This guide will go through the Accessibility Regulations 2018 policy and the procedure to comply with it's legal requirements.
In September 2018, the UK passed new regulations to ensure digital assets in the public sector meet high standards of accessibility. This is called the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
This means we need to make our content and services clear and easy to use and understand. People should be able to use them without the need for adaptive technologies where possible - and they should work with those technologies when they are required/preferred by our users.
It is now a legal requirement that our digital content is accessible by the following dates:
- 23 September 2019 – new content on internal sites, including intranets (being those published on or after 23 September 2018)
- 23 September 2019 – new public sector body websites and content (being those published on or after 23 September 2018)
- 23 September 2020 – existing public sector body websites (those published before 23 September 2018)
- 23 June 2021 – public sector body mobile apps
Failure to meet these officially mandated timeframes could result in severe penalties for the University.
Please see the following guidance on how you can make your content accessible.
General guidance
- Creating accessible documents and presentations
- Accessible text, images, audio and video
- Top tips for optimum inclusivity
Accessibility checkers
- Assistive technology
- Discovering the accessible features of your device
- Assistive technologies in Windows 10
Website content
- Common web accessibility issues for a user with a visual impairment
- How we can make our website as accessible as possible
- How to write the perfect alt text
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
- Our responsibilities – accessibility regulations
- Making recordings more inclusive
- Planning and delivering accessible Blackboard Ultra sessions
- Course overview – overall accessibility score
- What are the common accessibility issues Ally identifies?
- Helpful online resources
- What is the Microsoft Accessibility Checker and how can it help me?
- Digital Practice Handbook - inclusivity
Accessibility Builder
- Web site for creating a link to an accessibility report
https://accessibility-builder-2.derby.ac.uk/