Accessibility

We’re committed to making research that we publish accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Designing our digital platforms so that they can be easily used by all and adopting world-leading standards, we’ve made accessibility our priority. Read on to learn more about what we do.

Quicklinks

Our accessibility statement

What is an accessibility statement?

An accessibility statement explains the accessibility of digital content or a website, with information to guide users such as:

• Accessibility technology and alternative formats available 
• Accessibility policies and standards 
• How to contact the company if you encounter problems 

Disabilities can take many forms including visual, motor, cognitive and auditory. A clear accessibility statement helps students and staff understand what parts of a website users can access and which require alternative formats.

As a librarian, it’s likely you’ll be supporting hundreds of new students each year in accessing content from their reading lists, so having this information clearly available and signposted is key.

Bookmark our accessibility statement

Supporting WCAG standards

What are WCAG standards?

WCAG standards are set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), a globally adopted standard ensuring websites are useful to all. The guidelines are widely accepted as the gold standard for digital accessibility. We employ a variety of tools to ensure our platforms and websites work towards achieving level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG).

New developments to Taylor & Francis Online have been implemented in line with the Four Principles of Accessibility, put forward by WCAG. They suggest that content should be:

• Perceivable
• Operable
• Understandable
• Robust

Developments made in line with WCAG standards ensure the platform works seamlessly for those using popular screen readers, and we’ve integrated functionality to improve access for those without assistive technology.

Our platform has also been audited as part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance and Association of Southeastern Research Libraries third-party accessibility evaluations. We’ve used results from these accessibility audits to guide various developments to the site.

Taylor & Francis Online accessibility features

Some of the accessibility features on Taylor & Francis Online include:

• A text-to-speech Readspeaker function, making research more accessible to a wider range of readers
• Online content delivered in EPUB format through eReader gives a more interactive reading experience
• Screen resizing options for easier use on mobile devices
• Content is navigable via the keyboard, without needing to use a mouse
• Text descriptions for images and graphics so those using screen readers don’t miss out
• Pages have a “go to top” link making it easier to navigate through the site
• Navigation links are consistent across pages, so users can understand the layout of the entire website

Watch our video below to learn more.

What is Readspeaker?

Readspeaker allows users to highlight text in any journal article and listen to it via an audio function. The tool also enables users to download an MP3 recording of the article in a choice of 15 different languages. Try it out for yourself.

What is eReader?

Our new eReader gives users the ability to read journal articles in EPUB (electronic publication) format. EPUB files automatically adapt to different screen sizes, depending on the device being used – an important development considering that mobile phone usage has increased by 42% in the last year. Following a successful trial, eReader is now available on all Taylor & Francis journals.