Technology Accessibility Standards

Summary

Purpose & scope

These standards specify the minimum level of accessibility required for technology, including digital products, services, and hardware. They aim to ensure that technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, is accessible and interoperable with assistive technologies used by staff and audiences. They also outline where exceptions might be applied and the process to follow to obtain dispensation. 

Target audience

• BBC staff and departments procuring technology.
• Vendors supplying or intending to supply technology for use by BBC staff or audiences.

Impact on risk

These standards mitigate risks associated with:

• Procurement of technology by reducing the risk of staff or audiences being unable to use products due to inaccessibility.
• Legal duty by supporting compliance with the Equality Act 2010, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Northern Ireland), and any applicable accessibility legislation in regions outside the United Kingdom where the BBC operates.
• Public service commitment by ensuring technology aligns with the BBC Charter commitment to serve all audiences.
• Talent diversity strategy by supporting the BBC’s aims to increase the proportion of staff with disabilities.

1  Standards purpose and scope 

1.1     Audience and purpose

These standards are for the use of BBC staff who procure technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, and vendors who supply or intend to supply technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, to the BBC. They ensure that all technology conforms to internationally recognised accessibility standards.

The standards outline:

• The legal obligations to which the BBC and external vendors must adhere to support people with disabilities.
• The required BBC accessibility standards for technology, including digital products, services, and hardware.

1.2     Accessibility, procurement, and inclusion

The BBC is committed to equality and inclusion for all. It aims to provide leadership in the field of accessibility and to ensure disabled staff are fully engaged in their day-to-day duties through the use of appropriate assistive technologies.

These standards aim to ensure that technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, is interoperable with the assistive technologies deployed by the BBC. They also aim to ensure that any technology brought onto the BBC estate conforms to internationally recognised accessibility standards. The BBC’s target is to increase the percentage of deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent BBC staff to 14%. Any technology procured for use by BBC staff should align with these aims.

The BBC is also committed to ensuring that audience-facing technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, is accessible to all audiences, including disabled people.

1.3     BBC staff require accessibility compliance

We require, on behalf of any BBC staff member who has an access need and relies on:

a)    an assistive technology from the BBC staff-supported assistive technologies list, or

b)    any accessibility feature or setting listed in the BBC staff core accessibility features and settings,

(Or any combination of the above) that the member of staff can complete standard tasks at a speed and with ease-of-use equivalent to a non-disabled user.

1.4     BBC audiences require accessibility compliance

All audience-facing technology should:

• Remove barriers to access for disabled users.
• Facilitate inclusion and participation across all BBC digital services.
• Address accessibility at every stage of design, development, delivery, and maintenance.

1.5     Accessibility compliance is required for technology, including digital products, services, and hardware

Technology such as digital products, services, and hardware includes but is not limited to:

• Websites
• Web application software or mobile applications and/or services, including tools, games, and digital learning experiences
• Desktop applications
• A Web or digital user interface which is a component of a wider service or product
• Training materials or guides accompanying a product or service
• Digital documents such as Microsoft file formats (e.g. docx, xlsx, pptx) or PDFs
• Digital media content such as video or audio content
• Digital communications channels including emails and social media content
• Hardware, e.g. Braille devices or other user interface devices
• XR experiences
• Online live events

2  Terms and definitions

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 are based on four design principles:

1. Perceivable
2. Operable
3. Understandable
4. Robust

2.1     Perceivable

Perceivability means the user can identify content and interface elements by means of the senses. For many users, this means perceiving a system primarily visually, while for others, perceivability may be a matter of sound or touch. New and emerging technologies may include sensory cues for smell and taste; these would also be considered examples of “perceivable” technology.

2.2     Operable

Operability means that a user can successfully use controls, buttons, navigation, and other necessary interactive elements. For many users, this means identifying an interface control visually, and then clicking, tapping, or swiping. For other users, using a computer keyboard or voice commands may be the only means by which they can operate and control the interface.

2.3     Understandable

Understandable technology is consistent in its presentation and format, predictable in its design and usage patterns, concise, multimodal, and appropriate to the audience in its voice and tone. Users should be able to comprehend the content and learn and remember how to use the interface.

2.4     Robust

Robust means standards-compliant and designed to function on all appropriate technologies. Users should be able to choose the technology they use to interact with websites, online documents, multimedia, and other information formats.

3  Roles and responsibilities

The Digital Accessibility Team is responsible for verifying that technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, is accessible. The team assesses the risk of non-compliance with these standards for technology and is responsible for approving and issuing any Exceptions to Policy (EtP). It is the responsibility of the appropriate manager or risk owner to ensure compliance with all and any other policies relating to the procurement or development of technology on behalf of the BBC.

4  Processes relevant to managing the risk

4.1      Supported assistive technologies list for BBC staff

This list includes assistive technologies used by BBC staff and can be used as a minimal benchmark during the procurement process. i.e. Does the application work as expected in conjunction with the assistive technology software below?

Please note that this list may not include the full scope of assistive technologies and devices used by BBC staff. Hardware will be subject to accessibility testing based on proposed implementations.

Windows 11

• JAWS 2025 screen reader software
• ZoomText 2025 screen magnifier software
• Fusion 2025 combined screen magnifier and screen reader software
• Dragon speech recognition 16

macOS

All inbuilt macOS accessibility features.

iOS

All inbuilt iOS accessibility features.

4.2     Supported assistive technologies list for BBC audiences

Technology for the use of BBC audiences, including digital products, services, and hardware, should support a broad range of commonly used assistive technologies, including but not limited to the most recent versions of:

• Inbuilt accessibility features, such as those found on Apple, Android, and Windows devices
• JAWS screen reader software
• NVDA screen reader software

4.3     Testing with baseline assistive technologies

While adhering to international standards (WCAG 2.2 level AA) and testing with the baseline of assistive technologies, features, and settings is a solid foundation for accessibility, the BBC cannot guarantee that additional issues will not be identified by the BBC Digital Accessibility Team.

The BBC Digital Accessibility Team will liaise with external vendors of technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, about any accessibility issues identified.

Please note, there are differences between macOS assistive technologies and Windows, which could mean some issues are not identified if technology is not tested against both operating systems.

4.4     Core accessibility requirements

Testing using assistive technologies will identify many accessibility issues. However, it does not represent the full list of accessibility heuristics required to ensure a user interface is accessible. Please refer to international standards (WCAG 2.2 level AA) for a full description of the requirements to be met.

5  Details of Key Controls and requirements to be implemented

5.1     Legal Requirements

To promote equality and inclusion for all and to comply with the BBC’s legal obligations, all technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, must meet certain accessibility standards as a minimum.

The BBC has a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (in Northern Ireland) not to discriminate against people with disabilities. This includes a duty to make reasonable adjustments and to provide auxiliary aids to counter any disadvantage that a person would otherwise experience by reason of their disability.

5.2     Standards and user requirements

All technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, for use by BBC staff or audiences should achieve WCAG 2.2 level AA conformance throughout the life cycle of the product or duration of the contract.

In some instances, other relevant accessibility standards, such as BBC Mobile Accessibility Guidelines (MAG), BBC Games Framework (Games GEL), Game Accessibility Guidelines, Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG), or EN 301 549 may be specified at the point of procurement, instead of or in addition to WCAG.

Hardware will be subject to accessibility testing by the BBC based on proposed implementations.

These are general standards. Conformance with international standards (WCAG 2.2 level AA), testing, and meeting the baseline requirement of assistive technologies, features, and settings is a solid foundation but does not guarantee that technology will be accessible to all users. The BBC may identify additional issues and require the vendor to address these. We may also require specific accessibility functions or features for particular implementations.

5.3     Expectation upon Vendors

Vendors must:

• Self-certify that technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, will conform to the WCAG 2.2 Level AA standard, in addition to any further accessibility requirements specified by the BBC, prior to or by contract award. Accessibility documentation such as an Accessibility Conformance Report (ARC, sometimes called a VPAT or Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) or an accessibility audit report may be provided if available.
• Demonstrate capability to maintain conformance with accessibility standards throughout the contract.

5.4     Upgrades, iterations, and replacements

The accessibility of technology, including digital products, services, and hardware, must improve or at a minimum be maintained for the duration of the contract, including when technology is upgraded or replaced. Any accessibility regressions must be remediated within a period that is to be agreed through the Exceptions to Policy (EtP) process, but which may have a maximum length of 6 months.

6  Resources that may be relevant to managing the risk

Delivering accessibility and accessible products goes beyond supporting assistive technology. It requires a holistic and personal approach to delivering technology (including digital products, services, and hardware) to users in a way most suited to their individual needs.

6.1     Find out more 

• VPAT 2.5 Accessibility Conformance Report for WCAG 2.2
• How to design for accessibility – BBC Global Experience Language
• A Table of Universal Shortcuts – BBC Megapedia
• Guidance for developers building accessible websites – BBC Global Experience Language
• User Experience and Design (UXD) Resources – BBC Global Experience Language
• You Belong: BBC Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Strategy
• Accessibility Standards Overview – W3C

7  Exceptions to Policy (EtP) process

Any exceptions to these standards must be obtained from the Digital Accessibility Team. Without a BBC Accessibility dispensation ID being issued, a dispensation is not considered as approved.

7.1     Exceptions process

Requests for dispensation must be submitted to the Digital Accessibility Team, who will review the business justification, assess the risk, and advise on any action to be taken before issuing any recommendations, for example the requirement of a roadmap. Once the Digital Accessibility Team receives confirmation that the risk has been signed off by the risk owner, a BBC Accessibility dispensation ID will be assigned.

7.2     Changes or extensions

Any changes or extensions to the original dispensation request must be reported to the Digital Accessibility Team so that the request can be reassessed.

8  Document control

8.1 Archive history