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StREAM@Leeds Accessibility Statement

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The vendor, Solutionpath Limited, has provided the following accessibility statement.

Version: 1.09
Issued: 28/02/2022

1. Accessibility statement for StREAM@Leeds

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this web application. We have therefore developed an accessible view for the student population. This alternate view is available within the v4.2.1 Release Increment. In the interim, we have also made the website text as simple as possible to understand. Although all text displayed is defined by individual institutions. AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

2. How accessible StREAM@Leeds is

We know some parts of the application aren’t fully accessible:

  • Data representations are dynamic and we can't include information tags
  • Data representations are difficult to see for those that are colour blind
  • Our StREAM pages are difficult to navigate using just a keyboard
  • Users can’t skip to main content when they are using a screen reader

We have therefore developed an Accessible View for the student user. This Student view is available within the v4.2.1 Release Increment.

3. What to do if you can't access parts of StREAM@Leeds

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read etc:

  • email servicedesk@solutionpath.co.uk
  • call 0113 3852694

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.

4. Reporting accessibility problems with StREAM@Leeds

Following your upgrade to the v4.2.1 Release Increment, if you find any problems that aren’t listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: servicedesk@solutionpath.co.uk detailing the nature of the defect/feature.

4.1 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’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

5. Technical information about StREAM@Leeds accessibility

Solutionpath Limited is committed to making its application accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. We have considered accessibility for two communities;

5.1 For the student user

The ‘Accessible Student View’ available in release v4.2.1 is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

5.2 For staff access

For all staff access, there are no current plans to make the staff view compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1AA standard.

The non-accessible sections of the current solution are listed below.

6. Non accessible content (main StREAM@Leeds view)

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

  • Engagement charts are not displayed as alternative text.
  • Resource chart data is displayed in an alternative text, however navigation to the data is not accessible as per point above.
  • Selection of alternative dates is not accessible as the mechanism used is a ‘Calendar’

7. Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations (student accessible view)

This section outlines the inaccessible components of the current version of StREAM (Accessible View) including details on which of the WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria the problem falls on.

7.1 Adaptable

In some cases, there is an inability to access all table data, as a user is not able to easily skip rows/sections or have context for the information they are accessing. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1. (Adaptable) and 2.1 (Keyboard Accessible).

We plan to revise all tables to make navigating them easier, keyboard accessible and have clearer captions, and clearer field descriptions. We will also include Cells reference headers and specify 'no data available/no data to display' when a cell is blank. These revisions will be available in Release v4.5 scheduled for consumption in Spring 2022.

7.2 Navigable

Users are unable to bypass sections of the site which makes navigation slow and does not doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) and 2.4.2 (Headings and Labels).

Headers and landmarks are being added to allow the user to skip through items on the page. We are making page title customisable per view allowing us to be as descriptive as needed and we are making labels and headings customisable allowing us to be as descriptive as needed. These revisions will be available in Release v4.5 scheduled for consumption in Spring 2022.

7.3 Predictable: Links warning

Links to an external site do not display a warning that it will open a new window/tab and does not doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 3.22 (On Input). We are looking into adding in an additional screen reader message informing the user the link will open in a new tab/window. These revisions will be available in Release v4.5 scheduled for consumption in Spring 2022.

8. Disproportionate Burden

Acknowledging that we supply to HEI’s whom have obligations as PUBLIC sector organisations. We subjected our StREAM platform to detailed analysis by a third party (Ability.net) it was determined that to make the application screen reader accessible would require;

  1. A significant recreation of core code and modification of the design as StREAM was designed present complex data in an intuitive way and therefore reliant on graphical representations. To  meet the requirements would take significant time and resource to do so, and
  2. Reduce the functionality of the software (such as removing visualisations).

It was considered to be a ‘disproportionate burden’ to achieve complete application accessibility for StREAM and therefore developing a dedicated accessible student view that ensures content is accessible was the proposed solution. This will be continually assessed as the disproportionate burden now won’t necessarily be a disproportionate burden forever.

9. Current functionality considering Disproportionate Burden

9.1 Navigation and accessing information

There’s no way to skip the repeated content in the page header (for example, a ‘skip to main content’ option). This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.1 (bypass blocks).

It’s not always possible to change the device orientation from horizontal to vertical without making it more difficult to view the content. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.4 (orientation).

It’s not possible for users to change text size without some of the content overlapping. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.4 (resize text).

9.2 Interactive tools and transactions

Some of our interactive forms are difficult to navigate using a keyboard. For example, because some form controls are missing a ‘label’ tag.

Our forms are built and hosted through third party ‘white labelled’ software and modified to look like our website. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (information and relationships).

We’ve assessed the cost of fixing the issues with navigation and accessing information, and with interactive tools and transactions. We believe that doing so now would be a disproportionate burden within the meaning of the accessibility regulations.

10. Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

10.1 PDFs and other documents

Many of our older PDFs and Word documents don’t meet accessibility standards - for example, they may not be structured so they’re accessible to a screen reader. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (name, role value).

Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents.

The accessibility regulations don’t require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services.

10.2 Live video

Live video streams don’t have captions. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.4 (captions - live).

We don’t plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

11. How we tested the StREAM@Leeds application

This application was last tested in February of 2022. The test was carried out by Solutionpath Test Lead who tested our StREAM Accessible Student View.

A copy of the Report may be requested by contacting us on: servicedesk@solutionpath.co.uk

12. What we're doing to improve accessibility

We have released a single page Accessible view of critical information for student users within the V4.2.1 increment and will be releasing an enhanced view to address the issues outlined above in our v4.5 release in Spring 2022 in accordance with our roadmap schedule.

This statement was prepared on 03/09/2020. It was last updated on 28/02/2022.


Related Guides


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