At the University of Reading, awareness of digital accessibility has significantly improved. This is great news for everyone, as it helps ensure that all digital content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

In a recent survey, nearly 500 staff members participated, and the results were encouraging.

Number of responses to digital accessibility survy increased 357% from 105 responses in 2022 to 480 responses in 2024 — Number of responses to the survey (click to enlarge)

The survey showed that 87% of staff now understand what digital accessibility is, compared to 75% in a similar survey from 2022. This means that more people are aware of the importance of making digital content accessible making it easy for everyone to use, regardless of their abilities.

How familiar are you with the concept of digital accessibiltiy? 75% were familiar in 2022 as opposed to 87% in 2024 — How familiar are you with the concept of digital accessibility? (Click to enlarge)

The survey also found 41% of staff have taken part in some kind of digital accessibility training, which is an increase from 37% in previous years. This shows that more staff are learning the skills needed to create accessible content.

You can find the digital accessibility survey summarised in the digital accessibility survey 2024 infographic (PDF).

How We’re Supporting Staff

To help staff create accessible content, the University has introduced several resources and training opportunities:

Digital Accessibility Resources Webpages: These pages provide guidance on making different types of content accessible.
Training: Sessions available through UoRLearn cover topics like digital accessibility awareness, creating accessible online content, and using alternative text for images and graphs.

Staff can also reach out to Dr. Tharindu Liyanagunawardena, the University’s Digital Accessibility Officer, to arrange team training.

Ongoing Awareness Efforts

The University has run several initiatives to raise awareness about digital accessibility. Over 700 staff members have attended 26 accessibility awareness sessions this year, with a mix of online, hybrid, and in-person formats.

The University has also introduced mandatory training for web editors, and more than 250 staff members have already completed this. This helps ensure that the University website is more accessible than ever, with new tools in place to check and improve accessibility.

Looking Ahead

As awareness continues to grow, the University will keep offering more learning opportunities for staff. With ongoing support and training, we’re making sure that digital content at the University of Reading is accessible to all.

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