Accessibility

How accessible is our website?

Our website meets the W3C AA standards for accessibility.

What are we doing to make the website more accessible?

We tested our website for accessibility during the design process, and we carry out similar testing on the live site.

Technical information about our website’s accessibility

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

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents
Many of our older PDFs and Word documents don’t meet accessibility standards. For example, they may not be marked up so they are accessible to a screen reader. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 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 for active administrative processes. Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Translate documents from this website into other languages
You can download any of our published documents and translate them into many languages. Please click this link to use Google Translate

Video captions
Some of our videos don’t have accurate edited captions or transcripts. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.1 (audio-only and video-only pre-recorded), 1.2.2 (captions pre-recorded), 1.2.3 (audio description or media alternative pre-recorded) and 1.2.5 (audio description pre-recorded). The regulations do not apply to recorded videos published before 23 September 2020.

Additional accessibility considerations

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define three levels of conformance: level A, level AA and level AAA. Our goal is Level AA conformance.

• Images of text are only used for decoration or where a particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed.

How we tested this website

We used the W3C compliance checker to review the websites accessibility on 16th August 2021 and are satisfied that it meets the criteria for an acceptable website based on a statement from our web developers, The Union.

Please click this link to use Google Translate

You are able to translate the website into a choice of many languages. 

In addition, you can download any of our published documents and translate them into many languages.

Alternative formats

If you need access to a college document in an alternative format, for example, accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording and braille:

• Complete an accessibility request form by clicking on this link.
• Call 01896 66 26 00 and ask to speak with the Marketing Team.

We will consider your request and get back to you within 5 working days.

Translate documents from this website into other languages

You can download any of our published documents and translate them into many languages. Please click this link to use Google Translate

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact our teams on marketing@borderscollege.ac.uk.

We first prepared this statement on 18 September 2020. We are logging every change we make to this page.

• 18 September 2020: statement first published.
• 16 August 2021: Accessibility test carried out, and passed.
• 26 August 2022: Accessibility test carried out, and passed.
• 18 April 2023: Added information and link to Google translate for document and website translation information and requests.
• 18 April 2023: Added a contact email address for reporting accessibility issues with this website.
• 24 August 2023: Site tested using https://www.siteimprove.com and passed AA level accessibility.
• 24 January 2024: Site tested by www.union.co.uk and passed AA level accessibility.