Accessibility statement

Accessibility statement for The Open University’s Virtual Open Days 

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 Open University’s Virtual Open Days which are hosted on Swoogo, a third-party events platform. 

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 reasons: 

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations 
 

Inconsistent tab focus across all pages 
       The focus box that appears when a user accesses this content using a keyboard only, has an inconsistent visual style. This fails WCAG 2.2             Success Criterion  2.4.7: Focus Visible (Level AA), 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (Level AA) and WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.11: Non-           text Contrast (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

Inconsistent button styles across all pages 
       There are multiple button styles. There is no consistency, which can cause confusion. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion  3.2.3: Consistent         Navigation (Level AA) , WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 3.2.4: Consistent Identification (Level AA) and WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contrast             Minimum (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  


Some links are styled as buttons across all pages 
       Some links are styled as buttons, which can cause confusion. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion  3.2.3: Consistent Navigation (Level                     AA) and WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 3.2.4: Consistent Identification (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

Accordion has no clear indication that it is an accordion that can be opened 
       This accordion is not visibly marked as an accordion, unless you are a keyboard user. When tabbing down the page, the focus does land on         a downward pointing arrow/chevron, but it only appears when it is focused on. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info and                             Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

On reflow, some elements become carousels that are poorly implemented. 
       Some elements (embedded interactive widgets) become poorly implemented carousels on reflow, with colour contrast, size, and                           navigation issues. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.10: Reflow (Level AA), WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contrast Minimum (Level             AA) and WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.11: Non-text Contrast (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

Keyboard tabbing is out of order on some components. 
       The semantic order of keyboard only tab access is in reverse order on the 'Popular Courses' component, and random order on the 'How to             Apply' carousel and Degree, Certificate and Diploma accordion. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.2: Meaningful Sequence (Level                   A), WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships (Level A) and WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.3: Focus Order (Level A) and will be             resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

Degree, Certificate and Diploma accordion elements are incorrectly implemented 
       The active/clickable elements within the Honors Degree accordion are inconsistent, they are not clearly marked as interactive, and when             they are interacted with the pop-up information card occasionally is blacked out and unreadable. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion                 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). This will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

Degree, Certificate and Diploma accordion elements are inaccessible for screen readers 
       The pop-up information boxes that appear when the 'Save £xxxx' and '*' buttons are activated are inaccessible for screen readers. This fails         WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

Date of birth input has no validation 
       A date of birth can be manually typed into the form, however, there are no instructions on which format should be used, and there is no                 validation enabled to catch date format errors, and it is not reflected in the calendar. If a user types an incorrect format they are not given           an error warning, so they may simply continue on to the next section unaware that the date has not been accurately recorded. This fails               3.3.1 Error Identification (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  
 

‘Ask a question’ frame is untitled 
       The frame for the ‘Ask a question’ widget does not have an accessible title for screen reader users. Screen reader users simply encounter             the first button, which is their own registered name, and then move into the question box itself. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info         and Relationships (Level A) ans . This will be resolved by the end of April 2026.  

Preparation of this accessibility statement 

This statement was prepared on 08 July 2025.  

This statement was last reviewed on  29th August 2025..  

This website was last tested on 16 June 2025. 
 

An accessibility audit was carried out by the Accessibility and Usability Evaluation Team at the Open University. The testing approach taken was manual testing against WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines carried out on a copy of the live site, where all elements could be assessed for accessibility. This included the registration pages, and the final landing page. Testing was conducted across multiple browsers and the Ttools used include: VoiceOver Screen Reader on Mac, JAWS Screen Reader on Windows, NVDA Screen Reader on Windows, Narrator Screen Reader on Windows, Keyboard, Axe DevTools Automated Checker, Wave Automated Checker, a11yTools Automated Checker, Colour Contrast Analyser, High Contrast Mode on Windows, High Contrast Mode on Windows, Voice Control on Mac, Speech Recognition on Windows, Speech Recognition on Windows, Zoom on Mac, Magnifier on Windows, Magnifier on Windows. Tested across multiple browsers. 
 

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).