Accessibility Features
First Furlong is built for everyone. Horse racing culture should be accessible to all Australians, regardless of ability.
Keyboard Navigation
First Furlong is fully navigable using just your keyboard. You don't need a mouse.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Move to next interactive element |
| Shift + Tab | Move to previous interactive element |
| Enter or Space | Activate buttons, links, or select options |
| Escape | Close modal dialogs |
Tip: Press Tab to see a green focus ring around clickable elements. This shows you where you are on the page.
Modal Focus Trapping
When a dialog or modal opens, focus is automatically moved inside and trapped there. Tab cycles through modal elements only. Press Escape or click outside to close, and focus returns to where you were.
Screen Reader Support
First Furlong is optimized for screen readers including:
- •NVDA (Windows, free)
- •JAWS (Windows, commercial)
- •VoiceOver (Mac/iOS, built-in)
- •TalkBack (Android, built-in)
Dynamic Content Announcements
When you calculate bet returns or change amounts, the results are automatically announced to your screen reader. You don't need to navigate to find them.
Decorative Icons Hidden
All decorative icons are hidden from screen readers using aria-hidden. You'll only hear meaningful content, not "image" or icon names repeated throughout.
Semantic Buttons
All interactive elements use proper HTML buttons, not styled divs. This means they're announced correctly as buttons and respond to Enter/Space as expected.
Visual Accessibility
High Contrast Focus
Interactive elements have a thick, bright green focus ring with an offset. This ensures visibility on all backgrounds, including dark sections.
Pinch Zoom Enabled
On mobile, you can pinch-zoom up to 200% or more. Text and buttons scale without breaking the layout.
Reduced Motion
If you've enabled "Reduce Motion" in your device settings, First Furlong respects that preference. All animations, transitions, and hover transforms are disabled or minimised automatically.
Colour Independence
Information isn't conveyed by colour alone. We use icons, labels, and text to ensure everyone can understand the interface.
Mobile Touch Optimised
Touch targets are sized for easy tapping. The 300ms tap delay is removed for instant response. No accidental double-tap zooms on buttons.
Text Readability
Headings use balanced text wrapping to prevent awkward line breaks. Body text uses "pretty" wrapping to avoid orphaned words at line ends.
Report Accessibility Issues
Found a barrier that prevents you from using First Furlong? We want to fix it.
Please describe:
- What you were trying to do
- What went wrong
- Your assistive technology (if applicable)
Standards Compliance
First Furlong aims to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. This includes:
- Perceivable: Information presented in ways everyone can perceive
- Operable: All functionality available via keyboard
- Understandable: Clear, predictable interface
- Robust: Compatible with assistive technologies