Accessibility Statement for MyShowcase

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 MyShowcase 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).
• 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(s):

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Colour contrast

Some webpage text, and some text within links and buttons, does not provide enough contrast with the background, making it more difficult to read. This is specifically within the Tasks area. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contract (Minimum) (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of June 2025.

Navigating with the keyboard

Some interactive elements on the page such as links and buttons do not have a clear outline to show when they are in focus. This means that someone who is using the keyboard tab key to access these elements cannot be clear when a link or other element is in focus and can be activated. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.7: Focus Visible (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of June 2025.

Notifications

Some of the email notifications sent out are currently incompatible with screen reader usage. Specifically, it isn’t clear what the purpose of links in the email notifications are and where it will take a user to. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of June 2025.

The content is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018.

Third party content not within OU control

Third party content that is not funded, developed by, or under the control of the OU.

Archived websites

Websites and mobile applications that only contain content that is not needed for active administration purposes and is not updated or edited after 23rd September 2019.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 17 September 2021.

This statement was last reviewed on 20 August 2024.

This website was last tested on 6 September 2021.

The tests were carried out by Open University staff from the Accessibility and Usability Evaluation team. Sample pages from the website were chosen to be representative of different types of content and layout and included the most commonly used aspects of the system.

Testing for WCAG 2.2 AA compliance was undertaken by a combination of manual and automated methods. In addition, seven important user tasks were identified, and these were tested using three accessibility scenarios (keyboard-only user, screen reader user, user enlarging content by 200%) to identify barriers.

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).