Back to HomeSimCare

Accessibility

SimCare AI is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all users.

1. Accessibility Statement

SimCare AI is committed to ensuring our clinical simulation platform is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. We conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards as verified by an independent third-party assessment conducted by Assured Information Solutions (December 2025).

We are dedicated to continuous improvement and conduct quarterly accessibility audits to identify and resolve potential barriers. Our goal is to provide an equitable experience for every user, regardless of ability.

2. Conformance Status

SimCare conforms to the following accessibility standards:

  • WCAG 2.1 Level AA — Full conformance with all Level A and Level AA success criteria
  • Section 508 — Compliant with the Revised Section 508 Standards
  • WCAG 2.1 Level AAA — Exceeds many Level AAA criteria, including enhanced contrast ratios and extended accessibility features

A completed Accessibility Conformance Report (VPAT 2.5) is available upon request. Procurement teams and institutional partners may contact us at tiko@simcare.ai to obtain a copy.

3. Keyboard Navigation

SimCare is fully operable using a keyboard alone. The following keyboard controls are supported throughout the platform:

  • Tab / Shift+Tab — Navigate forward and backward between interactive elements (buttons, links, form fields)
  • Enter / Space — Activate buttons, links, and toggle controls
  • Escape — Close modals, popups, and overlapping dialogs
  • Arrow Keys — Navigate within dropdown menus, radio groups, and tabbed interfaces
  • Skip Navigation — A “Skip to main content” link is available at the top of each page to bypass repetitive navigation elements

All interactive elements have visible focus indicators so users can track their position on the page at all times.

4. Screen Reader Support

SimCare has been tested with the following screen readers to ensure a complete and accurate experience:

  • NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) on Windows
  • JAWS (Job Access With Speech) on Windows
  • VoiceOver on macOS

Screen reader users can expect the following experience:

  • All page content is announced correctly, with meaningful reading order
  • Navigation landmarks (banner, navigation, main, contentinfo) and heading hierarchy allow efficient page browsing
  • Form labels are properly associated with their inputs using explicit labeling
  • Dynamic content updates — including AI responses during clinical simulations — are announced via ARIA live regions without requiring focus change
  • Status messages (loading states, success/error notifications) are communicated automatically through ARIA role attributes

5. Text Alternatives for Audio

As a voice-based clinical simulation platform, SimCare ensures that all audio content has equivalent text alternatives:

  • All AI-generated speech during simulations is simultaneously rendered as screen-reader-compatible text logs displayed alongside the conversation
  • Session transcripts capture the full dialogue in text form and are available for review after every simulation

Enabling text output: Text output for simulations requires a one-time configuration in your account settings. To enable it:

  1. Log in to your SimCare account
  2. Navigate to Settings from the top navigation menu
  3. Select the Accessibility tab
  4. Toggle “Enable Text Output” to On
  5. Optionally adjust the text display size and position to your preference
  6. Click Save to apply changes

Once enabled, text output will appear automatically in all future simulation sessions.

6. Visual Accessibility

SimCare is designed with visual accessibility as a core principle:

  • Contrast Ratios — Text meets a 7:1 contrast ratio (WCAG AAA) against background colors throughout the interface
  • Color Independence — Color is never used as the sole means of conveying information. All color-coded elements include text labels, icons, or patterns as secondary indicators
  • Text Resizing — All text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality
  • Responsive Reflow — The layout reflows correctly at 320px viewport width, ensuring usability on narrow screens without horizontal scrolling
  • Reduced Motion — SimCare respects the operating system’s “prefers-reduced-motion” setting. Coverage is currently partial and we are actively expanding support across all animations and transitions

7. Input Flexibility

SimCare supports multiple concurrent input methods to accommodate a wide range of user needs:

  • Keyboard — Full keyboard navigation and interaction support
  • Mouse — Standard point-and-click interaction
  • Touch — Touch-optimized interface for tablets and mobile devices
  • Voice — Voice input for simulation interactions

Users can switch freely between input methods at any time. Voice input is always optional — all simulation interactions can be completed entirely via text and keyboard. This is critical for users who do not use speech or who have motor disabilities.

8. Timing and User Control

By default, all SimCare simulations are untimed. Users can work through clinical scenarios at their own pace without time pressure.

Instructors may enable timed scenarios through LMS configuration for specific educational objectives. This is an instructor choice and not a platform constraint. When timed scenarios are used:

  • Users are notified before the session begins that a time limit is in effect
  • Session data is preserved across timeouts and re-authentication, so users never lose their work

9. Help and Support Accessibility

SimCare provides multiple accessible support channels:

  • AI Help Assistant — Available on every page, the built-in AI assistant provides context-sensitive guidance and can simplify explanations upon request
  • Email Support — tiko@simcare.ai
  • Live Chat — Available during business hours through the platform
  • Phone Support — Available for users who prefer voice communication

Alternative communication methods are available for users who cannot use a particular channel. If you need assistance in a different format, please contact us and we will accommodate your needs.

Accessibility Contact: For accessibility-specific issues, accommodations, or feedback, please reach out directly to tiko@simcare.ai.

10. Known Limitations

We believe transparency builds trust. The following are known areas where SimCare’s accessibility support is partial or in development:

  • Live Text Output Requires Configuration (WCAG 1.2.9) — Text output for AI-generated speech must be enabled in account settings. See Section 5: Text Alternatives for Audio for setup instructions.
  • Visual Presentation Customization Not Available In-App (WCAG 1.4.8) — Full customization of text appearance (font family, line spacing, paragraph spacing) is not available within SimCare. Users can rely on browser-level or OS-level settings to adjust visual presentation.
  • Partial Reduced Motion Support (WCAG 2.3.3) — SimCare partially respects the “prefers-reduced-motion” media query. We are actively expanding coverage to all animations and transitions across the platform.
  • Instructor-Configured Timed Scenarios (WCAG 2.2.3) — While simulations are untimed by default, instructors may enable time limits through LMS settings. Students who require timing accommodations should coordinate with their instructor.
  • Clinical Terminology Glossary Not Yet Available (WCAG 3.1.3, 3.1.4) — A dedicated glossary for clinical terminology and abbreviations is not yet available within the platform. We plan to add this feature in a future update. In the meantime, the AI assistant can explain clinical terms on request.

11. Testing Methodology

SimCare employs a comprehensive accessibility testing process that includes:

  • Automated Analysis — Axe DevTools for static accessibility analysis, integrated into our development pipeline
  • Screen Reader Testing — Manual testing with NVDA and JAWS on Windows, and VoiceOver on macOS
  • Keyboard-Only Testing — Manual testing of all workflows using keyboard-only navigation
  • Third-Party Assessment — Independent evaluation by Assured Information Solutions (AIS), providing external verification of our accessibility conformance

We are not self-attesting — our accessibility claims are backed by a documented, repeatable testing process and independent verification.

12. Feedback Mechanism

We want to hear from you. If you encounter an accessibility barrier while using SimCare, please let us know:

  • Email: tiko@simcare.ai
  • Expected Response Time: We aim to respond to all accessibility reports within 2 business days

We take accessibility feedback seriously and incorporate it directly into our development roadmap. Every report helps us build a more inclusive platform for the clinical education community.