Accessibility statement for Open Societal Challenges

This accessibility statement applies to the Open Societal Challenges website

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 non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

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

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Keyboard navigation

Some interactive controls (links, buttons, and form fields) do not have a clear visible focus. People using a keyboard will find it difficult to understand where they are on a page. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.7: Focus Visible (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of February 2025 following the website’s redesign.

Some parts of the website are not accessible by keyboard only. People using a keyboard won’t be able to navigate or operate these parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of February 2025 following the website’s redesign.

Link Text

Some link text does not provide enough information about the destination of the link. This makes it difficult for people using a screen reader to know where the link will take them, particularly if they are reading links out of context, (e.g., in a list of links). This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of February 2025 following the website’s redesign.

Content Structure

Some page headings aren't structured in a logical way. People using screen readers will find it more difficult to navigate and understand the structure of content. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of February 2025 following the website’s redesign.

Colour Contrast

Some text does not provide enough contrast with the background, making it more difficult to read for people with low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of February 2025 following the website’s redesign.

Content Resize

Some text becomes unreadable when it is zoomed up to 200% using settings in the browser. People with low vision won’t be able to read this text. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.4 Resize Text (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of February 2025 following the website’s redesign.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 26/07/2024.

The statement was last reviewed on 26/07/2024.

The website was last tested on 26/07/2024.
The test was carried out by the Accessibility and Usability Evaluation (AUE) Team at the Open University. Manual testing against WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines was carried out on a sample of web pages which were selected to represent different website elements and content types.

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).