Accessibility Statement for The Knowledge Media Institute

The Open University 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 The Knowledge Media Institute (KMi).

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 our 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.

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

• Change colours, contrast 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-compliances and/or the exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

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

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

External websites

The Open University provides links to external websites that may not meet accessibility standards.

Images and Visual Elements

• Some linked images are missing alternative text (alt), so screen readers cannot describe them to users with visual impairments. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.1.1: Non-text Content (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.
• Some images have title attributes that repeat visible link text, which is unnecessary and can confuse assistive technologies. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.

Forms

• Some form fields do not have visible or programmatically associated labels, making them hard to use for people with screen readers or voice input. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.

Text Contrast

• There are multiple places where the text color blends into the background, making it hard to read for users with low vision or color blindness. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.

Headings and Page Structure

• Some pages skip heading levels (e.g., jumping from H1 to H3), which disrupts navigation for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.
• Some items that look like headings are not marked up correctly in HTML, making it harder for assistive tech to identify them. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.

Links and Navigation

• Ensure links explain their purpose WCAG 2.0 A 2.4.4 and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.
• Links to PDF files are not clearly marked as such, which may mislead users expecting standard web pages. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.

ARIA and Tabindex

• ARIA roles and tabindex values are used incorrectly or inconsistently, which can disrupt how assistive technologies interpret the page. This fails WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 4.1.2: Name, Role, Value (Level A) and will be resolved by 23 November 2026.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 16 January 2025.

This statement was last reviewed on 29 January 2026.

This website was last tested on 11 November 2025. The test was carried out by the STEM Technical Services DDS team.

The following accessibility testing methods and tools were used:

• W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) checks (alternative text, content structure, language of page, keyboard navigation, skip links)
• Silktide (a continuous site-wide monitoring tool that regularly scans/crawls pages to surface accessibility and quality issues e.g., broken links, readability/content checks, usability and compliance risks, so they can be tracked and remediated over time).
• Manual checks (content resizing, captions)

This included the following test methods:

• WAVE, Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
• Keyboard-only testing
• Zoom testing.

Feedback and contact information

If you find that a certain section of our website is not accessible and you can’t get access to the information that you need please use the Open University Accessibility Feedback Form to request support and we will ensure that you are provided with the information you require. You will need to provide your contact details and Personal Identifier if you are a student so we can get back to you. You should expect to hear back from us within 5 working days.

The OU is very experienced in meeting accessibility needs for our students. In many cases we are able to provide module and other study support materials 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).