Accessibility statement

• The focus indicator needs to be higher contrast. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7: Focus Visible and impacts all pages across the website. In 2023, we resolved this issue on our Scottish Book Trust website and will be investigating implementation of the same fix on Reading Schools.

• Our interactive map is not fully accessible for people using keyboard navigation only and / or screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 Keyboard. To combat this issue, there is an option for users to download a machine-readable CSV file which details all the information presented in the map. This is presented above the map itself, meaning screen reader users in particular will encounter this information first.

• Some of the older Microsoft Office and PDF documents on our website are not fully accessible to screen reader software. This fails WCAG success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content. In 2021–22 we created and implemented the use of accessible document templates supported by organisation-wide training. All new Microsoft Office and PDF documents uploaded to our website are created using our accessible templates. 
  Some of our online forms, including the Level Quiz, are not fully accessible to screen reader software and can be confusing to navigate. This fails WCAG success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships. Where possible, we use custom-built HTML web forms. However, in some cases Word document forms and third-party tools such as SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Microsoft forms are used on a case-by-case basis. We have raised all accessibility issues with our current custom-built forms to our development agency and are working to resolve these. We will also apply learning to any new forms created for the website. We will ensure that alternative methods of completing forms remain available while we investigate new solutions and finalise development work.

• Select areas of the website are difficult to navigate using keyboard navigation only and screen reader technology. Areas affected include but are not limited to forms, filters, disabled buttons / sections, and elements of action and evidence plans. This fails WCAG success criteria 2.4.3 Focus Order and 2.4.7 Focus Visible. We have raised individual issues within our accessibility report and are working with our digital agency to fix them.

• Page title tags are not always unique. This makes it difficult for assistive technology users to identify their current location and the topic or purpose of a given webpage, failing WCAG success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled. We are addressing this issue as part of ongoing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) work and will update this statement once page title tags have been updated.

• We are aware that the formatting of links and headings in the website footer requires review. This covers a range of issues from ensuring footer links are distinguished by more than just colour and improving certain link contrast. We are in the process of reviewing the footer and will update this statement once fixes are in place.

No content currently fits within this category. We will update this if necessary when the statement is next reviewed.

Some of our digital versions of print documents are not fully accessible. We provide digital versions of some of our print resources (e.g. posters, badges etc.) for users to download, print and use at home. Some of these documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software as they are designed for physical rather than digital use. For new content, we will clearly signpost when documents are intended for physical use and any limitations for screen reader users. We will always aim to prepare digital versions of print resources in line with digital and print accessibility guidelines.

Our Digital Team carries out testing internally on our websites and apps once a year using the WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines. In addition to a range of manual and automated tests on sample pages, we use Silktide, a quality assurance platform, to monitor our whole website more regularly.

We use the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) as a guide for defining the scope of our internal testing. Our sample of content includes a minimum of one sample page from all main page types to ensure we test the website's full functionality.

The page types selected for the testing sample are:

• Homepage

• Contact us form

• Standard page

• How it works page

• Listing page (resource / article)

• Resource page

• Article page

• Log in

• Sign up

• Dashboard

• Interstitial sign up page

• Action plan

• Evidence plan and adding evidence screens

• Level quiz

• Interactive map

• Application overview

Silktide checks pages against the WCAG 2.2 criteria, including A, AA and AAA conformance targets.

Some examples of automated checks carried out by Silktide include but are not limited to:

• Ensure controls change appearance when they are selected

• Insufficient colour contrast

• Missing alternative descriptions on images

• Form field labels

• Silktide also provides guidance on recommended assisted checks, or manual tests. This is because monitoring platforms like Silktide can only find some accessibility issues, and human review is still necessary.

Therefore, the selected pages were also checked using manual testing to ensure common issues related to automatic check errors were identified. For example:

• Ensure functionality is available to keyboard users

• Check if text should be marked as a heading

• Use of colour for meaning

• Relevant alternative descriptions on images, e.g. correctly defining images as decorative

• Ensure users can pause or hide animated content

The representative sample of pages was also tested using the following screen reader technology across both desktop and mobile devices:

• NDVA and Firefox

• Voiceover and Safari

• TalkBack and Chrome for Android