Accessibility

Accessibility statement for East Durham College

https://edc.ac.uk/

This website is run by East Durham College.

We know that disabled people may experience difficulty using parts of this website. We are very sorry for this. We are working to identify and fix the issues, and to improve access for everyone.

If you find that you are unable to access any information on this website, please get in touch using any of the following methods:

  • Call our Priority Helpline on 0191 518 8222
  • Follow this link to send us an Email: enquires@eastdurham.ac.uk
  • Use our accessible online chat details.
  • You can also use the Contact Us online form at the bottom of this page.

We aim to return all priority enquiries within 30 minutes during normal working hours.

How accessible this website is

We know that some parts of this website are not fully accessible.

The issues identified affect a range of interactions and content across the site, particularly where pages rely on dynamic behaviour, reusable components, or complex layouts.

These issues may affect users who rely on screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, mobile assistive technologies, high levels of zoom, or alternative pointing methods.

Examples of the types of accessibility issues identified include:

  • Some images, icons and non-text content do not have appropriate text alternatives.
  • Some page structure, headings, labels and relationships are not clear to assistive technologies.
  • Some content and links are not presented clearly enough for all users to understand their purpose or sequence.
  • Some functionality cannot be used reliably with a keyboard alone.
  • Focus order and focus visibility are not always consistent or predictable.
  • Some forms do not provide clear labels, instructions or error messages.
  • Some interactive components do not expose correct names, roles, values or states.
  • Some status messages and dynamic updates are not announced to assistive technologies.

Feedback and contact information

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, please contact us using any of the following methods:

We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 1 working day.

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

If you find that you are unable to access any information on this website, please get in touch using any of the following methods:  

  • email: enquires@eastdurham.ac.uk
  • phone: 0191 518 8222

We aim to return all priority enquiries within 30 minutes during working hours.

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).

Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person

We provide a text relay service for people who are D/deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment. Please see further details below.

Our offices have audio induction loops, or if you contact us before your visit we can arrange a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. We have a small number of staff who are BSL qualified, however, any such appointments would have to fit within their working patterns and may require at least 10 days' notice.

Please contact us using the following information:

I am hearing-impaired and/or speech-impaired – how do I make a text relay call?

To make a text relay call, you need to dial 18001 followed by the telephone number of the person you are calling.

You can access text relay using a range of equipment including textphones, PCs, laptops and smartphones.

To use text relay on a device such as a smartphone or computer you also need to download the free ‘Next GenerationText’ app from https://www.relayuk.bt.com or from a marketplace such as Google Play or the App Store. You can make a text relay call in a number of different ways and using a number of different devices. For example, you can use:

  • a standard landline or mobile telephone for the voice part of the call, and an internet-connected device (such as a PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet) to view the text;
  • a single device such as a smartphone. This will only work if you also have access to Wi-Fi, or if your device is able to handle a phone call and a 3G or 4G internet connection simultaneously.
  • For more information about which handsets can do this go to https://www.relayuk.bt.com. If you have a textphone, you can continue to use it, but you will not benefit from the enhanced features of next-generation text relay, such as the ability to hear the other person’s voice and see the text at the same time.

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

East Durham College 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 

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible Content

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2

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

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations (WCAG 2.2AA)

Level A

1.1.1 Non-text Content

Some non-text content does not have appropriate text alternatives. This includes images and icons where the purpose or meaning is not consistently conveyed to users of assistive technology.

1.3.1 Info and Relationships

Information, structure and relationships are not always programmatically determined. This includes issues with headings, labels, form associations, grouped controls, lists, layout tables and online document viewers.

1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence

Some content does not follow a meaningful sequence for assistive technology users, including form options that are not presented in a logical order.

1.4.1 Use of Colour

Some links are not consistently distinguishable from surrounding text without relying on colour or visual styling alone.

2.1.1 Keyboard

Some functionality is not fully operable using a keyboard alone. This includes navigation controls, embedded content and interactive tools that cannot be reached or operated without a mouse.

2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

A reliable mechanism is not always available to allow users to bypass repeated blocks of content, and the skip link behaviour is not consistently usable.

3.2.2 On Input

Some changes occur automatically when users select an option or interact with a control. This includes dynamic filtering or page updates taking effect without a clear submit action, and focus sometimes resetting unexpectedly.

3.3.1 Error Identification

Validation errors are not always announced or identified clearly when they occur.

3.3.2 Labels or Instructions

Some required fields and form controls do not provide clear labels or instructions before submission.

4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

Some user interface components do not expose correct names, roles, values or states to assistive technologies. This affects controls such as menus, buttons, links, video controls, pagination and related course links.

Level AA

1.4.10 Reflow

Some content does not reflow or remain fully usable at smaller viewport sizes or higher levels of zoom.

1.4.11 Non-text Contrast

Some user interface components and visual states do not provide sufficient contrast.

2.4.3 Focus Order

Focus does not always move in a logical and predictable order, particularly when navigating menus, modals, search, forms or dynamic content.

2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)

Some links use text that does not adequately describe their purpose when encountered out of context.

2.4.5 Multiple Ways

Some content cannot be found through more than one available route because desktop navigation does not provide access to all areas of the site.

4.1.3 Status Messages

Status messages, dynamic filter updates and error messages are not always announced to users of assistive technologies.

We are currently reviewing and prioritising these issues. We will publish target dates for remediation following this review.

We have not identified any disproportionate burden at this time.

Content not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

Level AAA

1.2.5 Audio Description

Audio description is not provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronised media. 

1.2.6 Sign Language

Sign language interpretation is not provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronised media.

3.2.5 Change on Request

Some components change context or update content automatically before the user has explicitly requested that change, particularly where filters or dynamic content update without a clear submit action.

PDFs and other documents

Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents. We are reviewing these documents and will prioritise remediation or replacement with accessible HTML where appropriate.

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. 

Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We are currently reviewing and prioritising these issues. We will publish target dates for remediation following this review.

We will update the accessibility statement when issues are fixed or when we expect them to be fixed. 

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This website was last tested on 29 June 2026. The test was carried out by Clive Loseby and his team of disabled testers at Access by Design.

The full audit, along with this accessibility statement, was prepared and produced by Clive Loseby, Access by Design. 
If you wish for a copy of the audit please contact us:

email: enquires@eastdurham.ac.uk

phone: 0191 518 8222

 

Page last updated 07/07/2026.

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