Accessibility Statement

1. Scope

This statement covers the Hawkins & Wells public storefront, reader account, checkout handoff, personal library, web reader, audiobook controls, support and privacy journeys, and digital editions supplied directly by Hawkins & Wells.

An external retailer or payment page is operated by its provider. We select and review providers with accessibility in mind, but their separate statements and support processes apply while you are on their service.

2. Standard and conformance status

Our target is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA. This includes making content perceivable, interface and controls operable, language and errors understandable, and code robust for current assistive technologies.

“Partially conformant” means some parts do not yet fully meet the target. It is not a claim that every page, browser, assistive technology, eBook, audiobook or external service has been certified.

3. Measures we use

Accessibility is considered in design, implementation, content preparation and release review. We prioritise the tasks needed to browse, understand a product, create an account, pay, open a purchase, manage privacy and contact Reader Care.

• Semantic headings, landmarks, labels, names and status announcements.
• Keyboard-operable navigation, forms, checkout, library and reader controls with visible focus.
• Text reflow and responsive layouts intended to work from 320 CSS pixels without loss of essential content.
• Colour contrast, non-colour status cues, zoom support, reduced-motion consideration and light/dark themes.
• Descriptive page titles, link purpose, form instructions and actionable error messages.
• Accessible eBook structure and metadata checks by edition, plus transcripts or captions when part of a published format.
• Automated checks supplemented by keyboard, screen-reader and high-zoom review of critical journeys.

4. eBooks, audiobooks and rights controls

Accessibility can vary by edition. Product information should identify the available format, language and known accessibility features before purchase. Digital-rights or delivery controls must not intentionally block assistive technology that is compatible with the supplied format.

If a purchased edition presents a barrier, contact Reader Care. We will investigate an accessible replacement, corrected file, alternative delivery or another remedy appropriate to the edition and applicable law.

5. Known limitations

Some legacy or third-party-supplied PDFs and eBooks may have incomplete heading structure, reading order, image descriptions or accessibility metadata. Availability is assessed per edition; contact Reader Care before purchase if you need confirmation about a specific title.

Payment providers, external retailers, embedded maps and social platforms may not match the storefront’s implementation. Where a third-party barrier blocks a direct Hawkins & Wells purchase or support task, we will offer a reasonable alternative route where possible.

Automated testing cannot establish full conformance. Manual coverage across all combinations of browsers, mobile devices, screen readers, voice control, switch access and magnification remains an ongoing programme.

6. Report an accessibility barrier

Signed-in readers can open My desk > Support and refunds and choose Accessibility. Otherwise, use the public About contact form, choose Reader care and begin the message with “Accessibility”. Tell us the task you were trying to complete; you do not need to disclose a diagnosis.

• The page address, title or edition involved.
• What you expected and what prevented completion.
• Browser, device and assistive technology, if you are comfortable sharing them.
• The accessible format or alternative route that would help.

7. What happens after a report

We record the barrier as a support case, assess its impact and urgency, provide an available workaround, and assign remediation where Hawkins & Wells controls the issue. We will keep you informed through the case and avoid asking you to repeatedly reproduce an inaccessible process.

If the issue concerns an external provider, we will document it with that provider and help identify an alternative route where reasonably possible. A quality or accessibility problem with purchased digital content may also qualify for a remedy under the Refund Policy.

8. Assessment and review

The current assessment method combines code review, automated checks and manual review of representative critical flows. A complete independent audit has not yet been recorded, which is one reason the status is partially conformant.

This statement is reviewed when a material interface, reader, checkout or content-production change is released, when testing identifies a material gap, and at least annually. Verified limitations are tracked with an owner, workaround and remediation decision.