site meet the standard as far as I know, and the exceptions are the third-party content and documents listed in section 4.

2. What has been done

  • Every page can be used with a keyboard alone, with a visible focus outline and a “Skip to content” link at the top.
  • Menus, dropdowns, expandable sections, and inquiry forms work by keyboard and tell screen readers whether they are open or closed. Inquiry forms open in a dialog that keeps focus inside it and closes with Escape.
  • Every form field has a label that screen readers announce, and required fields are marked.
  • Images that carry information, such as journal covers and diagrams, have text descriptions. Purely decorative images are hidden from screen readers.
  • Text meets WCAG contrast minimums, and interactive targets are at least 24 by 24 pixels.
  • Scrolling text and the background video can be paused, and they stay still if your device is set to reduce motion. The background video has no sound, so it needs no captions.
  • Pages use headings, landmarks, and a declared language so assistive technology can navigate them.
  • The cookie banner does not hide the item you are focused on, and it can be operated by keyboard.

3. How the site was reviewed

The site was reviewed in October 2026 by the team that built it, using automated testing (axe-core) on every page at desktop and phone widths, followed by manual keyboard testing of the navigation, forms, dialogs, and interactive sections. It has not yet been audited by an independent accessibility specialist.

4. Known limitations

  • Downloadable documents. The CV, résumé, bio, and speaker PDFs are tagged for screen readers and declare a title and language, but their reading order has not been checked by a specialist. I will send any of them as plain text or a Word document on request.
  • Third-party services. The newsletter signup is completed on Substack, scheduling happens on Calendly, and some links lead to LinkedIn, Instagram, and journal websites. Those services are outside my control and have their own accessibility practices.
  • Linked publications. Journal articles are published by their journals, and their accessibility depends on the publisher.

5. Compatibility

The site is built with standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and is designed to work with current versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge on desktop and mobile, and with the screen readers and magnifiers built into macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android.

6. Feedback and alternative formats

If anything on this site is hard to use, or you would like information in a different format, please email hello@arishapatelmd.com with “Accessibility” in the subject line. Tell me the page and what went wrong, and I will reply within five business days and work with you to get you what you need. You do not need to explain your reason for asking.

7. Ongoing work

New pages and content are checked against the same standard before they are published, and this statement will be reviewed at least once a year or whenever the site changes significantly.