Accessibility  Accessibility statement for the University of Leeds

These non-compliances apply to the main University of Leeds site – leeds.ac.uk.

• There are multiple pages on the website that contain an illogical heading structure where the first heading on a page is an H2 or H3. This can make it difficult for a screen reader user to navigate around the page. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). This has been investigated but the complexity of a potential solution means the issue remains on our backlog. We don’t believe this is significantly disruptive for users, but we hope to have it addressed before the end of 2025.

• There may be rare instances where images have non-descriptive alt text or be missing alternative test. This can cause confusion for screen reader users or mean they miss information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A). Where this has been found to be an issue with third-party content, we have asked for this to be addressed, subject to the provider’s timelines. For University-owned content, we look to resolve individual instances within four weeks of initial publication.

• There are unlabelled form fields and cases where the form label is not linked correctly to the form element. On the ‘Staff A-Z’ page there is a form field ambiguously labelled ‘Search’. This may make it difficult for some assistive technology users to successfully submit information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA), 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A), 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A). Where this has been found to be an issue with third-party content, we have asked for this to be addressed, subject to the provider’s timelines. For internal pages, this issue is part of our backlog and we hope to have it addressed before the end of 2024.

• The ‘Undergraduate open days’ page contains a form with mandatory form fields denoted by a red asterisk. These mandatory markings are hard to see. Furthermore, there is no explanation of what the asterisk means. This will frustrate a screen reader user. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA) and 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A). This has been found to be an issue with third-party content. We have asked for this to be addressed, subject to the provider’s timelines.

• On the ‘Staff A-Z’ page when a user performs a search, the results are in the form of data table that sometimes has empty data cells. This will make it difficult for screen reader users to understand the content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This issue is part of our backlog and we hope to have it addressed before the end of 2024.

• Some embedded content is in a frame that does not contain a descriptive title. When a screen reader user needs to know the purpose and content of a frame. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). Where this has been found to be an issue with third-party content, we have asked for this to be addressed, subject to the provider’s timelines. For internal pages, we hope to have the issue addressed before the end of 2024.

• Some downloadable documents, such as PDFs, available on the site have issues that will prevent some users some accessing their content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria such as 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A), 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A), 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A), 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A), and 3.1.1 Language of Page (Level A). Some of these PDFs have accessible alternative documents or web pages containing the same content. For University-owned content, we look to resolve instances of non-compliance within four weeks of initial publication.

• There are combinations of colours that fall below the minimum contrast levels that make the text difficult to read. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA). Where this has been found to be an issue with third-party content, we have asked for this to be addressed, subject to the provider’s timelines.

• When increasing the size of the text on the ‘Undergraduate open days’ page, the size of the text within the drop-down boxes does not increase. Small text can be difficult to read for certain people. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text (Level AA). This has been found to be an issue with third-party content. We have asked for this to be addressed, subject to the provider’s timelines.

A digital accessibility audit of the main University site was delivered in July 2022. The site is also regularly scanned by an accessibility monitoring tool and new updates and functionality subject to accessibility testing. Any non-compliances on the main University website will be addressed as soon as possible or as described in this statement.

These non-compliances apply to the following sites and URLs:

• For Students - students.leeds.ac.uk
• Student Education Service - ses.leeds.ac.uk
• For Staff - forstaff.leeds.ac.uk
• HR - hr.leeds.ac.uk
• Wellbeing, Safety and Health - wsh.leeds.ac.uk

All sites in this group are part of the Web Accessibility Project. The project plan is subject to external factors and the dates for when all these sites will be addressed haven’t been determined yet. However, Design System discovery work has completed on the For Students website. The For Staff site is due to be closed on 25 June as it has now been replaced by the SharePoint intranet. Relevant non-compliances will be removed following this.

• Some images and graphical content don’t have a text alternative, so the information in them isn’t available to people using a screen reader. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content (Level A). This issue is present across all the sites in this group except for Wellbeing, Safety and Health.
• Page regions are poorly defined, lists aren’t always marked correctly and sometimes there’s a lack of relevant headings. People who are blind or have low vision may struggle to always understand what the page is communicating. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This affects the For Staff site.
• Navigational order isn’t always clear. This can create difficulty people who rely on assistive technologies that read content aloud. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A). This affects the For Staff and HR sites.
• Autocomplete could be set on some input fields but isn’t. his may reduce ease of use for people with learning disabilities or cognitive or motor impairments. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA). This affects the HR site.
• Colour is used as the sole way of distinguishing links in some cases. This can cause difficulties for people who are colourblind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A). This affects the HR and For Staff sites.
• Text doesn’t always have high enough contrast against its background. People with low vision may have difficulty reading some text. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA). This issue is on the Student Education Service, HR and For Staff sites.
• Buttons and some links don’t have strong enough contrast against their backgrounds. People with low vision may have difficulty perceiving parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (Level AA). This affects the Student Education Service, HR sites.
• Some functionality isn't accessible by keyboard. This may mean the site isn't fully operable by people with no vision and those who rely on keyboard navigation/operation or similar. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A). This affects the Student site in particular where a map embed cannot be used properly via keyboard.
• There is some content that moves automatically that cannot be paused. This can be challenging for neurodivergent people. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (Level A). This affects the and For Staff site.
• There's no way to skip repeated navigation and other repeated parts of a page. This could make it more difficult to reach the main content of a web page for people using screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A). This affects the HR and For Staff sites.
• Page titles aren't always descriptive enough to indicate to people where they are and what is available on the page. This may make the browsing experience difficult for blind people, those with low vision, people with cognitive disabilities and those use voice navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A). This affects the Student Education Service, HR and For Staff sites.
• The navigation order of links isn't always intuitive. This can make the experience confusing for screen reader and screen magnification users, as well as people who otherwise rely on keyboard navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A). This affects the Student Education Service, HR and For Staff sites.
• Link purpose isn't always clear from each link's text. This can be confusing for keyboard and screen reader users as the function or purpose of the link will not be obvious. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A). This affects the For Staff site.
• There might not always be more than one clear route to a page. Not all our sites have sitemaps, for example. People with cognitive impairments or who use assistive technology may find it's harder to get to the information they need. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA). This affects the HR and For Staff sites.
• Page headings and labels for interactive elements aren't always intuitive. This can make things more challenging for screen reader users or those who have cognitive disabilities. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). This affects the Student Education Service and Student sites.
• It's not always completely clear which part of the page has focus. People who rely on keyboard navigation may struggle to move around some parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA). This affects the Student Education Service and For Staff sites.
• Some buttons don’t have sufficient alternative text and labelling. This may cause problems for people using screen readers and speech navigation software. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A). This affects the Student Education Service, HR and For Staff sites.
• Labels and instructions on input fields could better describe what users should do. People who use screen readers or have cognitive or learning disabilities may struggle to always enter the correct information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A). This affects the For Staff site.
• Use of mark-up languages like ARIA, form labels, frame titles and more doesn't always follow correct practice. User of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech navigation software, may find the correct information or operation isn't always clear. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A). This affects the HR and For Staff sites.

These non-compliances apply to the following sites and URLs:

• Arts, Humanities and Cultures - ahc.leeds.ac.uk
• Biological Sciences - biologicalsciences.leeds.ac.uk
• Business School - business.leeds.ac.uk
• Engineering and Physical Sciences - eps.leeds.ac.uk
• Environment - environment.leeds.ac.uk
• Medicine and Health - medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk
• Social Sciences - essl.leeds.ac.uk

All sites in this group are part of the Web Accessibility Project. The project plan is subject to external factors and the dates for when these sites will be addressed haven’t been determined yet. However, work could begin in 2025 following pilot effort elsewhere in the web estate.

• Some images and graphical content don’t have a text alternative. Some information may be lost for people who are blind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• Page regions may be poorly defined, lists aren’t always marked correctly and sometimes there’s a lack of relevant headings. People who are blind or have low vision may struggle to always understand what the page is communicating. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• Navigational order isn’t always clear. This can create difficulty people who rely on assistive technologies that read content aloud. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• Text doesn’t always have high enough contrast against its background. People with low vision may have difficulty reading some text. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA). This affects all sites in this group.
• There's no way to skip repeated navigation and other repeated parts of a page. This could make it more difficult to reach the main content of a web page for people using screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• Page titles aren't always descriptive enough to indicate to people where they are and what is available on the page. This may make the browsing experience difficult for blind people, those with low vision, people with cognitive disabilities and those use voice navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• The navigation order of links isn't always intuitive. This can make the experience confusing for screen reader and screen magnification users, as well as people who otherwise rely on keyboard navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• Link purpose isn't always clear from each link's text. This can be confusing for keyboard and screen reader users as the function or purpose of the link will not be obvious. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• There might not always be more than one clear route to a page. Not all of our sites have sitemaps, for example. People with cognitive impairments or who use assistive technology may find it's harder to get to the information they need. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA). This affects all sites in this group.
• Some buttons don’t have sufficient alternative text and labelling. This may cause problems for people using screen readers and speech navigation software. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.
• Use of mark-up languages like ARIA, form labels, frame titles and more doesn't always follow correct practice. User of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech navigation software, may find the correct information or operation isn't always clear. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A). This affects all sites in this group.

These non-compliances apply to the public-facing IT site, it.leeds.ac.uk. 

The IT site is underpinned by a third-party platform, ServiceNow. This means the University has limited control of some of the features and their compliance. However, we are maintaining a dialogue with the vendor with a view to achieving full compliance in those areas. 

The features that are in the University’s control and aren’t compliant will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.

• The main navigation bar uses code that might mean the sub items don’t work as expected for users of assistive technologies. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.
• The ‘Options’ area of cookie acceptance pop-up has an unusual focus order that might make it confusing to navigate. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.
• Landmark regions aren’t applied correctly around the main navigation area of each page. This can make navigation more difficult for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.
• The homepage features an article carousel with ‘Previous’ and ‘Next’ controls that are not sequential in the focus order. Their sequence is also inconsistent with those in the carousel on the main University site. This is likely to cause confusion for keyboard and assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A) and 3.2.2 Consistent Navigation (Level AA). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.
• The homepage features two H1 headings, which may cause confusion for users of assistive technologies. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.
• Some text in the ‘Quick Links’ area of the homepage doesn’t appear when the text has been resized. This can cause issues for people with visual impairments. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.4 Resize Text (Level AA). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.
• Some forms feature options that cause previous form fields to change unexpectedly and without explanation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.2.2 On Input (Level A). This will be addressed by the University as soon as possible.
• Forms feature the ability to trigger a pop-up that shows additional information. This information features a focus order that doesn’t reflect the order of the content on the page. That may make operation more difficult for some assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A). This will be addressed by the University as soon as possible.
• Although form entry errors are presented to the user, it may not always be clear how best to resolve these issues. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.3 Error Suggestion (Level AA). The University has requested a fix from the platform vendor but cannot provide an estimation for when this will be addressed.
• The form ‘Submit’ button does not respond to text spacing adjustments. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.12 Text Spacing (Level AA). The University has requested a fix from the platform vendor but cannot provide an estimation for when this will be addressed.
• Form field dropdowns trigger on the down event of a pointer interaction, such as a mouse click. It's not possible to undo/abort after the down event, and completing the function on the down event is not essential. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation (Level A). The University has requested a fix from the platform vendor but cannot provide an estimation for when this will be addressed.
• Small parts of the focus indicator around the ‘Add favourite’ button in the header area on may not have strong enough contrast against the background image in some screen sizes. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (Level AA). This will be addressed by the University and a third-party supplier as soon as possible.

These non-compliances apply to the following sites and URLs:

• Great Food at Leeds - gfal.leeds.ac.uk
• Sport and Physical Activity - sport.leeds.ac.uk
• Facilities Directorate - facilitiesdirectorate.leeds.ac.uk

All sites in this group were part of the Web Accessibility Project but were removed from project scope in 2024. As all sites are owned by the University but controlled by third-party suppliers, the University will now address these non-compliances with the suppliers with the expectation that all problems should be resolved by mid 2025.

• Some images and graphical content don’t have a text alternative, so the information in them isn’t available to people using a screen reader. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content (Level A). This affects the Sport and Good Food at Leeds sites.
• Page regions are poorly defined, lists aren’t always marked correctly and sometimes there’s a lack of relevant headings. People who are blind or have low vision may struggle to always understand what the page is communicating. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This affects the Sport, Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Navigational order isn’t always clear. This can create difficulty people who rely on assistive technologies that read content aloud. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A). This affects the Facilities Directorate, Sport and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Autocomplete could be set on some input fields but isn’t. his may reduce ease of use for people with learning disabilities or cognitive or motor impairments. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA). This affects the Sport and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Colour is used as the sole way of distinguishing links in some cases. This can cause difficulties for people who are colourblind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A). This affects the Facilities Directorate and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Text doesn’t always have high enough contrast against its background. People with low vision may have difficulty reading some text. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA). This affects the Sport site.
• Content doesn’t always adjust well to page zoom or smaller screens. Users may find this site isn't always optimised for mobile viewing and those who need to zoom in to view content might not see all the information. suitable This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.10 Reflow (Level AA). This affects the Sport site.
• Buttons and some links don’t have strong enough contrast against their backgrounds. People with low vision may have difficulty perceiving parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (Level AA). This affects the Sport site.
• It’s not possible to dismiss some hover-over content. This may disadvantage users with low vision, users who increase mouse cursor size, and those with motor difficulties. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (Level AA). This affects the Sport site.
• Some functionality isn't accessible by keyboard. This may mean the site isn't fully operable by people with no vision and those who rely on keyboard navigation/operation or similar. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A). This affects the Sport and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• There's no way to skip repeated navigation and other repeated parts of a page. This could make it more difficult to reach the main content of a Web page for people using screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A). This affects the Sprot and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Page titles aren't always descriptive enough to indicate to people where they are and what is available on the page. This may make the browsing experience difficult for blind people, those with low vision, people with cognitive disabilities and those use voice navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A). This affects the Facilities Directorate, Sport and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• The navigation order of links isn't always intuitive. This can make the experience confusing for screen reader and screen magnification users, as well as people who otherwise rely on keyboard navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A). This affects the Great Food at Leeds site.
• Link purpose isn't always clear from each link's text. This can be confusing for keyboard and screen reader users as the function or purpose of the link will not be obvious. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A). This affects the Facilities Directorate and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• There might not always be more than one clear route to a page. Not all our sites have sitemaps, for example. People with cognitive impairments or who use assistive technology may find it's harder to get to the information they need. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA). This affects the Great Food at Leeds and Facilities Directorate sites.
• Page headings and labels for interactive elements aren't always intuitive. This can make things more challenging for screen reader users or those who have cognitive disabilities. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). This affects the Great Food at Leeds site.
• It's not always completely clear which part of the page has focus. People who rely on keyboard navigation may struggle to move around some parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA). This affects the Sport, Facilities Directorate and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Some buttons don’t have sufficient alternative text and labelling. This may cause problems for people using screen readers and speech navigation software. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A). This affects the Sport and Facilities Directorate sites.
• Labels and instructions on input fields could better describe what users should do. People who use screen readers or have cognitive or learning disabilities may struggle to always enter the correct information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A). This affects the Sport, Facilities Directorate and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• Use of mark-up languages like ARIA, form labels, frame titles and more doesn't always follow correct practice. User of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech navigation software, may find the correct information or operation isn't always clear. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A). This affects the Facilities Directorate, Sport and Great Food at Leeds sites.
• There are several links where the link text isn’t descriptive enough. This can make a site harder to navigate for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 Info and Relationships and 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context). This affects the Facilities Directorate site.

These non-compliances apply to the following sites and URLs:

• Accommodation - accommodation.leeds.ac.uk
• Course Finder- courses.leeds.ac.uk
• Library - library.leeds.ac.uk
• Masters scholarships - masters-scholarships.leeds.ac.uk
• PHD - phd.leeds.ac.uk
• Application - application.leeds.ac.uk
• Careers at the University of Leeds - jobs.leeds.ac.uk

All sites in this group apart from the Application and Careers site are part of the Web Accessibility Project. The project plan is subject to external factors and the dates for when these sites will be addressed haven’t been determined yet. However, work could begin in 2025. The Application site is planned to be replaced by a new system that has been subject to accessibility testing during development and is hoped to be live in 2024. Design System discovery work started for the Accommodation site in 2023.

• Some images and graphical content don’t have a text alternative. Some information may be lost for people who are blind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A). This affects the Accommodation, Library and Application sites.
• Page regions may be poorly defined, lists aren’t always marked correctly and sometimes there’s a lack of relevant headings. People who are blind or have low vision may struggle to always understand what the page is communicating. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This affects the Accommodation site.
• Navigational order isn’t always clear. This can create difficulty for people who rely on assistive technologies that read content aloud. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A). This affects the Accommodation and Library sites.
• Text doesn’t always have high enough contrast against its background. People with low vision may have difficulty reading some text or links in some states. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA). This affects the Accommodation and Application sites.
• Page titles aren't always descriptive enough to indicate to people where they are and what is available on the page. This may make the browsing experience difficult for blind people, those with low vision, people with cognitive disabilities and those use voice navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A). This affects the Accommodation, Library and Application sites.
• The navigation order of links isn't always intuitive. This can make the experience confusing for screen reader and screen magnification users, as well as people who otherwise rely on keyboard navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A). This affects the Accommodation and Library sites.
• Link purpose isn't always clear from each link's text. This can be confusing for keyboard and screen reader users as the function or purpose of the link will not be obvious. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A). This affects the Accommodation and Application sites.
• There might not always be more than one clear route to a page. Not all our sites have sitemaps, for example. People with cognitive impairments or who use assistive technology may find it's harder to get to the information they need. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA). This affects the Accommodation site.
• Some buttons don’t have sufficient alternative text and labelling. This may cause problems for people using screen readers and speech navigation software. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A). This affects the Accommodation site.
• Use of mark-up languages like ARIA, form labels, frame titles and more doesn't always follow correct practice. User of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech navigation software, may find the correct information or operation isn't always clear. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A). This affects the Accommodation sites.
• On the Careers site, the job vacancy tables do not contain table headers. This will make it harder for screen reader users to understand the content and navigate to sections correctly. This fails WCAG 2.2 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). A fix has been identified and will require significant development work to address. This issue is part of the third-party supplier’s backlog.
• On the Careers site, candidate brief PDFs contain issues such as having no headings, no document title, no PDF tagging, images without alternative description, and tables without table headers. This fails WCAG 2.2 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A). As vacancies are continually closed and opened, the University will focus on addressing these issues in new PDFs. However, the complexity of internal processes means this will take several months. This issue is expected be resolved by Q1 2025.
• On the Careers site, vacancy pages frequently contain empty headings, incorrect heading structure or use visual styling to achieve the appearance of headings without applying a heading. This fails WCAG 2.2 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). As vacancies are continually closed and opened, the University will focus on addressing these issues in new job listings. This issue is expected to be resolved by Q1 2025.

These non-compliances apply to the following sites and URLs:

• Communications - comms.leeds.ac.uk
• Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence - teachingexcellence.leeds.ac.uk
• Digital Education Service - digitaleducation.leeds.ac.uk
• Equality Policy Unit - equality.leeds.ac.uk
• Organisational Development and Professional Learning - peopledevelopment.leeds.ac.uk
• Sustainability - sustainability.leeds.ac.uk
• Secretariat - secretariat.leeds.ac.uk
• Finance - finance.leeds.ac.uk
• Strategy and Planning - stratplan.leeds.ac.uk

An update of the University-branded WordPress theme was applied to several hundred sites between Q1 and Q3 2023 with the aim to achieve compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA. This solved all code-based issues. However, the release of WCAG 2.2 in October 2023 resulted in some new non-compliances. These code-related non-compliances will be addressed when the WordPress theme is next refreshed.

• Some images and graphical content don’t have a text alternative, so the information in them isn’t available to people using a screen reader. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content (Level A). This affects the Equality and Inclusion Unit, Organisational Development and Professional Learning, Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence, Digital Education Service and Sustainability sites.
• Lists aren’t always marked correctly and sometimes there’s a lack of relevant headings. People who are blind or have low vision may struggle to always understand what the page is communicating. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). This affects the Organisational Development and Professional Learning, Digital Education Service and Sustainability sites.
• Link purpose isn't always clear from each link's text. This can be confusing for keyboard and screen reader users as the function or purpose of the link will not be obvious. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A). This affects the Organisational Development and Professional Learning and Sustainability sites.
• Page headings aren't always intuitive. This can make things more challenging for screen reader users or those who have cognitive disabilities. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). This affects the Organisational Development and Professional Learning site.
• The cookie consent banner fully obscures the keyboard focus indicator on some pages and/or some display sizes. However, this can be remedied by selecting ‘I’m OK with that’ in the cookie consent banner, whether a user has consented to unnecessary cookies or not. Without doing this, however, users who rely on keyboard focus indicators will not always be able to see the item with focus. As such, they may not know how to proceed, or may even think the system has become unresponsive. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (Level AA). This affects the full WordPress estate.
• Some links send people to other University sites that have a different navigation structure but the link might not make it clear this change will happen. Users with cognitive limitations or visual impairments may find their experience is sometimes unpredictable. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (Level AA). This affects the Sustainability and Organisational Development and Professional Learning sites.

University Declaration Portal

All the following non-compliances apply to the University Declaration Portal. All issues are on our backlog with fixes expected to be implemented by Q1 2025.

Users who struggle, or think they may struggle, to use the platform should contact the University Declaration Portal team by email via udp@leeds.ac.uk for assistance.

General use issues

Some icons and images do not have a text-based alternative. Some information may be lost for people who are blind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A).

Screen reader issues

• Screen reader users may not be able to access all headings and labels for input fields and may have to rely on placeholder hint text to identify input fields. This can cause confusion for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A).
• Screen readers aren’t fully compatible with the platform’s date pickers and don’t announce selections and potential selections while users navigate. This may cause problems for people using screen readers and speech navigation software. Users are recommended to type dates into the relevant fields instead of using the date picker. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A), 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A) and 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A).
• Labels and text are announced to screen readers as being buttons when they do not function as a button. This may make the site confusing to operate for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A).

Keyboard control issues

• Keyboard focus order is not always in a consistent, logical and intuitive sequence. This is likely to cause confusion for keyboard and assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A).

• On some screens it is possible to tab to controls that aren’t visible. When tabbing after opening a pop-up or form, users can navigate behind the window without explicitly dismissing it. This is likely to cause confusion for keyboard and assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A).

• Keyboard focus is not consistently visible on all parts of the portal. People who rely on keyboard navigation may struggle to move around some parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA).
   

These non-compliances apply to the following sites and URLs:

• Leeds Child Development Unit (CDU) - leedscdu.org
• Chaplaincy - unichaplaincy.org.uk

As these sites are owned by the University but controlled by third-party suppliers or via a third-party codebase, the University will address these non-compliances with the suppliers with the expectation that all problems should be resolved by mid 2025.

• Some images and graphical content don’t have a text alternative, so the information in them isn’t available to people using a screen reader. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy and Leeds CDU sites.
• Autocomplete could be set on some input fields but isn’t. his may reduce ease of use for people with learning disabilities or cognitive or motor impairments. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA). This affects the Chaplaincy site.
• Colour is used as the sole way of distinguishing links in some cases. This can cause difficulties for people who are colourblind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy and Leeds CDU sites.
• There is some content that moves automatically that cannot be paused. This can be challenging for neurodivergent people. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy site.
• There's no way to skip repeated navigation and other repeated parts of a page. This could make it more difficult to reach the main content of a Web page for people using screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy site.
• Page titles aren't always descriptive enough to indicate to people where they are and what is available on the page. This may make the browsing experience difficult for blind people, those with low vision, people with cognitive disabilities and those use voice navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy and Leeds CDU sites.
• There might not always be more than one clear route to a page. Not all our sites have sitemaps, for example. People with cognitive impairments or who use assistive technology may find it's harder to get to the information they need. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA). This affects the Chaplaincy site. 
• Page headings and labels for interactive elements are't always intuitive. This can make things more challenging for screen reader users or those who have cognitive disabilities. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). This affects the Leeds CDU site.
• It's not always completely clear which part of the page has focus. People who rely on keyboard navigation may struggle to move around some parts of the site. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA). This affects the Chaplaincy site.
• Some buttons don’t have sufficient alternative text and labelling. This may cause problems for people using screen readers and speech navigation software. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy site. 
• Labels and instructions on input fields could better describe what users should do. People who use screen readers or have cognitive or learning disabilities may struggle to always enter the correct information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy and Leeds CDU sites.
• Use of mark-up languages like ARIA, form labels, frame titles and more doesn't always follow correct practice. User of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech navigation software, may find the correct information or operation isn't always clear. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A). This affects the Chaplaincy and Leeds CDU sites.