Accessibility statement for MyUoY app

This accessibility statement applies to the MyUoY Mobile App which is available for both iOS and Android devices via the App and Play Stores.   We want as many people as possible to be able to use this mobile application. This statement was written for the MyUoY app from version 3.1.0 onward as of 7 July 2026.

This mobile application is intended for use by current students and staff of the University of York requires a University email account to log in). Selected features (Map, Campus Explore, Feedback) are available to visitors to campus and do not require a login.

Make your device easier to use. The My Computer My Way website has advice on how to use accessibility features on your phone, tablet or computer and can be searched by need as well as device operating system. 

How accessible this mobile application is

We evaluate this mobile application on a regular basis against WCAG 2.2 AA standards. We know that currently some parts of this mobile application may not work for everyone and some parts of MyUoY are not yet fully accessible.  For example:

• The MyUoY app does not fully support text resizing up to 200% - while resizing is supported, we know that 200% text causes issues with some of the text elements, especially on smaller devices.
• The MyUoY app uses toast messages to inform users of the result from their action (eg adding an event to schedule). Currently, this toast message is time limited (2.5 seconds) which may make it less helpful for users who rely on assistive technology or might need more time to process the message.
• There is currently a bug in the Schedule feature that affects performance when in accessibility mode (TalkBack and VoiceOver) meaning that is sometimes possible for the calendar tray to become stuck.  This does not stop functionality being accessed (as the information remains accessible with scroll and access to filters and refresh is unaffected) but we recognise the issue and are working to resolve it.
• The Checklists feature in MyUoY does not have optimal performance with screen readers.
• The bottom sheet component which is used in some places in MyUoY to allow selection from a menu of items does not have optimal performance with screen readers.

Specific technical details on where we are not fully meeting accessibility standards are listed below (Non-accessible content). As part of our regular evaluation, we are identifying improvements to add to our product development backlog.

Feedback and contact information

The University of York is committed to making all aspects of university life accessible. Development of this mobile application is coordinated by the Directorate of IT Services. We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this mobile application.  If you find any problems not listed in this statement or you think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements you can report these issues to us and we’ll do our best to take action.

Reporting accessibility problems with this mobile application

To reach IT Services with an accessibility query or enquiry relating to MyUoY you can email itsupport@york.ac.uk. We try to provide an initial reply to emails in three business days. Users are also welcome to submit feedback on MyUoY using the in-app Feedback feature.

If you would like to learn more, further information on the University of York’s approach to digital accessibility is available.

Enforcement procedure

In the first instance, University of York students and applicants unhappy with our response to reporting of an accessibility issue can follow our complaints 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 MyUoY’s accessibility

Compliance status

This mobile application is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and the exemptions listed below.

Non accessible content

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Non-text content

The MyUoY app contains some decorative images that do not have an alt text attribute marking them as such. This means assistive technology might not know to ignore them (WCAG 1.1.1 however we believe the majority are ignored by default in React Native (the coding language in which the front-end/user interface of MyUoY is written). Decorative images are used in the Latest News items, Discovery screen, and Campus Explore screen. 

Orientation

The MyUoY app does not currently fully support landscape mode, meaning users are currently restricted to portrait view (WCAG 1.3.4) or enabling landscape mode manually on selected features such as the library and loyalty cards. We are currently investigating a change that will allow us to provide a simple landscape mode and are planning to release this in MyUoY 3.2.0 in July.

Resize text

The MyUoY app does not fully support resizing text up to 200% (WCAG 1.4.4) on iOS devices. While parts of the app will likely render correctly (eg library card, schedule), there are areas that may cause difficulty when text is resized to 200%. Resizing to around 135% is generally possible. If you are experiencing issues accessing areas of the app due to resizing issues, using a magnifier tool might help. Magnifier tools are available on iOS (guidance on setting up iOS magnifier) and Android (guidance on setting up Android magnifier) devices.

The impact of resizing the text to 200% differs between mobile devices with different screen sizes. Some, but not all, pages and components in some screens overflow when the the text is set to 200% (non-exhaustive list):

• Bottom Menu bar (Android, iOS)
• Campus Explore opening hours  (Android, iOS)
• Discover Screen cards (Android, iOS) 
• Feedback toggle (Android) 
• Feedback screen and feedback response screen (iOS) 
• Home screen quick links, coming up next, news (Android, iOS)
• Library loans (Android, iOS)
• Login screen (iOS)
• Loyalty card expanded view (Android, iOS)
• Schedule clashes (Android, iOS)

Complex pointer gestures

The MyUoY app generally uses simple tap or swipe gestures. It is generally possible to use a keyboard to control MyUoY as an alternative to these gestures but this may be a more limited experience. There are a few areas where the app uses path-based gestures without a non-path based alternative (WCAG 2.5.1). The app supports a pull-to-refresh motion across various screens, to allow the user to manually trigger a refresh of the data in that screen. The Schedule feature includes a refresh button, providing a non-path based alternative, but this is currently not available in other screens that users might want to refresh.

Similarly, the app uses vertical and horizontal scrolls across various screens. While these pull-to-refresh and scroll motions are generally robust to some variability in the exact path, they do rely on a directionality in the path, which might cause issues for users with motor impairments. We have added the investigation and implementation of alternative controls to our product backlog for future development.

Timing Adjustable (Status messages)

The MyUoY app uses pop-up ‘toast’ messages to inform users of the results of certain actions (eg adding or removing an event from their schedule). These toast messages currently disappear after a set amount of time (2.5 seconds), which fails to meet the requirements for timing adjustments in WCAG 2.2.1 and/or persistence of information in WCAG 1.4.13. This has been added to our product backlog for future development.

Content on Hover or Focus (Status messages)

The MyUoY app uses pop-up ‘toast’ messages to inform users of the results of certain actions (eg adding or removing an event from their schedule). These toast messages are time-limited  though the majority can be focused. This means WCAG 4.1.3 may not be fully met. We have added investigation of alternatives to our product backlog for future consideration.

Headings and labels

The MyUoY app uses accessibility labels to aid navigation using a screen reader. There are some isolated instances of missing accessibility labels or view types which fail the requirement for WCAG 2.4.6. We are aware of these areas and actively working to increase our coverage. 

Contrast

The MyUoY app has one or two isolated instances (at the time of this statement’s annual review) where the contrast colour of a link could be improved. This will be resolved in order to fully meet WCAG 1.4.3.

Disproportionate burden

[not applicable at present].

Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

Some elements of the Map feature do not meet a small number of WCAG criteria; however online maps are considered exempt from the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. Nevertheless, we note these areas for reference and to provide transparency on where the experience for those requiring assistive technology could be improved.  

Colour contrast

Some elements of the Map feature do not meet colour contrast guidelines (WCAG 1.4.11) between some of the Point Of Interest pins and the map background, as well as some elements of the map that might occur next to each other. 

Bypass Blocks

When categories of point of interest Map markers are activated (eg bus stops, parking), large list(s) of markers appear on the map. These markers are screen reader accessible, but screen readers or keyboard-navigation cannot easily navigate out of a list of markers (WCAG 2.4.1). This limits its current utility to users who rely on assistive technology.

Focus order

When the Map feature is open but no point of interest markers are selected, navigation using a keyboard misses some selections (eg search bar) meaning that ordering is affected (WCAG 2.4.3).

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We include accessibility testing as a core component of our development practice and all new features are tested in this way. We anticipate this will help improve the accessibility of our product further over time. 

Preparation of this accessibility statement

• This statement was first prepared on 10 June 2024.
• This statement was prepared through self-assessment by the University of York, using automated testing frameworks to scan the app (BrowserStack, Google Accessibility Scanner for Android), as well as tools (eg Color Oracle and Colour Contrast Analyser) to enhance manual testing on a range of real and simulated devices. We evaluated this mobile application against WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
• The statement was last reviewed on 7 July 2026.
• The next review of this statement is planned for 7 July 2027.