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Accessibility statement for The Open University Homepage

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 Homepage.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use our websites and mobile applications, 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 the 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 on 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. This 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 home page is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Screen reader cannot voice popup options:

Some options in the "Find Courses" search popup are not announced by screen readers as users navigate with the down arrow key. This means people relying on screen readers will not hear the suggestions or select results effectively. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 4.1.2: Name, Role, and Value (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of September 2025.

Popup options labelled as headings:

Search combo box suggestions in the popup are incorrectly labelled as a heading (e.g., H1 tags). This may distort the logical page structure, making navigation confusing for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of September 2025.

Lack of group and count information for options:

Screen readers do not announce the search combo box suggestions group names (e.g., "Recent Searches" or "Popular Searches") or the number of options available in the search popup. This may leave users without essential context about the available options. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 4.1.3: Status Messages (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of September 2025.

Non-descriptive video iframe titles:

Some iframe titles may not indicate that it contains a video, potentially confusing screen reader users who rely on titles for context. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.2: Page Titled (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of September 2025.

Images:

The Homepage Carousel includes images of text instead of real text content. This makes it difficult for people with low vision and people with cognitive difficulties to customise the presentation to ensure that it meets their needs. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of September 2025.

Links:

The Homepage Carousel includes multiple links which go to the same destination but which don't have a unique description. This makes it difficult for people using a screen reader to know where the link will take them, when they read links out of context, (e.g., in a list of links). People using a screen reader won’t understand that differently named links will take them back to the same page. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of September 2025.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 28 October 2024.

This statement was last reviewed on 28 October 2024.

This Open University Home page was last tested on 28 October 2024.

The testing approach taken included manual testing against WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines was carried out on a sample of 10 web pages, which were selected to represent different website elements and content types. In addition, automated testing was conducted across the entire website. Findings from both test approaches were then merged by the Open University Accessibility and Usability Evaluation team. The accessibility of this site is also monitored in real-time using an automated accessibility tool.

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)