Accessibility Statement
for The Oxford Dictionaries API Developer Portal

Our commitment to accessibility

At Oxford University Press, we always seek to make our products accessible to and inclusive of all our users, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive, or motor impairments.

To support these goals, we follow the general principles of web usability and universal design and, where feasible, endeavour to make our platforms and services accessible to all regardless of physical or cognitive impairment or the device used.

How accessible is the Developer Portal?

We are currently targeting adherence to level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) 2.1 AA, to help our users take full advantage of the accessibility features provided by their chosen device, web browser or operating system.

We do recognise that some parts of the website are not fully accessible:

  • Text alternatives are not always present for non-text content
  • Further information needed about content structure, which can affect how content is viewed in different formats
  • Limited navigation cues to help users find content or understand their location within the site
  • Presentation improvements required on some pages to make content easier to perceive. These include:
    • Use of colour
    • Text size
    • Using text instead of images containing text
    • Retaining key information when the screen is zoomed to 400%
    • Non-persistent tooltips and pop-up behaviour

We have made the following improvements to our sites:

  • Improved clear, simple language for labels and instructions throughout the website so that it is easier to understand and complete actions correctly like filling out forms
  • Enhanced visual presentation of text; ensuring contrast ratio supports content being able to be perceived well
  • All UI components are provided with the correct names, roles, states and values to support compatibility with assistive technologies
  • Improving keyboard focus and transitions so journeys are efficient and fluent

To support the ever evolving needs to provide accessible services, OUP are committed to delivering new platforms that can support the needs of all our users and support a structured way to resolve known issues and be capable to future needs as they arise.

How we test this website

The Developer Portal uses a combination of automated accessibility monitoring tools and subject matter experts to routinely complete manual testing using a screen reader and accessible behaviours to identify areas for accessibility improvements across all user journeys. This approach supports ongoing tracking and enhancement of accessibility.

Any issues identified are added to our development roadmap for remediation at the earliest opportunity. Using agile delivery methods allows for critical or significant enhancements to user experiences being released at regular intervals.

The Oxford Dictionaries API team has taken steps to embed accessibility considerations throughout our development process. This means that every time we consider a new feature or functionality, or a change to an existing feature, ensuring that the feature is fully accessible for all users is front and centre in our planning and analysis.

We also work closely with our external development partners to ensure that they are fully invested in our commitment to accessibility for all.

Feedback and contact information

Our commitment to providing accessible and inclusive content is an ongoing activity. If you have any comments or insights on accessibility that you would like to share with us to help us in this mission, please contact api@oxforddictionaries.com