Accessibility Statement

14.1 Commitment to Accessibility

The Shepherd Network LLC seeks to make its public-facing websites, web applications, digital services, registration and scheduling functions, ecommerce experiences, training materials, publications, communications, and other digital content reasonably accessible to people with disabilities. TSN's accessibility efforts are intended to support equal access, effective communication, usability, and participation consistent with applicable law and reasonable technical capabilities.

14.2 Accessibility Standard and Engineering Target

As a practical accessibility design and engineering target, TSN seeks to develop and improve applicable web content and digital interfaces toward conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA, or a later generally recognized successor standard that TSN adopts. This target is an organizational accessibility objective and should not be interpreted as a representation that federal or state law universally mandates WCAG 2.2 Level AA for every TSN website, application, document, feature, or organizational customer.

14.3 Applicable Law

TSN will comply with accessibility and disability-nondiscrimination requirements applicable to its own operations and Services. The Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal, state, local, contractual, or sector-specific requirements may apply differently depending upon the nature of the entity, service, facility, program, jurisdiction, and relationship involved. Nothing in this Statement expands or limits a legal obligation independently imposed by applicable law.

14.4 Websites and Web Applications

TSN will use reasonable efforts to design, develop, maintain, and improve applicable websites and web applications so that essential information, navigation, forms, controls, authentication functions, account functions, scheduling, registration, check-in, ecommerce, and other material user interactions can be used by people with disabilities. Accessibility considerations may include semantic structure, headings, labels, text alternatives, contrast, focus visibility, keyboard operation, error identification, zoom and reflow, and compatibility with commonly used assistive technologies.

14.5 Forms, Registration, Scheduling, and Check-In

Forms and workflows used for ShepherdSync, ShepherdChek, VerseKey, account creation, event registration, training registration, ecommerce, communications consent, and other TSN functions should, where reasonably practicable, include meaningful labels and instructions, keyboard accessibility, understandable error identification, and other accessibility features appropriate to the function. A person who encounters an inaccessible form or workflow may request reasonable alternative access through the applicable TSN contact or support method.

14.6 Images and Non-Text Content

Meaningful images and other non-text content should include appropriate text alternatives or equivalent contextual information when necessary to communicate their purpose to users who cannot perceive the visual content. Decorative images may be implemented so that assistive technologies can appropriately ignore them.

14.7 Audio, Video, and Time-Based Media

TSN will use reasonable efforts to provide accessibility features appropriate to material prerecorded or live audio and video content, which may include captions, transcripts, audio descriptions, accessible media controls, or other alternatives depending upon the content, context, technical feasibility, and applicable requirements. Automatically generated accessibility features may be reviewed or corrected when reasonably practicable and when accuracy is material to access or understanding.

14.8 Keyboard and Assistive-Technology Access

Applicable interactive digital content should be designed, where reasonably practicable, so that essential functions are operable without requiring a mouse or touch-only gesture and so that keyboard focus is reasonably visible and logical. TSN will seek compatibility with commonly used screen readers, magnification tools, voice-control technology, browser accessibility functions, and other assistive technologies, while recognizing that compatibility may vary among devices, browsers, operating systems, assistive technologies, and third-party components.

14.9 Color, Contrast, Text, and Visual Presentation

TSN will use reasonable efforts to avoid communicating essential information solely through color and to provide sufficient contrast, readable text, scalable content, and visual presentation appropriate to the applicable interface. Branding and design choices should be implemented in a manner that reasonably considers accessibility rather than treating visual branding as a basis for intentionally preventing access.

14.10 Digital Documents, PDFs, and Training Materials

TSN will use reasonable efforts to make material digital documents and training resources accessible in a form appropriate to their purpose. Accessibility measures may include document structure, headings, readable text, meaningful link text, table structure, text alternatives, logical reading order, accessible electronic forms, and an alternative accessible format when a particular PDF or document cannot reasonably be remediated promptly. Historical or archived materials may be addressed based on applicable law, actual use, requested access, technical feasibility, and the importance of the content.

14.11 ShepherdSync Training Accessibility

Accessibility requirements should be considered when implementing ShepherdSync training controls, including required content exposure, minimum active review time, navigation, acknowledgments, and completion records. A disability-related accommodation or alternative method of access may be provided when reasonably necessary so that a participant is not prevented from completing required training solely because an inaccessible interaction method cannot be used. An authorized accommodation should be documented in a manner appropriate to the training system without requiring unnecessary medical or sensitive information.

14.12 ShepherdChek Accessibility

Because ShepherdChek may be used by children, youth, adults, volunteers, parents, guardians, guests, trainees, and event participants, applicable registration and check-in experiences should reasonably consider users with visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, speech, and other disabilities. An organizational customer remains responsible for accessibility obligations independently applicable to the customer's physical location, event, personnel, or non-TSN procedures.

14.13 Third-Party Content and Technology

TSN Services may use or link to third-party hosting, authentication, payment, communications, media, ecommerce, mapping, document, embedded-content, or other technology. TSN will use reasonable efforts to consider accessibility when selecting and configuring material third-party components within its control, but TSN cannot guarantee the accessibility of every third-party website, application, device, platform, or component. When a material third-party barrier affects access to a TSN Service, TSN may seek remediation, reconfiguration, an alternative provider or workflow, or another reasonable method of access as appropriate.

14.14 No Reliance Solely on Automated Accessibility Tools

Automated accessibility testing, scanners, artificial-intelligence tools, overlays, widgets, and similar technologies may assist accessibility work but do not by themselves establish that a website, application, or document is fully accessible. TSN may use a combination of automated testing, manual review, user feedback, assistive-technology testing, and remediation appropriate to the Service and available resources.

14.15 Requests for Reasonable Alternative Access

A person who cannot access material TSN content or functionality because of a disability-related barrier may request reasonable alternative access or assistance through TSN's published contact or support channels. When reasonably possible, the request should identify the affected page, document, feature, event, or Service and describe the accessibility problem sufficiently to permit investigation. A person is not required to disclose unnecessary medical details merely to report an accessibility barrier.

14.16 Accessibility Feedback and Barrier Reporting

TSN welcomes good-faith reports of accessibility barriers. Reports may concern websites, applications, forms, documents, media, training, registration, ecommerce, or other TSN digital content. TSN may request information reasonably necessary to reproduce or understand the barrier, such as the page or feature involved, device or browser information, assistive technology used if the person chooses to provide it, and the nature of the difficulty encountered.

14.17 Review, Prioritization, and Remediation

TSN will review reported material accessibility barriers and prioritize remediation based on factors that may include severity, frequency, whether essential functionality is affected, availability of an alternative method, number of users affected, technical complexity, third-party dependencies, applicable legal requirements, and available resources. Where immediate technical remediation is not reasonably possible, TSN may provide an appropriate alternative method of access while remediation is evaluated or completed.

14.18 No Guarantee of Perfect Conformance

Accessibility is an ongoing process involving changing content, technologies, standards, devices, browsers, assistive technologies, and third-party services. TSN does not represent that every page, document, application, feature, or third-party component will at all times achieve perfect or error-free conformance with every accessibility standard. This provision does not excuse TSN from an accessibility obligation independently imposed by applicable law.

14.19 Organizational Customers

A church, ministry, faith-based organization, or other organizational customer using ShepherdSync, ShepherdChek, or another TSN Service remains responsible for accessibility obligations independently applicable to that organization's own facilities, programs, events, uploaded content, communications, personnel, policies, equipment, and third-party services. TSN remains responsible for accessibility duties independently applicable to TSN and does not transfer those duties to the customer.

14.20 Multi-Jurisdictional Use

Accessibility requirements may vary by jurisdiction and by the legal status of the entity providing the applicable program, goods, service, or activity. TSN may adopt jurisdiction-specific accessibility terms, configurations, procedures, or accommodations when reasonably necessary. A reference to a United States or Kentucky accessibility requirement does not represent that the same requirement controls in every other jurisdiction.

14.21 Accessibility Contact Information

TSN will maintain a reasonably accessible method through which users may report accessibility barriers or request assistance. The current contact method may be published on TheShepherdNetwork.org, within the applicable Service, or through another reasonably accessible TSN support channel. TSN may change the particular contact address or system without amending this Statement solely because an internal support method changes.

14.22 Policy Review

TSN may review and update this Accessibility Statement as its Services, accessibility practices, technical standards, legal requirements, or recognized accessibility guidance evolve. Material changes affecting legal rights or obligations will be handled under the applicable notice and assent requirements.