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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
67
GRADE
D
FIX
4
REVIEW
5
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 5 REVIEW 4 FIX
D
Form Accessibility
Action
4 of 8 controls have issues
FIX
4 of 8 controls have issues
Critical::
2 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="button" name="searchbutton" id="search_button_mobile">; <input type="button" name="searchbutton" id="search_button_desktop">
Warning::
2 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="text" name="searchsite" id="search_site_mobile">; <input type="text" name="searchsite" id="search_site_desktop">
Info::
4 control(s) properly labeled
8 controls
4 labeled
2 placeholder only
2 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#search_everything_mobileradioEverythingfor/id
#search_courses_mobileradioCoursesfor/id
#search_everything_desktopradioEverythingfor/id
#search_courses_desktopradioCoursesfor/id
#search_site_mobiletext(Type your search term here)placeholder only
#search_site_desktoptext(Type your search term here)placeholder only
#search_button_mobilebutton(none)none
#search_button_desktopbutton(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<input type="button" name="searchbutton" id="search_button_mobile">; <input type="button" name="searchbutton" id="search_button_desktop">

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="text" name="searchsite" id="search_site_mobile">; <input type="text" name="searchsite" id="search_site_desktop">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Navigation UX
Action
2 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
2 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
Back-to-top link detected
Info::
8 navigation landmark(s) detected
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 8 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
3 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
B
Landmark Structure
10 landmarks
REVIEW
10 landmarks
Critical::
No <main> landmark found
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Info::
8 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
All <nav> elements are properly labeled
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "Skip to main content" MAIN (missing!) CONTENTINFO footer

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

B
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title University of Reading - Error 404: Not found ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗
B
Favicon & Branding
6 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
6 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 5 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

15 pass 5 fail WCAG AA
title University of Reading
4.03:1
#000000
on
#D61926
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
div We use essential cookies to make our sit…
4.03:1
#000000
on
#D61926
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
div .”
4.40:1
#000000
on
#7F6C88
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
button Decline
1.00:1
#FFFFFF
on
#FFFFFF
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
button Accept
1.00:1
#FFFFFF
on
#FFFFFF
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold

1 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h2 Ready for Reading?16.95:13.0:1
#000000
#E9E6E8
Pass
h2 Visit Us16.95:13.0:1
#000000
#E9E6E8
Pass
h3 How to find us16.95:13.0:1
#000000
#E9E6E8
Pass
h3 Get connected16.95:13.0:1
#000000
#E9E6E8
Pass
h3 Our phone number16.95:13.0:1
#000000
#E9E6E8
Pass
h3 Our postal address16.95:13.0:1
#000000
#E9E6E8
Pass
title University of Readin…4.03:14.5:1
#000000
#D61926
Fail
div We use essential coo…4.03:14.5:1
#000000
#D61926
Fail
span Cookie Policy10.47:14.5:1
#000000
#EFA3A8
Pass
div . You can change you…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Preferences20.65:14.5:1
#000000
#FDFDFD
Pass
div .”4.40:14.5:1
#000000
#7F6C88
Fail
button Preferences13.20:14.5:1
#303030
#FFFFFF
Pass
button Decline1.00:14.5:1
#FFFFFF
#FFFFFF
Fail
button Accept1.00:14.5:1
#FFFFFF
#FFFFFF
Fail
a Skip to main content21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span CHOOSE A SUBJECT21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span 2026/2721.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span 2027/2821.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Undergraduates21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A
Heading Hierarchy
25 headings
PASS
25 headings
Warning::
Multiple H1 headings (5 found)
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
  • H1 Centenary 2026 Celebrating 100 years ofthe University of Reading
  • H1 Undergraduate Open Days Visit usbefore applying duplicate H1
  • H1 Subject taster days Explore our subjectswith taster sessions duplicate H1
  • H1 Global Sustainability Leaders Scholarship Up to 400 scholarships available, each worth £6,000 per year for high-achieving students duplicate H1
  • H1 100 looks good on us Shop our officialCentenary collection duplicate H1
  • H2 Are you ready?
  • H3 Great course options
  • H3 Explore student life
  • H3 Chat to our students
  • H3 Latest news
  • H3 Teaching and learning
  • H3 Accommodation
  • H3 A global outlook
  • H3 Business
  • H3 Study in Malaysia
  • H2 At a glance
  • H2 Ready for Reading?
  • H2 Visit Us
  • H3 How to find us
  • H4 Whiteknights campus
  • H4 London Road campus
  • H4 Greenlands campus
  • H3 Get connected
  • H3 Our phone number
  • H3 Our postal address

A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.

Why this matters

Multiple H1s blur the page's primary topic — screen-reader users and Google both prefer one H1.

Learn more ▾

HTML5's outline algorithm technically allows multiple H1s within sectioning content, but no browser implements it. In practice: one H1 per page. Use H2-H6 for subsections.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 25 images OK
PASS
All 25 images OK
Info::
20 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
5 image(s) with good alt text
25 images 5 good alt text 20 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
A+
Print Stylesheet
Print styles detected
PASS
Print styles detected
Info::
External print stylesheet detected
Got: ../homepage/web/files/dr-homepage/legacy-print.css
Print Stylesheet ✓ Print Optimized
Print stylesheet ../homepage/web/files/dr-homepage/legacy-print.css ✓Inline @media print Not detected ✗
A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 93/100 — 2 failing, 24 passed
PASS
93

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

ARIA

ARIA dialog elements without accessible names may prevent screen readers users from discerning the purpose of these elements. Learn how to make ARIA dialog elements more accessible.

Why this matters

Informational: a Permissions-Policy directive showing feature -> allowed origins.

Source: MDN Permissions-Policy

Failing Elements
We use essential cookies to make our site work. With your consent, we may also … div#termly-code-snippet-support > div > div.termly-styles-root-f9c495 > div.termly-styles-consent-banner-fa199d

These are opportunities to improve the usage of ARIA in your application which may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
#1 nav > ul > li > a
#2 nav > ul > li > a
#3 nav > ul > li > a
#4 nav > ul > li > a
BACK TO TOP div.wrapper > div.wrapper-footer > div.mobile-back-to-top > a

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Buttons have an accessible name
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links have a discernible name
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Skip links are focusable.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○Form elements have associated labels
○Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Identical links have the same purpose.
○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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