Slide deck from webinar broadcast 28 Nov 2019 Part of our bi-monthly series of updates on how Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations are being implemented by universities and other HE (higher education) institutions. As well as providing regular updates to give the latest news and advice relating to the regulations, on this webinar Richard Walker of the University of York spoke about the journey to compliance at his institution.

1. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Public Sector Bodies Accessibility
Regulations – November 2019 Update
Mark Gaddes, AbilityNet
Abi James, AbilityNet
Richard Walker, University of York
28 November 2019

2. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Welcome
This webinar provides an update on how Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations
are being implemented by universities and other HE (higher education) institutions.
• Live captions available during the webinar – toggle on/off
• Slides, a transcript and recording will be made available
• Please use the Q&A window to ask questions
• Please use the chat window for general conversation
• Feedback form to ask any follow up questions post-webinar

3. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Overview
1. Recent news about the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations
2. How the University of York is meeting accessibility requirements head-on
3. Question and answer session – join the discussion
4. Next steps

4. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
The latest news and information
about the Public Sector Bodies
Accessibility Regulations

5. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Public
facing
Mobile
apps
23 June 2021
Existing
websites &
intranet
content
23 Sept 2020
New & revised
websites.
Some new
intranet content
23 Sept 2019 April 2020
Government
monitoring of
websites &
statements
Timeline

6. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• PDFs:
• minimise use, provide accessible alternatives & use common tools to
improve accessibility
• Multimedia and captions:
• videos are exempt until Sept 2020, plan for future media creation,
consider disproportionate burden
• Working with suppliers:
• ask questions, evaluate accessibility “cost”
Current challenges

7. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Poll 1
Who is leading on compliance
preparations to meet the accessibility
regulations within your institution?

8. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
How the University of York is meeting
the new digital accessibility regulations

9. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Building on our institutional
commitment to inclusive learning
• Cross-services working group set up in November 2018
• drawing on representation from e-learning, IT, Open Door & Disability, Equality
& Diversity, Marketing (Web), academic and student representation;
• specific responsibility for review of digital learning, teaching and assessment
content provision in relation to new accessibility regulations;
• briefing Published Information Compliance Group
• reporting to Inclusivity Strategy Group, which oversees the Inclusive Learning,
Teaching and Assessment Project

10. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Building on our institutional
commitment to inclusive learning
Building on our
institutional
commitment to
inclusive learning

11. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Building an evidence base to
inform the changes we make
• Review of institutional web services and websites:
• Drawing on findings of Jisc snapshot review service (Spring Term 2019)
• Format review of learning, teaching & assessment content:
• Phase 1 internship programme: format review of teaching content across
VLE platforms (Jan – April 2019)
• Delivery of departmental reports on VLE site design and content
provision (May 2019)

12. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Reporting our findings to
teaching departments
Reporting our
findings to
teaching
departments

13. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
VLE Accessibility Review Guide
https://tinyurl.com/VLE-Accessibility-Review-Guide

14. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Poll 2
How are you communicating your
accessibility provision to end-users?

15. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Raising awareness of the
regulations across the institution:
spring & summer terms 2019
• Multiple communication channels and dissemination methods:
• Accessibility briefings to key stakeholders (professional services, programme
leaders, teaching departments)
• Central & bespoke training workshops: creating accessible documents /
interactive VLE sites
• Establishment of accessibility statements for key e-learning platforms (e.g.
VLE, lecture recording system)
• Launch of staff digital skills for working practices framework
• Reinforcement of existing TEL Handbook guidance on accessibility

16. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Project Wiki site
Project
wiki site

17. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Taking practical steps to meet the
regulations (June – September 2019)
• Structured support to teaching departments through:
• Phase 2 internship programme:
• embedded support for training / at-desk support / VLE site redesign
• developing sustainable templates for key content
• Guidance on rollover of sites; third-party content & systems
• Funding for departmental buy-outs for accessibility fixes / alt. resources
• Guidance on accessibility statements (provision & support)
• Special interest groups briefings (e.g. on maths notation)

18. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Encouraging sustainable changes in practice
• Phase 3 support (September 2019 - ):
• Funding for departmental projects, dedicated
software and embedded support
• Bespoke training and support for departmental
accessibility champions
• Blackboard Ally piloting, rollout and evaluation
• Soft launch of institutional accessibility tutorial

19. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Baseline digital accessibility
tutorial – part 1
E-accessibility baseline
• What is changing and
why.
• What does an accessible
resource look like.
• How it benefits everyone.
• What you can do about it (take
some or all of the tutorials that
follow).
• What the University is doing about
it.
• Who to contact if you have
questions.

20. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Baseline digital accessibility
tutorial – part 2
Creating accessible
resources - the
basics
Work in progress tutorial
• Use styles in Word
• Use ALT text for images
in all documents you
create
• Use appropriate font
size
• Use meaningful
hyperlinks, not ‘click
here’
• Use slide masters in
PPT
Inclusive teaching
and learning
practices
• Emily Brunsden 5
tips for inclusive
lectures
• Mark Egan inclusive
teaching principles
Examples from other
tutors to be collected.
Empowering
learners
• Ways for learners to
help themselves -
outline of principles
with some examples
• Collect vidoes of
students and staff
talking about what their
favourite tools are and
why.
Leading accessible
practice in your
department
• Action plan - what
needs to be done?
• Scenarios

21. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Challenges ahead: pragmatism and prioritisation
• Rollout of accessible content-authoring tools (Xerte)
• Dedicated software for maths / scientific notation: graphs,
figures and equations
• Video captioning solution
• Managing third-party content and procurement processes

22. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Further information
Blog post on what we're
doing at York
AbilityNet case study
on our preparations
VLE Accessibility Review Guide
(creative commons licensed)

23. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Poll 3
What are the biggest challenge(s) you
are facing at your institution in relation
to the accessibility regulations?

24. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Q&A
Please use the Q&A window, not the chat window
The feedback form we will send you after the event includes a question about
what further training you would like us to deliver
Slides, transcripts and a recording of this webinar will be made available

25. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Question 1
Shouldn't we be aiming for ‘actually accessible’
rather than checkbox compliance?

26. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Question 2
Are these laws EU or UK?
Will they change with Brexit?

27. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Question 3
How much money should we be committing to
this and where should it be coming from?

28. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Question 4
Do any HE institutions have a process for quality
checking the accessibility of the content academics are
providing? Whose responsibility is it?

29. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
• @Mark
Questions from attendees

30. Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations – November 2019 Update
Next steps
• Our free webinar series for HE professionals will return next year
• Digital Accessibility advice for higher and further education -
https://abilitynet.org.uk/digital-accessibility-he-and-fe
• Connect with Richard Walker - https://twitter.com/RichardM_Walker
• Contact AbilityNet – enquiries@abilitynet.org.uk or call 0800 269 545