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Pure Accessibility Statement (UK)Pure Accessibility Statement (UK)
Accessibility statement for Pure
This accessibility statement applies to Pure (excluding Pure Portal, which is covered in a separate statement).
This website is run by Elsevier on behalf of our customer. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:
- change text spacing, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
- navigate most of the website using a keyboard
- reach all pages within the system using the global navigation that is consistent and does not create unexpected inputs
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
- Many of the images, icons and graphs are missing text equivalents
- In several areas issues arise when text is magnified to 200% or more (text overlapping or getting cut off)
- There is not a responsive view for most pages at small screen size
- Several custom areas do not have full keyboard support, most areas do not have a visible keyboard focus
- Many of the input areas do not have programmatically linked labels, may UI areas are not programmatically communicate their role or state
Feedback and contact information
If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: Irina Bischof at i.bischof@elsevier.com.
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille
- email i.bischof@elsevier.com
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 14 days.
If you cannot view the map on our ‘contact us’ page, call or email us here for directions.
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Elsevier is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard.
This website is not compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. The non-compliances and exemptions are listed below.
Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations
We are aware that there is a range of Pure functionality that is not yet accessible (see the list as of October 2022 below) and are working to improve this. The improvement lies primarily in rebuilding the Pure interface, which is a large project that we are currently going through.
Visuals | ||
WCAG 2.1 Checkpoint |
Supporting Features |
Remarks |
1.1.1: Non-Text Content (A) |
Does not support |
Most images, icons, and graphs are missing text equivalents.
Exceptions: Header: The 'X' close buttons for the Profile dialog and Switch User dialog do not have a text alternative. The help icon (e.g., next to Language Settings) in the Profile dialog does not have alternative text.
Side Navigation: The Add New icons do not have alternative text.
Master Data Overview: The ordering icon does not have alternative text.
Dashboard: The graphs do not communicate anything to assistive technology. The layout settings background images do not have alternative text.
Research Output Editor: The required icons do not have alternative text. The help icons do not have alternative text. There are several decorative icons that need null alt text.
Awards: The Pin icon does not have alternative text. The status icon for each award does not have alternative text. The favorite icon does not have alternative text. The ordering arrows for a sorted table header does not have alternative text.
Data Quality: The help icon, three dots options, merge, set as child, and set as distinct from target icons all do not have text alternatives.
Person Overview: The research network visualization only has the text accessible to AT, the connections between them do not have an alternative.
CV Module: The Up, Down, Move, Remove icons for CV sections do not have alternative text. The 'X' close buttons for section settings do not have alternative text. The Flag icon next to the first input within a settings modal does not have alternative text. |
1.3.3: Sensory Characteristics (A) |
Partially supports |
Content does not rely on sensory characteristics in almost all areas.
Exceptions: Awards: The Pin icon's programmatic description refers to the "Left Menu", which makes a spatial reference that is meaningless to AT.
|
1.4.1: Use of Color (A) |
Partially supports |
Color is not used as the only means of conveying information for most content. Exceptions: Person Overview: The Projects visualization does not communicate the starting/ending points within the button elements.
Research Output Editor: Numerous input errors are denoted purely with a change of background or border color to red.
Awards: The star icon uses only color to designate a favorited award. |
1.4.3: Color Contrast (Minimum) (AA) |
Partially supports |
Most text has enough contrast with its corresponding background.
Exceptions: Header: "User Profile" text in the profile dialog does not have enough contrast at 2.33:1. Light gray text in the Switch User dialog does not have enough contrast at 2.33:1 and 2.75:1. The plain white text on green background does not have enough contrast at 2.99:1.
Side Navigation: The white text on light blue background for the current page does not have enough contrast at 3.8:1.
Dashboard: The #999 gray text on light gray background does not have enough contrast at 2.64:1.
Research Output Editor: #999 gray text on white does not have enough contrast at 2.85:1. Left-side heading text (e.g. Edit, Overview) does not have enough contrast at 1.86:1.
Awards: #999 gray text on white does not have enough contrast at 2.85:1.
Person Overview: The project type gray text in the project dialog does not have enough contrast at 2.85:1.
CV Module: #999 light gray text does not have enough contrast at 2.85:1. The Add Section white on green text does not have enough contrast at 3.03:1. |
1.4.4: Resize Text (AA) Text can be enlarged up to 200% without loss of functionality. |
Does not support |
Text in several places such as the Header can overlap at 200% magnification. Several modal dialogs are cut off at 200% magnification. Some areas of content are cut off, such as the table on Awards. Some pages, such as Dashboard and Person Overview do not run into this issue. |
1.4.10 Reflow (AA) (2.1) Vertical scrolling content at a width equivalent to 320 CSS pixels; Horizontal scrolling content at a height equivalent to 256 CSS pixels. |
Does not support |
There is not a responsive view for most pages at small screen sizes. Person Overview has a responsive view, but only to a certain degree. |
(2.1) |
Partially supports |
Most UI components and graphical objects pass the minimum contrast ratio of 3:1.
Exceptions: Header: The borders of the search box do not have enough contrast at around 1.5:1. The bounding box of the custom checkboxes do not have enough contrast at 1.68:1.
Master Data Overview: The ordering icons do not have enough contrast at 2.52:1.
Dashboard: Some of the lighter color choices for the pie charts do not have enough contrast (light green, light purple, etc.). The section options that appear on hover do not have enough contrast at 1.61:1.
Dashboard: The custom checkboxes and radio buttons do not have enough contrast at 1.68:1. The text input boxes do not have enough contrast at 1.21:1.
Research Output Editor: The bounding box of the custom checkboxes and radio buttons do not have enough contrast at 1.68:1. The bounding boxes of the text inputs do not have enough contrast at 1.59:1.
Awards: The 'X' icon for removing a filter does not have enough contrast. The status icon, the unfilled star icon, and the properties gear do not have enough contrast.
CV Module: The bounding box of the custom checkboxes do not have enough contrast at 1.68:1. The bounding boxes of the text inputs do not have enough contrast at 1.59:1. The bounding boxes of the dropdowns do not have enough contrast at 1.18:1. |
1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (AA) (2.1) Where receiving and then removing pointer hover or keyboard focus triggers additional content to become visible and then hidden, the following are true:
Dismissable Hoverable Persistent |
Partially supports |
There are a few instances of content that appears on hover, and they are usually not hoverable.
Exceptions: Dashboard: The SVG graphs have content that appears on hover that is not hoverable.
Data Quality: The tooltips on this page (e.g. help icon, merge icon, etc.) are not hoverable. |
Keyboard | ||
WCAG 2.1 Checkpoint |
Supporting Features |
Remarks |
1.3.2: Meaningful Sequence (A) The correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined |
Partially supports |
The correct reading sequence is logical with the DOM order matching the visual order in most areas. Exceptions: Awards: The filter, table header, table row gear, and View column dropdowns do not immediately follow their respective activating elements in the DOM. |
2.1.1: Keyboard (A) All functionality is available from a keyboard, except for tasks such as drawing |
Does not support |
Some content is keyboard operable. Several custom areas do not have proper keyboard support.
Exceptions: Header: The logo link cannot be reached by keyboard. The Navigation dropdowns cannot be activated by keyboard. The checkboxes within the Profile modal cannot be activated with the spacebar. Using arrow keys to change the option of the Minimum appearance time in the Accessibility popup should not move the page up/down.
Side Navigation: The Add New '+' icons cannot be reached by keyboard unless they are already visible.
Master Data Overview: The ordering dropdown cannot be shown when using the keyboard.
Dashboard: Users cannot use arrow keys to move between radio buttons (settings). The SVG graphs are not keyboard interactive. The section options that appear on hover cannot be reached by keyboard. Users cannot move objects around the dashboard with the keyboard alone.
Research Output Editor: Users cannot move between radio buttons with the arrow keys. The help icons cannot be reached by keyboard. The expand/collapse Notifications element cannot be reached by keyboard.
Awards: The page size dropdown cannot be reached by keyboard. The Star icons cannot be reached by keyboard. The properties gears cannot be reached by keyboard unless they are already visible. The award titles are not keyboard operable.
Reporting: Moving between the Tips and Tricks and Release Highlights options with arrow keys should not cause the page to move focus up/down.
Data Quality: The help icon is not keyboard operable. The tooltips that appear for various icons on the page do not appear on keyboard focus. The more options buttons for each table can be reached, but do not appear visually on focus. The entity links themselves cannot be reached by keyboard.
Person Overview: The Research Network visualization cannot be interacted with via keyboard. The "Remove all" button for the relations graph cannot be reached by keyboard.
CV Module: The custom checkboxes cannot be activated with the spacebar. The content that appears on hover (Add section, move section, remove section, edit section, etc.) cannot be reached by keyboard unless it is already visible. Users cannot reach the section options in the Add Section modal. |
Users can tab through the elements of a page in a logical order |
Partially supports |
Tab order is logical on the site in most areas. Most of the modal dialogs do not manage focus properly.
Exceptions: Header: Focus should be placed into the Accessibility and Profile dialogs upon activation. All of the header dialogs should restrict focus until they are closed. When the Profile and Switch User modals are closed, they should return focus to the activating element.
Side Navigation: All of the links should not have tabindex values greater than 0.
Dashboard: Users should not reach the disabled navigation options (when settings is open).
Research Output Editor: The submission error modal does not restrict focus.
Awards: Several dropdowns are not reached directly after their activating element in the tab order.
Data Quality: Users should not use arrow keys to move between the filter checkboxes.
CV Module: The Add/Create/Edit section modals does not restrict focus. |
2.4.7: Focus Visible (AA) The page element with the current keyboard focus has a visible focus indicator |
Does not support |
Some elements have a custom visible focus; however, most elements are missing a focus entirely.
Exceptions: Header: In the Navigation dropdowns, all of the links need a visible focus. In the Profile modal, the expand/collapse buttons need a visible focus.
Side Navigation: The Add New '+' icons do not have a visible focus.
Master Data Overview: Most of the links on the page, such as the category links and their subsequent item links do not have a visible focus.
Dashboard: Most of the content on the page does not have a visible focus (except for input elements such as checkboxes).
Awards: Most of the content on the page does not have a visible focus (except for input elements and the filtering options).
Reporting: The Add Existing Workplace as Template button does not have a visible focus.
Data Quality: The focus used for the expand/collapse buttons does not have a strong enough focus.
Person Overview: Inventory items such as Research output articles, chapters, books, Invited talks, etc. do not have a visible focus. Project buttons do not have a visible focus. When using the text input to remove certain relations, the cursor is not visible once moved from its default spot. In a project dialog, the project name and the graph icons do not have a visible focus.
CV Module: The individual Type options in section settings modals do not have a visible focus. |
Headers and Structure | ||
WCAG 2.1 Checkpoint |
Supporting Features |
Remarks |
1.3.1: Information and Relationships (A) Info, structure, and relationships can be programmatically determined |
Partially supports |
Headings are rarely used. Unordered lists are typically used to group related content. Landmarks are used in several places.
Exceptions: Tables should not be used for presentation when the same effect can be achieved through standard HTML elements and CSS positioning.
Embedded iframes, such as the one in the profile popup, need a title attribute to name the content.
Master Data Overview: Each of the categories should have a heading.
Research Output Editor: There are no headings on the page.
Awards: The award title table cells should be row headers with scope="row". The column table headers should then have scope="col".
Reporting: Headings skip levels from 1 to 3 on this page.
Data Quality: The entity names should be h3s. The table headers should not be headings. Empty table headers need some kind of text as an accessible name. The entity names should be row headers with scope="row", and the column headers should have scope="col".
CV Module: The settings modals do not have any headings. |
Users can bypass repeated blocks of content. |
Partially supports |
Headings and landmarks exist on most pages, allowing screen reader users to skip repetitive content. Only a couple of pages have skip links.
Exceptions: Most pages do not have a skip link. |
The language of the page is specified |
Partially supports |
The language is defined as lang="en-GB" on most pages.
Exceptions: Research Output Editor: The page has no language defined.
CV Module: The page has no language defined. |
Labeling | ||
WCAG 2.1 Checkpoint |
Supporting Features |
Remarks |
The page has a title describing its topic or purpose |
Partially supports |
The title changes accordingly for most pages and is typically descriptive.
Exceptions: Reporting: The page does not have a descriptive page title.
Data Quality: The page does not have a descriptive page title.
Person Overview: The page does not have a descriptive page title. |
2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context) (A) The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text or surrounding context. |
Partially supports |
Most links used have an identifiable purpose from the link text or surrounding context.
Exceptions: Many links across the site open in new windows or tabs, which are not communicated in the link text.
Side Navigation: The Add New '+' links need proper link text that includes a description of what new things is being added.
Master Data Overview: Each item link should include their associated number in the link text. |
(2.1) For user interface components with labels that include text or images of text, the name contains the text that is presented visually. |
Partially supports |
Most user interface components have the visible label as the first part of the programmatic label.
Exceptions: |
3.3.1: Error Identification (A) Input errors are clearly marked and described to the user. |
Partially supports |
Input errors are presented visually, but not always programmatically.
Exceptions: Research Output Editor: Errors are presented with only a color change in numerous areas. Errors are not included in the label or description for any input fields. Required fields are not set programmatically. |
3.3.2: Labels and Instructions (A) Items requiring user input are clearly labeled or have clear instructions. |
Does not support |
Most input areas have visible labels, but are almost always not programmatically linked.
Exceptions: Header: The checkboxes and text input fields within the Profile dialog do not have any labels. The switch user text input does not have a label.
Dashboard: All input elements on the page (checkboxes, text inputs, radios, select dropdowns) are missing proper labels.
Research Output Editor: All input elements on the page (checkboxes, text inputs, radios, select dropdowns) are missing proper labels.
Awards: Custom checkboxes are missing proper labels. Text inputs are missing labels (placeholders are not sufficient).
Data Quality: The search text input does not have a proper label (placeholders are not sufficient). The entity checkboxes in the table do not have labels.
CV Module: The custom checkboxes do not have proper labels. All of the text inputs and select dropdowns do not have any labels. |
For all UI components, the name, value, and role can be programmatically determined. |
Does not support |
Most UI elements do not communicate their role or state appropriately. Many elements are miscast.
Exceptions: All modal dialogs or popups that restrict focus need role="dialog" and aria-modal="true", with a proper label.
Header: The Profile and Switch User links should be buttons. The elements that open the navigation dropdowns need to be buttons. The 'X' close elements in the Profile and Switch User popups should be buttons and need proper accessible names. The toggle help icons should be buttons.
Master Data Overview: The "More" links should be buttons and indicate what they are showing more of.
Dashboard: The sub-navigation options should be button elements with aria-expanded attributes. The Edit, Zoom, and remove elements for each dashboard section needs a proper label and should be a button.
Research Output Editor: Custom checkboxes and radio buttons need proper roles and ARIA. Expand/collapse elements need aria-expanded. The toggle help icons should be buttons. The 'X' close elements for any modal dialogs should be buttons and need proper accessible names.
Awards: Numerous elements that open dropdowns or expand content should be button elements. All UI icons need proper accessible names.
Reporting: The Tips and Tricks and Release Highlights components should be ARIA tabs instead of a Tree.
Data Quality: The group names should be ARIA tabs instead of a Tree. The filter checkboxes should just be checkboxes, not an ARIA tree. Expand/Collapse buttons should state what element they are expanding or collapsing, and also need aria-expanded="true/false". The more options buttons for the table and each row do not have labels and need aria-expanded.
Person Overview: FAAR Download button should have aria-haspopup="true". The project buttons in the visualization should have start/end dates in the label. The remove all graph relations element should be a button. There is no role or descriptive labelling given to the graph relation list buttons.
CV Module: The custom checkboxes need a role of checkbox and ARIA to describe its current state. Section option buttons (Up, Down, Move, Remove) need to be button elements and need proper labels. The Edit section link needs to be a button. Add Section should be a button. The 'X' close button for section settings modals needs a proper label and should be a button. The select dropdowns are coded as links, and do not communicate their state to AT. The Display Ordering dropdown options use an arrow to indicate ascending or descending, which isn't descriptive for AT. |
Multimedia | ||
WCAG 2.1 Checkpoint |
Supporting Features |
Remarks |
1.2.1: Audio-only or Video-only (Prerecorded) (A) Provide alternatives for pre-recorded audio-only or video-only content. |
Does not support |
There are playable animations on the Reporting Page, showing release highlights. These do not have any text or audio alternatives. |
Usability | ||
WCAG 2.1 Checkpoint |
Supporting Features |
Remarks |
Users are warned of time limits shorter than 20 hours and time limits can be turned off or extended |
Partially support |
There is a session timeout and there is no way for users to extend. As long as the window to Pure is open and the user's computer does not go to sleep, the session will not timeout. |
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
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.
Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
Live video
We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
What we are doing to improve accessibility
We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of Pure.
Our approach to improving accessibility
The accessibility issues described above span all of Pure, this means that attempting fixing the issues one by one in all areas of Pure where they occur would lead to longer times for the customer to see a tangible improvement. Instead, we are prioritising accessibility work on areas which are used by most customers. In view of this, we have prioritised the most used editors to be made accessible first. (Note: editors are the general forms all users encounter when either searching for, or adding, data to a record, i.e. research output type editor).
Improvements made in the past 12 months
The new header in Pure (standard from October 2024), is fully accessible, and serves as the launch pad for all users in Pure. For all React-based components and screens, the new header has also allowed us to boost our accessibility scores to 100 (using LightHouse audits). The pages below were all built and improved using our growing library of React components and patterns, which also serves as the basis for all our editor refresh strategies.
Page |
Last score |
New score |
CDF config |
96 |
100 |
Data Quality |
97 |
100 |
Metrics config |
96 |
100 |
Open access config |
96 |
100 |
OrgResolver config |
96 |
100 |
PUX |
97 |
100 |
Image licensing config |
96 |
100 |
Improvements planned for the next 12 months
The first editor to undergo a major transformation to using React is the external organisation editor, currently in beta, and this editor serves as the template for all other editors. We expect the new editor pattern to be out of beta in early 2025, with updates to other content type editors to happen on a rolling basis, with eventual completion in 2026. Each editor will be fully accessible on release, and all testing thus far has included full accessibility audits at each step.
Improvements planned for the next three years
Our current editors rely on JSF framework for the frontend, and within the next 3 years we expect to have sunsetted JSF throughout Pure. This also includes all overview screens/lists and administrator pages being updated to React.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on the 24th of June 2024. It was last reviewed on the 11th of July 2024.
This website (Pure version 5.25) was last tested on the 25th of October 2022 against the WCAG 2.1 AA standard.
The test was carried out by the Elsevier accessibility team using the following key tools and methods: Hands-on keyboard operation, Firebug/Code inspection, Firefox Web Developer Toolbar (removing style sheets), JAWS 18 on Mozilla Firefox 63 and MS IE 11 on Windows 10, NVDA screen reader v2019.2.1, Wave Extension, Color Contrast Analyzer, W3C WAI Pages
You can read the full accessibility test report here.
Updated at July 27, 2024