Accessibility at Thespian House

Our Commitment to Accessibility

At Thespian House, we believe that everyone, regardless of ability, should have equal access to quality acting education. We are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all aspiring actors. This commitment extends to our website, our learning materials, and our physical spaces. We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of our programs and services, guided by the principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.

We strive to meet or exceed Level AA of the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. These guidelines outline best practices for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. They cover a wide range of recommendations for making content more perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. We regularly audit our website and digital materials to ensure they conform to these guidelines, and we welcome feedback from our users on how we can improve our accessibility.

Our accessibility efforts include providing alternative text for images, ensuring sufficient color contrast, using clear and concise language, and making our website keyboard navigable. We also offer captioning and transcripts for our video and audio content. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities, and we encourage anyone who needs an accommodation to contact us so we can work together to meet their needs. Our aim is to foster a learning environment where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential as actors.

Website Accessibility Features

The Thespian House website has been designed with accessibility in mind. We have implemented a number of features to ensure that our website is usable by everyone, including those with disabilities. These features include:

• Alternative Text for Images: All images on our website have descriptive alternative text, allowing users who are blind or visually impaired to understand the content of the images.
• Keyboard Navigation: Our website can be navigated using a keyboard alone, without the need for a mouse. This is essential for users with motor impairments.
• Sufficient Color Contrast: We have ensured that there is sufficient color contrast between text and background colors throughout the website, making it easier for users with low vision to read the content.
• Clear and Concise Language: We use clear and concise language throughout our website, avoiding jargon and complex sentence structures.
• Resizable Text: Users can easily resize the text on our website to make it more readable.
• Skip Navigation Link: A skip navigation link is provided at the top of each page, allowing users to bypass the navigation menu and go directly to the main content.
• Form Labels and Instructions: All form fields are properly labeled, and clear instructions are provided for completing the forms.
• Descriptive Link Text: All links have descriptive text that clearly indicates the destination of the link.
• Dark Mode Option: Users can toggle between a light and dark color scheme to suit their individual preferences and visual needs.

We are committed to continually improving the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility issues, please let us know, and we will do our best to address them promptly.

Classroom and Physical Space Accessibility

Thespian House is committed to making our classrooms and physical spaces accessible to all students. We understand that physical accessibility is just as important as digital accessibility in creating an inclusive learning environment. Our efforts in this area include:

• Wheelchair Accessibility: Our main studio at 42 Grand Avenue, Ojai, CA, 93023 is wheelchair accessible, with ramps and accessible restrooms.
• Assistive Listening Devices: We provide assistive listening devices in our classrooms for students who are hard of hearing.
• Flexible Seating Arrangements: We offer flexible seating arrangements to accommodate students with different physical needs.
• Large Print Materials: We can provide large print versions of course materials upon request.
• Visual Aids: We use visual aids in our classes to support learning for students with different learning styles.
• Quiet Spaces: We provide quiet spaces where students can take breaks and de-stress.

We are always looking for ways to improve the accessibility of our physical spaces. If you have any specific accessibility needs or concerns, please contact us before your visit, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

WCAG Compliance and Ongoing Efforts

Thespian House is committed to adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA. We view accessibility as an ongoing effort and are continually working to improve the accessibility of our website, digital materials, and physical spaces. Our compliance efforts include:

• Regular Audits: We conduct regular accessibility audits of our website and digital materials to identify and address any accessibility issues.
• User Testing: We involve users with disabilities in our testing process to ensure that our website and materials are usable and accessible.
• Training: We provide accessibility training to our staff and instructors to ensure that they are aware of accessibility best practices.
• Feedback Mechanisms: We provide feedback mechanisms on our website, allowing users to report any accessibility issues they encounter.
• Accessibility Policy: We have a formal accessibility policy that outlines our commitment to accessibility.
• Continuous Improvement: We are committed to continually improving the accessibility of our programs and services.

We believe that accessibility is not just a legal requirement but also a moral imperative. We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all aspiring actors, and we will continue to work towards making our programs and services accessible to everyone.

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website and programs. If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please contact us. Your input is valuable to us as we strive to improve our accessibility.

You can reach us by:

• Email: accessibility@thespianhouse.com
• Phone: +1 968-967-4518
• Mail: Thespian House, 42 Grand Avenue, Ojai, CA, 93023

We are committed to responding to all accessibility inquiries in a timely manner. Thank you for helping us make Thespian House a more accessible and inclusive learning environment for everyone.