Accessibility statement for learnsuffolk.org
This accessibility statement applies to learnsuffolk.org.
This website is run by Suffolk County Council’s Adult Learning Service.
We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, this means you should be able to:
- Change colours, contrast levels and fonts
- Zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
- 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 have also made the text on the website as simple as possible to understand.
Make your device easier to use
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability or impairment.
This includes how to:
- Make text larger
- Magnify the screen
- Change fonts and colours
- Make your mouse pointer easier to see
- Using your keyboard instead of a mouse
- Making your device talk to you
You can translate this website to your preferred language by changing the settings in your browser (such as Microsoft Edge, Chrome or Safari).
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website aren’t fully accessible.
- Some content looks like headings but is not
- Some pages cannot be found through more than one type of navigation
- Many documents are in PDF format, and are less accessible
- Some document tables do not have row headings
- Some document images do not have appropriate image descriptions (alt text)
- Some documents have poor colour contrast
- The YouTube video player has accessibility issues with contrast
Feedback and Contact Information
If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact:
Suffolk County Council’s Adult Learning Service
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:
Suffolk County Council’s Adult Learning Service
In your message, include:
- The web address (URL) of the content
- Your email address and name
- The format you need – for example, plain text, braille, BSL, large print or audio CD
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 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, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Suffolk County Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard.
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 AA standard, due to the exemptions listed below.
Non accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Disproportionate burden
We categorise the following accessibility issues on learnsuffolk.org as a disproportionate burden to fix within the meaning of the regulations.
Navigation
Adjacent links to the same pages mean it’s not easy to navigate using keyboard alone. This fails 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard).
Some content looks like headings but is not. This makes it difficult for screen reader users to navigate the page. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
Some pages cannot be found through more than one type of navigation. This fails 2.1 success criterion 2.4.5 (Multiple Ways).
PDFs and other documents
Some of our PDFs and other document types may not be fully suitable for users of assistive technology. This fails WCAG success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value. If you require access to an inaccessible PDF please contact us as we may be able to provide a basic plain-text alternative, or find other ways to assist you. Contact: learnsuffolk@suffolk.gov.uk. We plan for all our website documents to be accessible.
Suffolk County Council published a disproportionate burden assessment that explains:
- We carried out basic checks of our website – as paying for detailed checks would be a disproportionate burden on our organisation
- We planned to fix the top 10% most viewed documents on learnsuffolk.org by 26 February 2025 – as fixing every document would be a disproportionate burden on our organisation
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
You can find the complete list of content exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations on legislation.gov.uk.
PDFs and other documents
Some of our older PDFs and other documents may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. This fails WCAG success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role Value.
The accessibility regulations don’t require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. For example, we don’t plan to fix old PDF newsletters that might still be published and accessed through our website.
Any new PDFs or Word documents will meet accessibility standards.
Video
YouTube video controls do not have enough contrast. This fails WCAG 2.1 AA success criterion 1.4.11 (non-text contrast). This is an issue with the YouTube video player and not within the control of Suffolk County Council’s Adult Learning Service. We will continue to look for a more compliant player.
Live video
We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Some pre-recorded videos published before 23 September 2020 do not include captions. This fails WCAG success criteria 1.2.2 Captions (Pre-recorded). We may not add captions to these videos because pre-recorded video published before 23 September 2020 is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Some pre-recorded videos published before 23 September 2020 may require, but don’t include, audio description. This fails WCAG success criteria 1.2.5 Audio Description (Pre-recorded). We may not add audio description to these videos because pre-recorded video published before 23 September 2020 is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Any pre-recorded video content we publish after 23 September 2020 will meet accessibility standards.
Maps
Online maps and mapping services are exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations. From 23 September 2020 we’ll ensure that where maps are intended for navigational use essential information is provided in an accessible digital manner.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We will continue working towards meeting WCAG level AA for the current version of learnsuffolk.org, including:
- Using Suffolk County Council’s content guidelines, which explain how to create accessible content
- Working with developers and editors to fix code and content issues with our website
- Carrying out further accessibility testing involving people with disabilities and impairments
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 12 February 2021. It was last reviewed on 26 February 2024.
A basic accessibility check of learnsuffolk.org was last carried out in February 2024 by a third-party contractor for Suffolk County Council’s Adult Learning Service.
We carried out our testing based on a sample of our most used pages, forms, documents and other media.
We used a combination of methods to check this website, including:
- Manual sampling (using WAVE, Voice Over, and other tools)
In addition, an audit was conducted by the Government Digital Service, which is part of the Cabinet Office, against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard, and was published on 1 December 2024.