At the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), we are working to ensure that all of our communications and platforms are as accessible as possible to all users. To this end, in 2023 we partnered with AbilityNet, using their Digital Accessibility Services to conduct a full accessibility review of our website (www.ids.ac.uk).
A key outcome was this new accessibility statement, which applies to our main public website, www.ids.ac.uk.
Using the website
We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website, which means that you should be able to:
- zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate the website using just a keyboard
- navigate the website using speech recognition software listen to most of the website using a screen reader (most well-known screen readers)
For more advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability, visit the AbilityNet website.
Accessibility of the website
We know some parts of our website are not fully accessible yet – and have listed the issues in the non-accessible content section of this statement.
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format, please contact the IDS Communications and Engagement Team.
Pages reviewed in the accessibility audit
As part of the full accessibility review conducted by AbilityNet, a representative number of pages were checked from the IDS website for accessibility conformance. These were accessed via the following links:
- Homepage – https://www.ids.ac.uk
- Learn – MA Development Studies – https://www.ids.ac.uk/learn-at-ids/ma-development-studies/
- Opinion – https://www.ids.ac.uk/opinions/finding-and-using-causal-hotspots-a-practice-in-the-making
- About – https://www.ids.ac.uk/about/
- People – https://www.ids.ac.uk/people/melissa-leach/
- Publications – https://www.ids.ac.uk/publications/student-wellbeing-in-contexts-of-protracted-violent-conflict/
- Projects – https://www.ids.ac.uk/projects/covid-19-learning-evidence-and-research-programme-for-bangladesh-clear/
- Events – https://www.ids.ac.uk/events/digital-technologies-in-participatory-research/
- Research Clusters – https://www.ids.ac.uk/about/clusters-and-teams/
- Research Clusters detail – https://www.ids.ac.uk/clusters-and-teams/business-markets-and-the-state/
- Contact – https://www.ids.ac.uk/contact/
- Support IDS – https://www.ids.ac.uk/about/support/donate
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
If you find an issue we have not yet identified, please contact the IDS Communications and Engagement Team. We will assess the information you provide and will try our best to fix the issue, before adding the updates as confirmation to this accessibility statement.
Requesting an accessible version of an IDS publication
If you have a query about the accessibility of a publication, or wish to request a publication in accessible format, please contact the IDS Publications Team.
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
IDS strives to make our website accessible in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
This website is not currently compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to older content on the site pre-dating February 2020. However, content after this date has been updated to this standard following the accessibility check undertaken by AbilityNet. The non-compliances and exemptions are listed below.
Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons:
Content issues
Some regular sized text, included within images on the website, does not have sufficient contrast.
Across several graphs and other content, information is provided only through colour and some instructions rely on visual sensory characteristics.
Decorative images across the website are sometimes not marked and do not have appropriate alt text descriptions. Other images sometimes have alt text descriptions which are redundant, and do not provide appropriate context.
This largely affects the accessibility of old content pre-February 2020, which has been previously added to the website and which won’t likely be viewed by the IDS community moving forward.
We have undertaken changes to content post-February 2020 to ensure that it adheres to the version 2,1 AA standard and trained our website editors to make sure that all future website development and content updates adhere to both the level A and AA guidelines as specified in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/).
Disproportionate burden
At this time, we have not made any disproportionate burden claims.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 12 January 2024.
This website was last tested on 17 October 2023. The test was carried out externally by IDS’ website development agency. A sample of webpages was tested covering the core user-journey of the site, as listed above. Testing was completed using a mixture of manual, semi-automated and assistive technology tests.
Accessibility in the IDS building
If you are planning to visiting the IDS building and have accessibility needs, please review the information on the building accessibility page on our website.