Microsoft Teams Accessibility Statement

Website accessibility statement inline with Public Sector Body (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 .

This accessibility statement applies to Microsoft Teams Desktop and Mobile Application.

This website is run by Applications Service Management, Information Services, The University of Edinburgh. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this application. For example, that means you should be able to: 

  • zoom in up to 170% without the text spilling off the screen; 

  • navigate most of the application using just a keyboard; 

  • navigate most of the application using speech recognition software; 

  • listen to most of the content using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver); 

  • use the application without encountering time limits; 

  • use the application without encountering any flashing, scrolling or moving text. 

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand. 

Customising the website 

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability. This is an external site with suggestions to make your computer more accessible: 

AbilityNet - My Computer My Way 

With a few simple steps you can customise the appearance of our website using your browser settings to make it easier to read and navigate: 

Additional information on how to customise our website appearance 

If you are a member of University staff or a student, you can use the free SensusAccess accessible document conversion service: 

Information on SensusAccess 

How accessible this website is 

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible: 

  • Keyboard navigation could be clearer in informing users where they have reached on a page and the navigation order could be improved; 

  • Not all content can be reached by keyboard only; 

  • It is not possible to customise font on a desktop application and on mobile devices; 

  • Job Access with Software (JAWS) is mostly but not fully compatible with the website; 

  • Magnification is up to 200% and with reflow only up to 170%; 

  • Not all colour contrasts meet the recommended Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 AA standard; 

  • Users will likely encounter pop-ups opening without warning; 

  • The font is small in a few cases; 

  • Some information is conveyed by colour only; 

  • Some data validation mechanisms disappear without user interaction; 

  • Not all links are formatted correctly as meaningful hypertext;  

  • Some non-text items do not have appropriate alternative text. 

Feedback and contact information 

If you need information on this website in a different format, including accessible PDF, large print, audio recording or braille: 

  • Email IS.Helpline@ed.ac.uk 

  • Call our Information Services Helpline +44 (0)131 651 5151  

  • British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact us via the on-line BSL interpreting service  

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days. 

Reporting accessibility problems with this website 

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page, or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact the Information Services Helpline: 

  • Email IS.Helpline@ed.ac.uk 

  • Call our Information Services Helpline +44 (0)131 651 5151 

  • British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact us via the on-line BSL interpreting service  

We will consider your request and get back to you within 5 working days. 

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 please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) directly: 

Contact details for the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) 

The government has produced information on how to report accessibility issues: 

Reporting an accessibility problem on a public sector website 

Contacting us by phone using British Sign Language 

British Sign Language service 

contactSCOTLAND-BSL runs a service for British Sign Language users and all of Scotland’s public bodies using video relay. This enables sign language users to contact public bodies and vice versa. The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

contactSCOTLAND-BSL service details 

Technical information about this website’s accessibility 

The University of Edinburgh is committed to making its websites and applications accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. 

Compliance status 

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below. 

The full guidelines are available at: 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard 

Non-accessible content 

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons. 

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations 

The following items to not comply with the WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria: 

  • Not all non-text items hold suitable alternative text  

  • Colour is used as the sole means of conveying information  

  • Colour contrast is not always sufficient between font or graphics and background colours, especially where the text size is small  

  • When content is magnified to 200%, most but not all content reformats, so that a few items of text are cut off 

  • Although reflow is enabled in most cases, some tables require horizontal scrolling  

  • It is not possible to use a keyboard to access all the content and the navigation order could be more logical 

  • There are moving graphics that cannot be paused  

  • The are no ‘skip’ navigation links 

  • Visual information to identify user interface components, such as keyboard focus, do not always have a sufficient contrast ratio 

  • Pop ups appear and links open a new window without the user being alerted 

  • When a user is asked to rectify a data validation error, suggestions are not always consistent or informative  

  • Not all elements have correct associated labels and a few elements are read twice 

Unless specified otherwise, a complete solution, or significant improvement, will be in place for those items within our control by October 2024. 

Disproportionate burden 

We are not currently claiming that any accessibility problems would be a disproportionate burden to fix. 

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations 

We are not currently claiming that there is any content outwith the scope of the accessibility regulations. 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility 

We will continue to address the accessibility issues highlighted, either through delivery of a solution or suitable workaround. Unless specified otherwise, a complete solution or significant improvement will be in place for those items within our control by October 2024. However, most of the issues are not within our control but sit with Microsoft. We are updating services regularly to ensure we stay within vendor support and benefit from any accessibility improvements in later versions of software. As changes are made, we will continue to review accessibility and retest the accessibility of this website. 

Preparation of this accessibility statement 

This statement was prepared on 4th April 2023. It was last reviewed on 12th October 2023. 

This website was last tested in June 2022. The test was carried out by the University of Edinburgh’s Applications department, using the application on a PC and iOS and Android mobile devices for comparative purposes.   

We tested: 

  • Spell check functionality; 

  • Scaling using different resolutions and reflow; 

  • Options to customise the interface (magnification, font, background colour, et cetera); 

  • Keyboard navigation and keyboard traps; 

  • Data validation; 

  • Warning of links opening in a new tab or window; 

  • Information conveyed in colour or sound only; 

  • Flashing, moving or scrolling text; 

  • Operability if JavaScript is disabled; 

  • Use with screen reading software (for example, JAWS); 

  • Assistive software (TextHelp Read and Write, Windows Magnifier, ZoomText, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, TalkBack and VoiceOver); 

  • Tooltips and text alternatives for any non-text content; 

  • Time limits; 

  • Compatibility with mobile accessibility functionality (Android and iOS). 

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