Accessibility statement for aDecentWeb

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 https://adecentweb.org/.

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, contrast 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).
  • 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 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non accessible content

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Current web technology is not capable of ensuring the accessibility of specialised notations (e.g., mathematics, chemistry, physics, music, phonetics etc.). We are monitoring developments in these areas and will improve our services as the technology matures.

Some online activities cannot be made fully accessible (e.g., categorising an image). Wherever practical, an alternative activity will be provided.

The level of accessibility during live events is limited. We are working closely with third-party suppliers and improving our internal systems to improve accessibility during live events.

The Open University provides links to external websites that may not meet accessibility standards.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 7th August 2025.

This website was last tested on 7th August 2025. The testing approach used SortSite alongside internal tools to assess the website’s accessibility. This included a combination of automated checks and manual reviews across a representative sample of pages that reflect the main components and layouts used throughout the site.

While the testing focused on key aspects of accessibility—such as alternative text, colour contrast, content structure, form labels, page language, link clarity, keyboard navigation, content resizing, skip links, and captions—it should be noted that this level of testing does not cover all WCAG 2.2 Level AA Success Criteria. The aim was to identify common issues and support ongoing improvements rather than provide full conformance certification.

The following accessibility testing methods and tools were used:

  • W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) checks (alternative text, content structure, language of page, keyboard navigation, skip links)
  • SortSite (A web crawler that scans the entire website for quality issues including accessibility, browser compatibility, broken links, legal compliance, search optimization, usability and web standards compliance)
  • Manual checks (content resizing, captions)

Feedback and contact information

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording, or braille:

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.

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