Accessibility statement

Convocation belongs to every graduate. StageReader is designed so that RSVP, name pronunciation and ceremony-day participation work for people using assistive technology, small screens, and slow connections.

Our standard

We aim to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA across the student, presenter and administrator sites, consistent with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requirements our institutional customers operate under. Accessibility is reviewed as part of each release rather than as a one-time project.

What we have done

• Keyboard and screen readers. Pages use semantic headings, labelled form fields and standard controls. Everything a graduate needs to do can be completed with a keyboard.
• No time pressure. Registration has no session countdown; a graduate can pause and return with the same PIN until the institution closes registration.
• Audio has a text equivalent. The pronunciation clip is always accompanied by the written name and the phonetic spelling being spoken, and approving it does not require hearing it.
• Accommodation requests built in. Where an institution enables it, graduates can record accessibility needs for themselves and their guests during RSVP, and the institution receives them in its export.
• Assisted registration. Convocation staff can complete a registration with a graduate over the phone or in person, with every action attributed in the audit log.
• Readable on phones. Layouts reflow to narrow screens with large tap targets; pages are lightweight and do not depend on third-party scripts to load.
• Ceremony day. The on-screen name display uses large, high-contrast text sized to fit, so the announced name can be read from the hall as well as heard.

Known limitations

• The interface is offered in a dark colour scheme only. A light or high-contrast option is planned.
• Recording your own name in the browser requires microphone access and a current browser. Graduates who cannot record can instead type a phonetic spelling or ask their convocation office for help.
• StageReader has not yet undergone an independent accessibility audit, and a VPAT is not yet available. We will publish one when it is complete.
• The public site is available in English only at present.

Getting help

Graduates: your college or university's convocation office can complete or change your RSVP and pronunciation with you, in whatever format you need. Their contact details are on the invitation you received.

Institutions: if you need an accessible alternative for any part of the platform, or want to review our approach before a ceremony, contact us.

Feedback

If something on StageReader is difficult to use, tell us. Email support@stagereader.ca with Accessibility in the subject, describing the page and the assistive technology or browser you were using. We respond to accessibility feedback within five business days and fix confirmed barriers as a priority.

Last updated: 2026-09-28