Last updated on 20th September 2024
Does the Bloomsbury Publishing Platform meet accessibility standards?
Bloomsbury Digital Resources is committed to ensuring equal access for all users of our resources, regardless of technology or ability. For all our resources, we aim for compliance with Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 (https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/).
Our sites are all built using code compliant with W3C standards for HTML and CSS. The site displays correctly in current browsers and using standards-compliant HTML/CSS code means that any future browsers should also display it correctly. Where possible content is displayed as HTML full text which can easily be resized or read with assistive technology, with mark-up that allows screen readers and keyboard-only users to navigate easily and intuitively.
We're working hard to achieve our goal of Level AA accessibility, but our testing has identified a small number of areas that still need improving. These are outlined in our Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), which we will continue to update as more enhancements are carried out across our platforms.
Download our latest VPAT here.
You can read more about our commitment to accessible digital resources, as well as the measures by which our sites have been tested to ensure compliance with WCAG standards, on our General BDR Accessibility Statement.
Can I resize the text to make it easier to read?
Yes, most text content is presented as HTML so it is resizable and reflowable. The site has been tested with 200% browser zoom to ensure that text still renders correctly and legibly, without losing any of the site's functionality or navigation.
Selected resources (e.g. Bloomsbury Visual Arts, Bloomsbury Collections and Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies) contain some content that is presented in searchable PDF form only. These chapter-level PDFs are DRM-free, so do not require any plug-ins or special software, and therefore can more easily be modified for accessibility, through zoom, changing color, reflowing or text-to-speech.
Can I navigate the site using the keyboard only?
Yes, the site has been tested thoroughly to assess how sight-impaired or mobility-impaired users would access the content, and most of the site's functionality is fully accessible via keyboard. The focus order moves correctly in most cases, and there are no 'keyboard traps' in the site.
Areas of recent improvement:
- Keyboard focus now moves to the appropriate form fields upon visiting the platform login page.
- Enhanced keyboard and mouse hover focus has been added to all major links and icons across search, browse, and content pages.
- The Interactive Timeline feature is now accessible to keyboard-only navigation.
- A 'Skip to Main Content' link has been added to all content pages, including search result and content index pages.
- Keyboard-only users can now expand/collapse the post-search filters.
- Keyboard focus is now visible on 'Search' and 'Go' buttons.
- Focus is now visible in the 'Explore By' and 'Browse Contents' navigation menus.
- Modal windows such as 'Share', 'Cite', or 'Subscription Required' can now be closed using keyboard navigation only.
Does the site support screen readers?
Yes, the site has been manually tested throughout using NVDA 2023, JAWS 2023, and Voiceover on Windows 11 and macOS operating systems.
On main content pages such as book chapters, all content is correctly tagged to allow screen reader users to navigate the content and understand its structure. Screen reader users are able to follow text in the correct reading order throughout.
Areas of recent improvement:
- Appropriate heading levels have been added to book and chapter pages.
- Automatic error notifications are now provided upon inputting invalid entries in forms, including incorrect logins, zero search results, and exceeding character limits.
- All mandatory form fields are now identified as such for screen reader users.
- Appropriate element tags have been applied to all interactive features on search and advanced search pages.
- Navigation bar links are now correctly tagged as headings for screen reader users.
- An HTML Language tag has been added throughout to clarify that the content is in English.
- Appropriate text labels have been added to form fields and drop down menus on the Advanced Search, Login, Contact Us, and Personal Account Sign Up pages, as well as other search and navigation fields across the platform.
Do the images include alt text and descriptions?
Most of the available informative images/icons have appropriate text alternatives that present equivalent information to the visually impaired users using screen readers and refreshable braille display. Images provided as content do not all have alt text but are mostly contextualized with explanatory metadata.
The majority of images used solely for decorative purposes have been hidden from assistive technologies, with some outstanding exceptions including book covers and icons associated with content page toolbars (see VPAT for details).
Has the site been tested for color contrast and color-blindness?
To ensure accessibility for low-vision or colorblind users, we aim to ensure that the color contrast ratio for all interactive elements meets the WCAG standard minimum of 4.5:1. We also aim never to use color as the only source of information: whenever color is used to convey meaning this is also conveyed using text equivalents and HTML tags.
Areas of recent improvement to meet this standard include color changes throughout the sites to the 'Back to top' link, the 'Search' icon in main navigation bars, and the expand/collapse icons.
How do I contact Bloomsbury to get further help with accessibility?
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require assistance, or have any queries or feedback relating to accessibility, by visiting the Contact Us form.
