One of the questions I hear most often about accessibility statements is how to explain the issues you already know about.
Known issues are one of the easier parts of an accessibility statement to write. Like with most other things, be direct and honest about them.
Here's an example from a statement I wrote some time ago:
Keyboard navigation: While most of the website is usable with a keyboard alone, some parts are still under development. For example, the text editor controls have no meaningful labels, so screen reader users will not be able to fully use the editor. Instead, we offer a plain text mode that accepts HTML for formatting. We expect to fix this within the next six months.
The format follows a script:
- What the issue is, described in plain language that anyone would understand.
- Who it affects, specifically mentioning the type of user or assistive technology impacted.
- What workaround exists, if any and even if it's clunky.
- When you plan to fix it.
Don't bury this list of known issues. Don't over-explain or go on the defensive. State the problem plainly and avoid long explanations that read like excuses. If you have a lot of similar issues, group them together. And lastly, keep the list current.
Your goal is to give users enough information to decide whether they can use the product or not.