Disproportionate Burden
Interactive forms
Our forms are built and hosted through third party software and ‘skinned’ to look like our website. These forms are generally used for event booking, enquiries and prospectus requests. Testing has found that our third party supplier of our online forms system does not meet an area of accessibility.
The benefit of creating more accessible online forms would be a fully accessible version for all users to access.
The third party supplier holds our CRM system which includes forms, data capture and email to all enquirers, applicants and students. To ensure the emailing system is linked to the database we use the third party forms to initially capture this data embedding or linked on the website.
We have never recieved a request for an accessible version of an online form or a complaint that it could not be used.
We have estimated it would take 10 - 12 months to renew our entire email and form system of our staff time to tender, build and reintegrate all our data over to a new system and embed it within the University processes and website. The cost of this would outway the number of members of the public who have requested it to change.
We are working with our third party company to ensure the forms are accessible to all users, and areas that are not within regulations will need to be remedied by them. We will make another assessment when the supplier contract is up for renewal in December 2023.
Interactive controls - buttons, links, accordians
Some elements of our website do not have focusable descendants - these include accordian menus. Our CMS is supplied through a third party company and we have used inhouse modules to build our pages. Testing has found that our third party supplier does not meet an area of accessibility.
The benefit of having
We have used alternative ways of displaying information on the website where possible and requested an update into the third party CMS so that the module can be made compliant with accessibility regulations. We have never received a request or complaint about the usability of these pages.
In order to change our CMS we would need to tender, procure, build and launch a new website. It is estimated that this would take up to 18 months and would cost in the region of £200,000 - £500,000, with consideration giving to the size of the website team within the University. We are working with the third party supplier to ensure our website elements are accessible to the large majority of users, and areas that are not with regulations will be updated. We will make another assessment in December 2023.
CookieBot pop up box
Our cookie banner is supplied through a third party supplier and embedded on our website. USers visiting our website for the first time, or on a new device will be asked to confirm their cookie choices before using our website. Testing has found that our third party supplier of our cookie banner does not meet an area of accessibility.
The benefit of having an accessible cookie compliance banner would be that all users would be able to access the cookies options and the website easily.
The third party supplier supplies the cookie banner to be embedded onto the website. We can amend colour palettes and wording, but cannot edit any technical placement or display. We are legally required to have a cookie banner in place due to data protection regulations.
We have never received a request for an accessible version of the cookie banner or a complaint that it could not be used.
We have changed the colour palette to improve the colour contrast on the buttons when using a keyboard and requested that the focus issue is fixed within our third party supplier. The current cost and timescale it would take to find a new third party supplier currently outweighs the user requests for this to be changed.
We are working with our third party company to ensure the forms are accessible to all users, and areas that are not within regulations will need to be remedied by them. We will make another assessment when the supplier contract is up for renewal in December 2023.
