Accessibility
Accessibility
Blackthorn Field Notes is built around the belief that people should not have to fight the interface to access the words.
This site is a work in progress, but accessibility is part of the publishing system, not an afterthought. The goal is to make essays easier to read, listen to, navigate, print, and share across different bodies, brains, devices, and energy levels.
Current Accessibility Features
The site currently includes:
- System-aware light and dark mode
- Read-aloud controls on article pages
- Reader speed control for read-aloud
- Sticky article reader toolbar
- Skip-to-content link
- Visible keyboard focus styles
- Reduced-motion support
- Larger tap targets for buttons and links
- Optional plain-language summaries on longer or denser posts
- Optional content notes for difficult material
- Auto-generated article table of contents for longer posts
- Cleaner print/PDF output with the source URL included
Display Options
The site includes simple display controls for readers who need a different reading experience.
You can turn on larger text or high contrast from the display options bar near the top of the page. These preferences are saved in your browser when possible, so you do not have to turn them on every time you visit.
Read-Aloud Support
Article pages include a built-in read-aloud tool with controls for:
- Read aloud
- Pause
- Resume
- Stop
- Reading speed
This uses your browser and device’s built-in speech support. Voices may sound different depending on your phone, computer, browser, and operating system.
The read-aloud tool is meant to reduce the focus burden of long articles. It is not a replacement for full screen readers such as VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS, or TalkBack.
Plain-Language Summaries
Some posts may include an In plain terms section near the top.
These summaries are meant to help readers quickly understand what the article is about before committing energy to the full piece.
Content Notes
Some posts may include a brief content note when they discuss emotionally difficult material.
Content notes are meant to be clear, neutral, and non-graphic. They help readers decide whether they have enough capacity for a piece before reading or listening.
Reduced Motion
The site respects browser or device-level reduced-motion preferences where possible.
If your device is set to reduce motion, the site attempts to minimize unnecessary animation, transition effects, and movement.
Keyboard Navigation
The site includes a skip-to-content link and visible focus styles to support keyboard navigation.
If any interactive element becomes difficult to reach, see, or operate with a keyboard, that should be treated as an accessibility issue.
Reporting Accessibility Issues
If something on the site is difficult to read, navigate, listen to, click, tap, or understand, you can report it through the contact form.
Please include the page URL if possible and describe what happened.
Ongoing Work
Future accessibility improvements may include:
- Optional follow-along scrolling while read-aloud is active
- Voice selection when browser support is reliable enough
- More reader preference controls
- Improved print/PDF formatting
- More consistent content note review across older posts
- More structured reading guides for long series