Accessibility statement for the Open University Student Union (Open SU)

Open SU is committed to making its websites and mobile applications accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This accessibility statement applies to the Open University Student Union (Open SU) website.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use our websites and mobile apps, and accessibility is an essential part of our mission. On the Open University's Accessibility hub, you'll find everything you need to answer any questions you have about accessibility, whether you're a student or a member of staff.

One of our strategic aims at Open SU is to "create a welcoming environment and champion accessibility for all". Accessibility is very important to us, and we are continuously working to enhance the accessibility of our website (and indeed, everything we do).

To adapt the content to your needs or preferences, you should be able to:

Change colours, contrasts levels and fonts.
Resize text up to 200% without impact on the functionality of the website.
Zoom in up to 400% without loss of information or functionality.
Navigate the website using just a keyboard:
- tab to ‘Skip to content’ links at the top of the page to jump over repetitive information to the main content.
- tab through the content; the current location will be indicated by a clear visual change.
- control the embedded media player to play audio and video materials.
Use a screen reader (e.g. JAWs, NVDA) to:
- listen to the content of web pages and use any functionality on the page.
- list the headings and subheadings in the page and then jump to their location on the page.
- bring up a list of meaningful links on the page.
Use transcripts or closed captions with most audio and video materials.
Download learning materials in alternative formats (e.g. Word document, PDF, ePub).
If you have a print disability, we provide SensusAccess to students, which is an automated service that converts files from one format to another – for example, PDF to text, audio, Word or Braille.
AbilityNet also provides advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliance listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons:

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Some informative images do not have an ‘alt’ attribute with a suitable description

Some images which convey meaning do not have an informative text alternative to adequately describe their purpose. People using a screen reader won’t be able to access the information. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.1.1: Non-text Content (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of January 2027.

Some text doesn't have a minimum colour contrast with the background.

Some text does not provide enough contrast with the background, making it more difficult to read for people with low vision. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) and will be resolved by the end of January 2027.

Some heading structures skip levels

Some page headings aren't structured in a logical way. People using screen readers will find it more difficult to navigate and understand the structure of content. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by the end of January 2027.

Some text is not marked up correctly as a heading

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 15 August 2024.

This statement was last reviewed on 23 July 2026.

This website was last tested on 23 July 2026.

This website was tested by the Open SU Marketing and Communications team using the Accessibility Compliance Toolkit (ACT) which is an internal toolkit used to identify and check web pages for accessibility by conducting basic accessibility testing. This basic testing covers essential aspects of accessibility, but it doesn’t include all the WCAG 2.2 Level AA Success Criteria. Using the ACT combines manual checks with automated tests across a sample of pages identified as being representative of most or all of the components used on the website. The accessibility testing conducted on this website includes evaluating alternative text, colour contrast, content resizing, content structure, form labels, language of page, link text, keyboard navigation, captions and skip links.

Further accessibility testing is scheduled to take place later this year.

Feedback and contact information

Your feedback regarding the accessibility of our website is valuable to us. If you encounter any accessibility barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us at oustudents-media@open.ac.uk. You should expect to hear back from us within five working days.

The OU is very experienced in meeting accessibility needs for students. In many cases, module and other study support materials can be provided in alternative formats for students who indicate a need for this when completing a Disability Support Form.

In addition, some module materials are available in different formats and can be downloaded from module websites. Students can contact their Student Support Team for advice.

If you are a student, or someone who has had contact with the University before, and have a complaint about the accessibility of our websites, you should raise a complaint via the complaints and appeals process.

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 are based in the UK, and you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).