Accessibility

Using this website

This website is run by Link Maker Systems. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • navigate most of the website using just a keyboard.
  • navigate most of the website using speech recognition software.
  • listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver).

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

This website’s accessibility

We know some parts of this website aren’t fully accessible:

  • you can’t change colours, contrast levels and fonts.
  • you can’t modify the line height or spacing of text.
  • live video streams don’t have captions.
  • our session timeouts are not adjustable.

What to do if you can’t access parts of this website

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

We’ll consider your request and get back to you as soon as possible.

Reporting accessibility issues with this website

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that aren’t listed on this page or think we’re not meeting the requirements of the accessibility regulations, email us at [email protected], call us on 0800 368 8549 or get in touch at www.linkmaker.co.uk/contact

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Link Maker Systems is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Issues with technology

It’s not possible for users to modify text spacing or line height, nor is it possible to change colours, contrast levels and fonts.

We’ve assessed the cost of fixing these issues and believe that doing so now would be a disproportionate burden within the meaning of the accessibility regulations. We will make another assessment when we next do a major redevelopment of the website.

Issues with images, video and audio

Live video streams don’t have captions because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

Issues with interactive elements and transactions

In accordance with WCAG 2.1, 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable, our session timeouts are deemed an essential exception as extending the session would invalidate the activity and impact on security.

How we tested this website

This website was last tested on 29/04/2019. The test was carried out by Destek.

Methodology

To conduct a thorough accessibility audit, the use of both automated evaluation tools and manual user testing with assistive technologies is essential.

Although automated tools can assess individual pages or entire websites much more quickly than a human counterpart, they can only test against a limited section of WCAG and are unable to analyse semantics where human judgement via user testing is imperative.

Technical testing at the first stage of the audit, involves testing the entire website for underlying technical errors or issues that could cause accessibility barriers using one or more automated tools. These tools are used to scan pages for technical accessibility issues such as HTML/CSS parsing errors using a web browser.

The second stage of the test employs using assistive technologies, commonly used by people with disabilities, conducted by highly skilled accessibility auditors who identify key web pages; key functionality; types of web content, designs, functionality, etc.; required web technologies and use both a structured and randomly selected test selection.

Whilst all areas need to be tested against the application to ensure compliance; only three of which need directly tested as suitability for Cognitive Impairment relies more on the design, presentation and language used.

Manual user testing

The website is manually tested by an in-house team of experienced accessibility testers. The following disabilities are considered for the application under test:

  • Keyboard only user: The user has a motor impairment that limits he or she to using only a keyboard to operate a computer or device. To make operation easier, the user may utilise an adaptive keyboard.
  • Voice activation user: The user has a motor impairment that limits he or she to using only voice commands to operate a computer or device via assistive technology such as microphone and dictation software.
  • Screen reader user: The user has a visual impairment that limits he or she to using assistive technology such as a screen reader to operate a computer or device via keyboard control and feedback via synthesised audible descriptions of visual elements.
  • Low vision user: The user has a visual impairment that limits his or her access to content presented at 100% magnification. The user utilises system/browser controls or assistive technology to increase screen magnification.
  • Colour blind user: The user has a visual impairment that limits his or her access to content within a certain colour spectrum. The user utilises system/browser controls or assistive technology to change the content’s colour spectrum.
  • Deaf or hard of hearing user: The user has a hearing impairment that limits his or her access to audio content.
  • Learning difficulties user: The user has a learning disability that limits his or her access to content that is presented in a way that requires a high level of literacy.

This statement was prepared on 29/09/2020.