This accessibility statement applies to:
This website is run by the Interactive Content Service within the Information Services Group at the University of Edinburgh. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this application. For example, that means you should be able to:
- Customise most of the website using browser settings
- zoom in up to 200% without the text spilling off the screen or without loss of content
- use the website without encountering any cognitive function tests
- use the website without encountering any inactivity time outs.
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand. However, some of our content is technical, and we use technical terms where there is no easier wording we could use without changing what the text means.
Customising the website
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability. This is an external site with suggestions to make your computer more accessible:
AbilityNet - My Computer My Way
With a few simple steps you can customise the appearance of our website using your browser settings to make it easier to read and navigate:
Additional information on how to customise our website appearance
If you are a member of University staff or a student, you can use the free SensusAccess accessible document conversion service:
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
- Some colour contrasts do not meet minimum requirements
- It can be difficult to see where you have navigated to by keyboard
- Some items are repeated by JAWS and not labelled properly
- Error messages may have insufficient contrast or appear in inaccessible pop ups
- The site does not fully reflow up to 400%
- Videos on the site are missing transcripts and audio descriptions
- Some links open in a pop up without alerting the user of this
- There is moving content that cannot be stopped or paused by the user
- Links are not underlined by default, meaning that information is conveyed by colour only
- Links do not always have meaningful hypertext or are naked URLs
- The site is poor in its responsiveness to mobile device customisation
- There are inaccessible PDFs linked on the site
- Tooltips are not navigable with assistive software, such as JAWS
- Tooltips are not navigable by keyboard
- Tooltips sometimes obscure essential content or selection displays
- Mobile navigation may not follow a logical order
- Elements are not properly labelled for VoiceOver
- Headings are sometimes left empty and heading text is not always properly formatted
- ARIA attributes may not conform to valid values
- Select elements may not have accessible names.
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format, including accessible PDF, large print, audio recording or braille:
- Email: MND-SMART@ed.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0131 242 9122
- Write to:
MND-SMART
CCBS
University of Edinburgh
Chancellor’s Building
49 Little France Crescent
Edinburgh
EH16 4SB - British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact us via Contact Scotland BSL, the on-line BSL interpreting service.
We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 5 working days.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page, or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact:
- Email: MND-SMART@ed.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0131 242 9122
- Write to:
MND-SMART
CCBS
University of Edinburgh
Chancellor’s Building
49 Little France Crescent
Edinburgh
EH16 4SB - British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact us via Contact Scotland BSL, the on-line BSL interpreting service.
We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 5 working days.
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 please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) directly:
Contact details for the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)
The government has produced information on how to report accessibility issues:
Reporting an accessibility problem on a public sector website
Contacting us by phone using British Sign Language
British Sign Language service
Contact Scotland BSL runs a service for British Sign Language users and all of Scotland’s public bodies using video relay. This enables sign language users to contact public bodies and vice versa. The service operates from 8.00am to 12.00am, 7 days a week.
Contact Scotland BSL service details.
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
The University of Edinburgh is committed to making its websites and applications accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance Status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.
The full guidelines are available at:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard
Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations
The following items do not comply with the WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria:
- Videos on the site are missing transcripts and audio descriptions
- Some items, including headings are repeated by screen readers like JAWS and are not labelled properly
- On mobile devices navigation does not always follow a logical sequence
- There is information conveyed only by colour
- Selection displays may have low contrast with certain items
- Reflow is not operational up to 400%
- Tooltips do not appear when navigating by keyboard or using assistive software and sometimes obscure selection displays
- There are PDFs which are not fully accessible
- There is movement that cannot be paused or stopped by the end user
- Mobile screen reader navigation does not always follow a logical order
- Not all links have meaningful hypertext
- Some links open new browser tabs or pop ups without warning
- ARIA attributes may not conform to valid values, and select elements may not have an accessible name
We aim to improve the accessibility of our websites on a regular and continuous basis. See the section below ('What we're doing to improve accessibility') on how we are improving our site accessibility.
We are working towards solving these problems and expect significant improvements by March 2026. The site is fully within our control.
Disproportionate burden
We are not currently claiming that any accessibility problems would be a disproportionate burden to fix.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
At this time we believe no content is outwith the scope of the accessibility regulations.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We will continue to address and make adequate improvements to the accessibility issues highlighted. Unless specified otherwise, a complete solution or significant improvement will be in place by August 2026.
While we are in the process of resolving these accessibility issues we will ensure reasonable adjustments are in place to make sure no user is disadvantaged. As changes are made, we will continue to review accessibility and retest the accessibility of this website.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 13th August 2025. It was last reviewed on 13th August 2025.
The website was last tested on 12th August 2025. The testing was carried out by the Interactive Content Service within the Information Services Group at the University of Edinburgh using both automated and manual methods. The site was tested on a PC, primarily using Google Chrome alongside Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge.
A recent world-wide usage levels survey for different screen readers and browsers shows that Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge are increasing in popularity and Google Chrome is now the favoured browser for screen readers:
WebAIM: Screen Reader User Survey
The aforementioned three browsers have been used in certain questions for reasons of breadth and variety.
We ran automated testing using WAVE WebAIM and AXE browser extension (for Google Chrome) and then manual testing that included:
- Spell check functionality
- Scaling using different resolutions and reflow
- Options to customise the interface (magnification, font, background colour, etc)
- Keyboard navigation and keyboard traps
- Data validation
- Warning of links opening in new tab or window
- Information conveyed in the colour or sound only
- Flashing, moving or scrolling text
- Use with screen reading software (for example JAWS)
- Assistive software (TextHelp Read and Write, Windows Magnifier, ZoomText, Dragon Naturally Speaking, TalkBack and VoiceOver)
- Tooltips and text alternatives for any non-text content
- Time limits
- Compatibility with mobile accessibility functionality (Android and iOS)
- Any drag functionality and alternatives
- Consistent help function
- No need to re-enter data already submitted
- Any cognitive tests.