Digital accessibility awareness improving
23 July 2024
Awareness of good practices to ensure digital content is accessible to all users has improved among colleagues, according to a recent survey.
A digital accessibility survey run in May this year was completed by almost 500 colleagues, and found that 87% of colleagues are now familiar with the concept of digital accessibility, compared with 75% in an equivalent survey run in 2022.
It also showed that nearly half (41%) of colleagues had completed some form of digital accessibility training at work, up from 37%.
This improved awareness and activity is hugely encouraging and we thank colleagues for taking the time to engage with this topic.
As an institution we have made positive progress in this area in recent years. As well as updating our Digital Accessibility Policy, a programme of audits and improvements to our online content using new accessibility measuring software has significantly improved the accessibility score of the main University website. Mandatory training for web editors has also been introduced, with around 250 colleagues completing this.
Support available
The survey highlighted that some colleagues were unsure about where to find guidance and advice on creating accessible content.
A range of resources are available to support you with this, including:
- Digital Accessibility webpages, which were created last year to help staff with creating different types of content.
- Training, including UoRLearn sessions on Digital Accessibility Awareness For All, Accessibility Awareness for Social Media, What Is Alternative Text? and Creating Accessible Online Content.
- Digital accessibility campaign content, which includes interactive articles, useful tips and webinars to watch again.
Colleagues can also get in touch with Dr Tharindu Liyanagunawardena, the University’s Digital Accessibility Officer, with any questions or to discuss bespoke training opportunities for their teams.