Accessibility statement for The Open University in Wales website

The Open University is committed to making its websites and mobile applications accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This accessibility statement applies to The Open University in Wales (OU in Wales) website: https://www5.open.ac.uk/wales/en and https://www5.open.ac.uk/wales/cy

We want as many people as possible to be able to use our websites and mobile apps, and accessibility is an essential part of our mission. On our Accessibility hub, you'll find everything you need to answer any questions you have about accessibility, whether you're a student or a member of staff.

To adapt the content to your needs or preferences you should be able to:

• Change colours, contrasts levels and fonts.
• Resize text up to 200% without impact on the functionality of the website.
• Zoom in up to 400% without loss of information or functionality. 
• Navigate the website using just a keyboard.
  • tab to ‘Skip to content’ links at the top of the page to jump over repetitive information to the main content.
  • tab through the content; the current location will be indicated by a clear visual change.
  • control the embedded media player to play audio and video materials.
• Use a screen reader (e.g. JAWs, NVDA) to:
  • listen to the content of web pages and use any functionality on the page.
  • list the headings and subheadings in the page and then jump to their location on the page.
  • bring up a list of meaningful links on the page.
• Use transcripts or closed captions with most audio and video materials.
• Download learning materials in alternative formats (e.g. Word document, PDF, ePub, Kindle eBook).
• If you have a print disability we provide SensusAccess to students, which is an automated service that converts files from one format to another, for example, PDF to text, audio, Word or Braille.
• AbilityNet also provides advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reason(s):

(a) Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Alernative text

Some images on pages do not have alterative text. Alternative text, also known as alt text, is an essential aspect of accessible design that provides a description of images, graphs, objects, etc. for those who use screen readers or when images cannot be loaded due to browser or data restrictions.

Screen readers use the alternative text to describe images out loud (and other non-text content), enabling users to audibly understand the purpose and meaning of the described content if they can’t see it.

Users who depend on alternative text include

• People who are blind and rely on screen readers need to understand alternative image descriptions.
• People who choose not to download images or when images cannot be loaded due to browser or data restrictions.

This fails WCAG 2.2 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of September 2024.

Headings

A logical heading structure with descriptive headings helps everyone to read and understand the content on a web page. Some elements of the website begin with a ‘H2’ level heading when they should logically begin with a ‘H1’ heading. An example of this is ‘Keep in touch’ heading on the home page.

This fails WCAG 2.2 2.4.10 2.4.10 (Level AAA) and will be resolved by the end of September 2024.

(c) The content is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

Links containing discernable text

News items in the news section of the website (https://www5.open.ac.uk/wales/en/news) contain a feed of the OU in Wales’ X (formerly Twitter) feed. The i icon in the tweets does not contain discernible text, ie for Information.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 21 August 2024.

This statement was last reviewed on 21 August 2024.

This website was last tested in August 2024. This was a self-assessment done by the OU in Wales communications team. Sample pages were chosen from the site so that a cross-section of content was tested. The team followed guidance on W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, using plugins from the site to test accessibility elements. The team also used the Deque Axe browser extension.  

Feedback and contact information

If you find that a certain section of our website is not accessible and you can’t get access to the information that you need please use the Open University Accessibility Feedback Form to request support and we will ensure that you are provided with the information you require. You will need to provide your contact details and Personal Identifier if you are a student so we can get back to you. You should expect to hear back from us within 5 working days. 

The OU is very experienced in meeting accessibility needs for our students. In many cases we are able to provide module and other study support materials in alternative formats for students who indicate a need for this when completing a Disability Support Form.

In addition, some module materials are available in different formats and can be downloaded from module websites. Students can contact their Student Support Team for advice.

If you are a student, or someone who has had contact with the University before, and have a complaint about the accessibility of our websites, you should raise a complaint via the complaints and appeals process. 

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

If you are based in the UK, and you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).