In our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), we have been working on updating accessibility features within our platform. We understand that research knows no boundaries, and every scholar, student, or professional deserves an equal opportunity to access knowledge. Over the past months, our DE&I initiatives have led to significant enhancements in HeinOnline, ensuring that our research database caters to a diverse community of researchers. From refining user interfaces to incorporating assistive technologies, we have made substantial changes aimed at breaking down barriers. Let’s take a closer look.
What’s New & Updated for Accessibility
Here are the items our developers have been working on throughout the year to bring increased accessibility to our users:
- Focus is now shifted to the appropriate element when the “save bookmarks” dialog is selected
- Added labels to the “advanced search” form
- Added unique identifiers and names to search result checkboxes
- Added focus indicators to the navigation bar
- Focus is now shifted appropriately when “all databases” is selected
- Added <h1> tag to the content to improve structure and context on the Welcome page
- Appropriately tagged buttons within “all databases” modal
- Appropriately tagged logo and “All Databases” so they are no longer coded as one-item lists
- Fixed keyboard focus within the “cite” modal
- Added escape key functionality to “all databases” modal
- Improved keyboard navigation within the “all databases” modal
- Focus is now shifted appropriately when activating “Search This Section, Page, Volume, or Title”
- Improved table structure on page viewer to adhere to accessibility guidelines
- Added appropriate alternative text to account branding images
- Added attributes to the navigation bar to indicate whether a control is expanded or collapsed
- Added labels to “download,” “download options,” ”email,” and “bookmark” icons
- Appropriately tagged headings and subheadings in “all databases” modal
- Added accessible labels to search box fields
- Added explicit labels that indicate the hierarchy within the “all databases” modal
- Added <h1> tag within the “search help” modal to improve structure and context
- Added appropriate label to “search” button
- Ensured users can access interactive elements using the keyboard even when the browser zoom is set to 200% in the page viewer
- The New Welcome page will not list collections as tables – coming soon!
Customer Feedback
We’d like to extend a special thank you to the schools below for taking the initiative to reach out and collaborate with us to enhance our accessibility efforts:
- Library Accessibility Alliance (LAA)
- Michigan State University
- Portland Community College
- University of Miami Ohio
- University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK)
- Utah Valley University
- West Texas A&M University
We are continuing to work towards a more accessible and user-friendly platform for any and all new features that are being created. Should you have any concerns about accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact us.
