Accessibility at AhaSlides
At AhaSlides, we believe that accessibility is not an optional add-on — it is fundamental to our mission of making every voice heard in a live setting. Whether you’re participating in a poll, quiz, word cloud, or presentation, our goal is to make sure you can do so with ease, regardless of your device, abilities, or assistive needs.
A product for everyone means accessible for everyone.
This page outlines where we stand today, what we’ve committed to improving, and how we’re holding ourselves accountable.
Current Accessibility Status
While accessibility has always been part of our product thinking, a recent internal audit shows that our current experience does not yet meet core accessibility standards, particularly in the participant-facing interface. We share this transparently because acknowledging limitations is the first step toward meaningful improvement.
Screen reader support is incomplete
Many interactive elements (poll options, buttons, dynamic results) are missing labels, roles, or readable structure.
Keyboard navigation is broken or inconsistent
Most user flows cannot be completed using keyboard alone. Focus indicators and logical tab order are still in development.
Visual content lacks alternative formats
Word clouds and spinners rely heavily on visual representation without accompanying text equivalents.
Assistive technologies cannot fully interact with the interface
ARIA attributes are often missing or incorrect, and updates (e.g. leaderboard changes) are not properly announced.
We are actively working to address these gaps — and doing so in a way that prevents future regressions.
What We’re Improving
Accessibility at AhaSlides is a work in progress. We’ve started by identifying key limitations through internal audits and usability testing, and we’re actively making changes across our product to improve the experience for everyone.
Here’s what we’ve already done — and what we continue to work on:
- Improving keyboard navigation across all interactive elements
- Enhancing screen reader support through better labels and structure
- Including accessibility checks in our QA and release workflows
- Publishing accessibility documentation, including a VPAT® report
- Providing internal training for design and engineering teams
These improvements are being rolled out gradually, with the goal of making accessibility a default part of how we build — not something added at the end.
Evaluation Methods
To evaluate accessibility, we use a combination of manual and automated tools, including:
- VoiceOver (iOS + macOS) and TalkBack (Android)
- Chrome, Safari, and Firefox
- Axe DevTools, WAVE, and manual inspection
- Real keyboard and mobile interactions
We test against WCAG 2.1 Level AA and use real user flows to identify friction, not just technical violations.
How We Support Different Access Methods
| Need | Current Status | Current quality |
| Screen reader users | Limited Support | Blind users face significant barriers accessing core presentation and interaction features. |
| Keyboard-only navigation | Limited Support | Most essential interactions rely on a mouse; keyboard flows are incomplete or missing. |
| Low vision | Limited Support | The interface is heavily visual. Issues include insufficient contrast, small text, and color-only cues. |
| Hearing impairments | Partially Supported | Some audio-based features are present, but accommodation quality is unclear and under review. |
| Cognitive/processing disabilities | Partially Supported | Some support exists, but certain interactions may be difficult to follow without visual or timing adjustments. |
This assessment helps us prioritise improvements that go beyond compliance — towards better usability and inclusion for everyone.
VPAT (Accessibility Conformance Report)
We are currently preparing an Accessibility Conformance Report using the VPAT® 2.5 International Edition. This will detail how AhaSlides conforms to:
- WCAG 2.0 & 2.1 (Level A and AA)
- Section 508 (U.S.)
- EN 301 549 (EU)
The first version will focus on the audience app (https://audience.ahaslides.com/) and the most-used interactive slides (polls, quizzes, spinner, word cloud).
Feedback & Contact
If you encounter any accessibility barrier or have ideas for how we can do better, please contact us: design-team@ahaslides.com
We take every message seriously and use your input to improve.
AhaSlides Accessibility Conformance Report
VPAT® Version 2.5 INT
Name of Product/Version: AhaSlides Audience Site
Product Description: The AhaSlides Audience Site allows users to participate in live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&A via mobile or browser. This report covers the user-facing audience interface only (https://audience.ahaslides.com/) and related paths).
Date: August 2025
Contact Information: design-team@ahaslides.com
Notes: This report only applies to the audience experience of AhaSlides (accessed via https://audience.ahaslides.com/. It does not apply to the presenter dashboard or editor https://presenter.ahaslides.com).
Evaluation Methods Used: Manual testing and review using Axe DevTools, Lighthouse, MacOS VoiceOver (Safari, Chrome), and iOS VoiceOver.
Download PDF Report: AhaSlides Voluntary Product Report (VPAT® 2.5 INT – PDF)