If you would like information on our website translated into another language, you can use the Reachdeck software on it (see more in our question and answer below). This can translate information into many different languages, some of which are available as read aloud.

Click on the Reachdeck icon on the top left of your screen to use the translation facility. It’s a blue circle with a figure of a person in it.

Then choose the translation symbol (see right) and the language you want by clicking the down arrow.

The software will remember the language you chose when you return to the website.

This website has been developed to be as accessible as possible and we regularly work on it to make it so. However, we know some parts of this website aren’t fully accessible:

• A few older PDF documents aren’t fully accessible to screen reader software.
• Some images may not have a text. alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information.
• Captions on some older videos are autogenerated by YouTube and may not be completely accurate.
• Some controls on pages – this may include links, buttons, and fields – do not show when they have been selected by the keyboard.
• Some content may be difficult to navigate using a screen reader.

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 the details at the bottom of this page.

We’ll consider your request and get back to you as soon as possible.

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that aren’t listed on this page or think we’re not meeting the requirements of the accessibility regulations, contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this page.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the accessibility regulations.

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

DiAS is committed to making its website accessible, under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed in the sections below.

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

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Some PDF documents published since September 2018 aren’t fully accessible to screen reader software. Content is being moved online and PDFs are being reviewed and will be accessible as soon as possible. Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Some images do not have a text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information. We plan to add text alternatives for all images as soon as possible. When we publish new content, we will make sure our use of images meets accessibility standards.

Some controls on the pages, such as buttons and links, can’t be seen when selected. We are working to change this as soon as we can. When we publish new content, we will make sure our use of controls meets accessibility standards.

On some pages it can be difficult to skip straight to the content you want. We are working to change this as soon as we can. When we publish new content, we will make sure users can skip straight to the content they want and that this meets accessibility standards.

Some content does not have enough colour contrast, so people with moderate visual impairments may struggle to read it and some links are not distinct enough and may be difficult for people with moderate visual impairments to read. When we publish new content, we will make sure our use of contrast meets accessibility standards.

PDFs and other documents

Many of our older PDFs and Word documents do not meet accessibility standards – for example, they may not be structured so they’re accessible to a screen reader.

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. For example, we don’t plan to fix ‘What if we can’t agree?’ This and other PDFs on this website were designed as print-ready leaflets/brochures, which have been added to the website to supplement online content. We’ve assessed them and believe that they do not provide essential information about the service that isn’t available through other accessible methods.

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

Videos

A few of our older videos lack captions and do not meet accessibility standards. The accessibility regulations do not require us to add captions to videos produced before 23 September 2020 if they’re not essential to providing our services. Any new videos we publish will meet accessibility standards.

External links

This website may link to third-party, external websites or services that are not fully accessible.

We provide training to all content authors to ensure new content is accessible. We monitor this website weekly and we aim to address any issues promptly.

We will be reviewing this site regularly and updating this statement accordingly.

This statement was prepared on 15 October 2020. It was last reviewed on 15 October 2020.

125 pages of this website are audited for WCAG 2.1 compliance issues using a third-party automated service on a weekly basis. All pages are audited on an annual basis.

For any enquiries about the accessibility of this website, you can contact us by:

• emailing devonias@devon.org.uk
• calling 01392 383080
• post at DiAS, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, EX2 7NL

British Sign Language users can contact us to arrange an online interpreter who will relay your conversation with an appropriate member of staff, and then sign back to you their response to your questions.

We have added digital inclusion software called Reachdeck to our website. It has reading support and can translate pages into other languages to help make the website easier to use. It should help if you have dyslexia, find reading difficult, have sight problems or have English as a second language.

Click on the Reachdeck button or launchpad that appears on the top left of your screen to launch the support toolbar.  Then simply click on any of the functions to get started.

How does Reachdeck help?

Reachdeck offers reading and translation support. The toolbar has the following choices:

• text-to-speech: click on or select any text to hear it read aloud
• translation: written and spoken translations in multiple languages
• a dictionary function to explain unfamiliar words
• text magnification: makes the text bigger and reads it out loud
• makes mp3 files : converts any text you have selected into an MP3 audio file for you to listen to
• screen mask: blocks distractions on the screen with a tinted mask
• web page simplifier: takes away clutter from the screen and shows only the main text
• change the settings: you can customise the site to meet your needs