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Responding to the digital accessibility regulations
Chair: Alistair McNaught, subject specialist (accessibility and inclusion), Jisc Speakers: Abi James, senior accessibility and usability consultant, Ability Net Anthony Ilona, policy engagement manager, Government Digital Service, Cabinet Office Julia Taylor, subject specialist (accessibility and inclusion), Jisc FE and HE providers are subject to new regulation in respect of their websites, intranets and digital platforms. The legislation clarifies the entitlements of disabled students, puts new obligations on providers and is subject to auditing. This session with input from Jisc, AbilityNet and the Government Digital Service (GDS) will provide: A brief introduction to the key points of the legislation An overview of the potential benefits for organisations in terms of improved service join up, quality assurance and digital competency agendas An overview of how to create and test accessible platforms A summary of how GDS are working with the sector to ensure guidance is contextualised, avoiding unintended consequences
Responding to the digital accessibility regulations
- 1. Responding to thedigital accessibility regulations Julia Taylor, Alistair McNaught, Abi James, Antony Ilona
- 2. Julia Taylor, subjectspecialist, Jisc Responding to the digital accessibility regulations
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- 4. Timeline New websites compliantby 23 September 2019 Existing websites compliant by 23 September 2020 Mobile apps compliant by 23 June 2021
- 5. The new legislation- five things to know 5 1. In place Sept 2018 - increased risks - compliance, discrimination claim, reputational damage 2. If your websites don’t meet the ‘accessibility standards’ you are in breach of the regulations 3. Exemptions – particular organisations and particular content 4. Disproportionate burden – cost benefit analysis 5. Monitoring and enforcement
- 6. An opportunity forquality improvement 6 Potential benefits for organisations • Improve student experience • Retention and achievement and satisfaction • Business development and expansion • Innovative teaching practice • Social contracts and community engagement • Good practice, inspection and funding • Accountability, cost and efficiency • Maximise ROI
- 7. Jisc Support Visit ourpage Jisc.ac.uk/accessibility Join the Digital Accessibility Regulations mailing list http://tiny.cc/DigRegMail 7
- 8. Abi James, AbilityNetand University of Southampton Responding to the digital accessibility regulations
- 9. Accessibility is ajourney, not necessarily a destination 9 © Copyright C Michael Hogan and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence Embedding accessibility: •Requires policies, processes and quality assurance •Has design, content, procurement and technical requirements •Will involve staff from across the organisation
- 10. Digital Accessibility doesnot stand alone 10 •Over 13 million people in the UK have a disability •12% of students declare a disability (HESA) •18% of students are regularly using assistive technology (JISC digital tracker) •20% of students are from another country with potential language and cultural barriers to learning Equality Act Widening Participation Inclusive Teaching and Learning
- 11. •European standard “EN301 549” •Aligned to WCAG 2.1 level AA Covers •Web •Non-web documents •Non-web software and apps WCAG 2.1 is the new web accessibility guidelines published 2018 •51 success criteria What are the relevant accessibility standards? 11 Perceivable • Content is presented in ways that can be accessed by all Operable • Content is presented in ways that can be operated by all Understandable • Content is presented in ways that can be understood by all Robust • Content is reliable and compatible with assistive technology and standards
- 12. What digital toolsdoes the regulations cover? 12 •Websites •Documents hosted on websites •Videos and multimedia content •Intranets and extranets VLEs •Libraries •Student portals •Staff systems •Apps •Purchased 3rd party content and tools
- 13. Common issues 13 • Incorrect/ lack of heading structure websites, documents • Insufficient colour contrast or use of colour for meaning websites, documents, apps • Missing alternative descriptions on images websites, documents, apps • Lack of keyboard only access and missing focus indicator websites, apps • Form field error messages websites, apps • No captions, transcripts or audio descriptions on videos
- 14. Accessibility is addressedat different stages of a project 14 Design Colours and focus indicator Icons & layout Templates Development Forms Keyboard access Responsive design Content Images Multimedia Language
- 15. 15 Design Development Content Purchasenew platform Buy in content Create new VLE template Accessibility is addressed at different stages of a project
- 16. What if Ican’t meet accessibility standards? 16 Disproportionate burden e.g. captioning lecture recordings •Must perform an initial assessment of the extent to which compliance with the accessibility requirement imposes a disproportionate burden •Size and resources of organisation •Costs and benefits to people with disabilities, taking into account use of app website / document “You can’t take into account irrelevant things like lack of time or knowledge, or because you haven’t given it priority.” Gov.uk •Must state the components that do not comply with standards in the accessibility statement •Where possible provide accessible alternatives Disproportionate burden ==== reasonable adjustments
- 17. Accessibility statements andprocesses 17 Must publish statements for websites and apps •State which components do not meet accessibility standards and why •How people with access needs can get alternatives •How to report accessibility problems •Doesn’t need to be technical language – an opportunity to promote what works •Likely each different technical platform will need a separate statement •Should be easy to find and understand
- 18. Quick Accessibility Checks- W3C Easy Checks 18 •Automatic Checkers e.g. WAVE •aXe (for developers) •MS Office Accessibility Checker Manual checks •Keyboard navigation •Reflow / resize / zoom
- 19. Antony Ilona, policyengagement manager, GDS Responding to the digital accessibility regulations
- 20. What have we beenworking on?
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- 28. GDS A blog postexplaining how we’ll ensure compliance through monitoring and enforcement
- 29. GDS Scoping the GDSmonitoring team
- 30. GDS A model accessibilitystatement
- 31. GDS We’re iterating theguidance the better meet your needs
- 32. GDS Let us knowwhat you think of the guidance: accessibility@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk
- 33. Contact Details 33 Any questions? AbiJames AbilityNet & University of Southampton abi.james@abilitynet.org.uk Julia Taylor Jisc Subject specialist, Inclusion Julia.taylor@jisc.ac.uk Tony Ilona Policy engagement manager GDS anthony.ilona@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk
- 34. customerservices@jisc.ac.uk jisc.ac.uk Thank you Alistair McNaught subjectspecialist – accessibility, Jisc Alistair.mcnaught@jisc.ac.uk Julia Taylor subject specialist, Jisc Julia.taylor@jisc.ac.uk Abi James AbilityNet and University of Southampton abi.james@abilitynet.org.uk Antony Ilona Policy engagement manager, GDS anthony.ilona@digital.cabinet- office.gov.uk
Editor's Notes
- #4 According to the regulations, accessibility refers to a set of principles to follow when delivering online services and information to make sure people can use them, especially people with disabilities. These principles help ensure that people with a range of capability - across vision, hearing, mobility and cognition - don’t face barriers that prevent them from using websites and mobile apps. We will hear more about the specific requirements from our expert speakers – Abi James from AbilityNet and Tony Ilona from Cabinet Office Gov Digital Service. These regulations are an implementation of an EU Directive of 2016 and called…The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations They refer specifically to websites and mobile apps and came into force on the 23rd September last year. So not new!
- #5 There are some deadlines to note... New websites compliant by 23 September 2019 Existing websites compliant by 23 September 2020 Mobile apps compliant by 23 June 2021 The enforcement bodies are: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) Minister for the Cabinet Office GDS will be the monitoring body that checks a sample of websites and apps. We will be hearing from Tony Ilona from GDS later
- #6 What you need to know The web accessibility effects public sector website and that includes most HE and FE, a context in which web-based content will be very varied and very inter-active and central to successful outcomes for students. The potential impact is huge! Public sector bodies will need to: Evaluate the accessibility of their websites and apps against the standard Fix issues Unless disproportionate burden Unless content is exempt Publish an accessibility statement The new legislation - 5 things to know In place Sept 2018 – this means increased risks - compliance, discrimination claim, reputational damage - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/952/made If your websites don’t meet the ‘accessibility standards’ you are in breach of the regulations. Exemptions – particular organisations & particular content Disproportionate burden – cost benefit analysis Monitoring and enforcement
- #7 Jisc is encouraging members to see this as an opportunity for quality improvement. To focus on the potential benefits… Improve student experience Retention and achievement and satisfaction Business Development and expansion Innovative teaching practice Social contracts and community engagement Good practice, inspection and funding Accountability, cost and efficiency Maximise ROI
- #8 Jisc has been working with policy connect and GDS and our members to help to ensure the needs of the education sector are represented and that the impact is as positive as it could be on the student experience. Visit our page Jisc.ac.uk/accessibility find out what Jisc is doing and can do for you and how you can get involved: Join the Digital Accessibility Regulations mailing list: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=DIGITALACCESSIBILITYREGULATIONS Join the JiscMail for those interested in the new digital accessibility regulations and what they mean for online and blended learning. It is a space to ask questions, and share information, ideas and examples of good practice DWAG Working group established. Abi James our next speaker is a founder member and we will hear from her on her approach to embedding technical accessibility
- #9 Responding to the digital accessibility regulations Abi James, AbilityNet & University of Southampton
- #10 Accessibility is a journey, not necessarily a destination Embedding accessibility: Requires policies, processes and quality assurance Has design, content, procurement and technical requirements Will involve staff from across the organisation
- #11 Digital accessibility does not stand alone Over 13 million people in the UK have a disability 12% of students declare a disability (HESA) 18% of students are regularly using assistive technology (JISC digital tracker) 20% of students are from another country with potential language and cultural barriers to learning. Equality Act, inclusive Teaching and learning and widening participation overlap
- #12 What are the relevant accessibility standards? European standard “EN 301 549” Aligned to WCAG 2.1 level AA Covers Web Non-web documents Non-web software and apps WCAG 2.1 is the new web accessibility guidelines published 2018 51 success criteria Perceivable-Content is presented in ways that can be accessed by all Operable- Content is presented in ways that can be operated by all Understandable- Content is presented in ways that can be understood by all Robust - Content is reliable and compatible with assistive technology and standards
- #13 What digital tools does the regulations cover? Websites Documents hosted on websites Videos & multimedia content Intranets and extranets VLEs Libraries Student portals Staff systems Apps Purchased 3rd party content and tools
- #14 Common Issues Incorrect / lack of heading structure websites, documents Insufficient colour contrast or use of colour for meaning websites, documents, apps Missing alternative descriptions on images websites, documents, apps Lack of keyboard only access & missing focus indicator websites, apps Form field error messages websites, apps No captions, transcripts or audio descriptions on videos
- #15 Accessibility is addressed at different stages of a project Design colours & focus indicator Icons & layout Templates Development Forms Keyboard access Responsive design Content Images Multimedia Language
- #16 Accessibility is addressed at different stages of a project Purchase new platform – Across all stages Buy in content – back through the stages Create new VLE template – Beginning with Design phase
- #17 What if I can’t meet accessibility standards? Disproportionate burden e.g. captioning lecture recordings Must perform an initial assessment of the extent to which compliance with the accessibility requirement imposes a disproportionate burden Size and resources of organisation Costs and benefits to people with disabilities, taking into account use of app / website / document “You can’t take into account irrelevant things like lack of time or knowledge, or because you haven’t given it priority.” Gov.uk Must state the components that do not comply with standards in the accessibility statement Where possible provide accessible alternatives Disproportionate burden ==== reasonable adjustments Note: Regulation 5 does not require a public sector body to apply the accessibility requirement if doing so would impose a disproportionate burden on the public sector body. (2) A public sector body must perform an initial assessment of the extent to which compliance with the accessibility requirement imposes a disproportionate burden. (3) In undertaking a disproportionate burden assessment, the public body concerned must take account of relevant circumstances, including— (a) the size, resources and nature of the public sector body concerned; and (b) the estimated costs and benefits for the public sector body concerned in relation to the estimated benefits for persons with disabilities, taking into account the frequency and duration of use of the specific website or mobile application. (4) If, following a disproportionate burden assessment, a public sector body determines that compliance with the accessibility requirement would impose a disproportionate burden, it must— (a) explain in its accessibility statement the parts of the accessibility requirement that could not be complied with; and (b) where appropriate, provide accessible alternatives to documents held by that public sector body that are not available on their website or mobile application.
- #18 Accessibility Statements & processes Must publish statements for websites and apps State which components do not meet accessibility standards and why How people with access needs can get alternatives How to report accessibility problems Doesn’t need to be technical language – an opportunity to promote what works Likely each different technical platform will need a separate statement Should be easy to find and understand
- #19 Quick accessibility checks W3C Easy ChecksAutomatic Checkers e.g. WAVE aXe (for developers) MS Office Accessibility Checker Manual checks keyboard navigation reflow / resize / zoom
- #21 So what have we been working on?
- #22 We’ve been working with the content designers in the Service Manual Team to create guidance to help people understand the regulations and how to meet them. Here’s a image of our core guidance that can be found on GOV.UK. This has already undergon Screen grab. Gov.uk webpage: Make your public sector website or app accessiblee a number of iterations based on user research and feedback
- #23 We have also updated guidance on GOV.UK on how to create and test accessible documents - such as PDFs Publishing accessible documents Screen grab. Gov.uk webpage: How to choose an accessible format and make non[HTML documents meet accessibility standards.
- #24 And have updated a simple guide to help people understand what the latest version of WCAG is and what it requires people to do Screen grab. Gov.uk webpage: Understanding WCAG 2.1
- #25 We’ve also improved guidance on how to test for accessibility - including how to get an accessibility audit Screen grab. Gov.uk webpage: Testing for accessibility
- #26 We’ve been working hard to promote the new regulations across the public sector - including meeting lots of stakeholders and running workshops. We’ve published a series of blog posts including this one... Screen grab. Gov.uk Blog: Government Digital Service. How we’re helping public sector websites to meet accessibility requirements
- #27 And this one on accessibility statements Screen grab. Gov.uk Blog: Government Digital Service: Public sector website accessibility statements – what you need to know
- #28 A quick word on what’s coming next?
- #29 We have a blog post on how we’ll ensure compliance with the regulations...through monitoring and enforcement
- #30 Scoping the GDS monitoring team We’ve been developing an understanding of what the monitoring .team will need to do, it’s size and shape
- #31 A model accessibility statement We’ve also been working on a template which public sector bodies will need to use when creating their accessibility statements
- #32 We’re also helping public sector bodies as much as we can by developing guidance even further
- #33 ...And on that note, we’d love to hear you feedback on our guidance to help us make it as useful as possible. Thank you! Let us know what you think of the guidance: accessibility@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk
- #34 Any questions? Abi James AbilityNet & University of Southampton abi.james@abilitynet.org.uk Julia Taylor Jisc Subject specialist, Inclusion Julia.taylor@jisc.ac.uk Tony Ilona Policy engagement manager GDS anthony.ilona@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk