Accessibility statement for Access, Participation and Success

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 Access, Participation and Success at the Open University | Widening Access and Success at the Open University 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

Content structure

Some page headings skip levels and don’t reflect the document structure.  Others aren’t marked up correctly as headings.  People using screen readers will find it more difficult to navigate and understand the structure of content.  This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) ( Level A) and will be resolved by the end of August 2025.

Keyboard navigation

Some interactive elements like links and buttons don’t have a visible indicator when they receive keyboard focus. This makes it difficult for people using screen readers or keyboard-only navigation to find and access content. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of August 2025.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 5 June 2025.

This statement will be reviewed in June 2026.  

This website was last tested on 5 June 2025 using the Accessibility Compliance Toolkit (ACT) which is an internal toolkit used to identify and check web pages for accessibility by conducting basic accessibility testing. This basic testing covers essential aspects of accessibility, but it doesn’t include all the WCAG 2.2 Level AA Success Criteria. Using the ACT combines manual checks with automated tests across a sample of pages identified as being representative of most or all of the components used on the website. The accessibility testing conducted on this website includes evaluating alternative text, colour contrast, content resizing, content structure, form labels, language of page, link text, keyboard navigation, captions and skip links.  

  • The following accessibility testing methods and tools were used:  
    W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) checks (alternative text, content structure, language of page, keyboard navigation, skip links)  
  • axe DevTools automated checker (colour contrast, form labels, link text)  
  • Manual checks (content resizing, captions).

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).