Accessibility

Current compliance with IT accessibility requirements

Our website is partially compliant with the accessibility standards set forth in BITV NRW 2.0.

HSRW is currently working to improve the accessibility of its website. To that end, our website is being prepared for a general relaunch. We kindly request your patience during this process.

Non-accessible content

Our website www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de is not always compliant with the following criteria of the EN 301 549 accessibility standard.

• 9.1.1.1a Text alternatives for user interface controls: Text alternatives are missing for some hyperlinked images. This issue will be rectified with the general relaunch.
• 9.1.1.1b Text alternatives for images and objects: Text alternatives are missing for some informative graphics/images. We are planning to rectify this with the relaunch.
• 9.1.3.1a HTML structure elements for headers: Headers are implemented in a non-uniform and logically inconsistent manner. We are planning to rectify this with the relaunch.
• 9.1.3.1h Labelling of elements in digital forms can be programmatically determined: Not all elements in digital forms have meaningful labels. We are planning to rectify this with the relaunch.
• 9.1.3.5 Input fields for personal data serve an identified purpose: This is not always ensured, but we are planning to rectify the issue with the relaunch.
• 9.1.4.3 Sufficient contrast ratios for texts: Sufficient contrast ratios for texts are not always ensured. We are planning to rectify this with the relaunch.
• 9.1.4.5 Avoidance of images of texts: Images of text are sometimes used. This cannot be avoided entirely due to some of HSRW’s promotional materials, but can be mitigated somewhat by the use of text alternatives.
• 9.1.4.11 Sufficient contrast ratios for images and user interface controls: Contrast ratios are not always sufficient, but we are planning to introduce improvements with the relaunch.
• 9.2.2.1 Timing adjustable: Website contents are viewable without any time limit. Forwarding elements sometimes function with a brief delay. Internal content complies with this criterion, but we are limited in our ability to improve compliance for links to external content. 
• 9.2.4.4 Identifiable link purposes: This is not always ensured, but we are planning to rectify it with the relaunch.
• 9.2.4.6 Meaningful headers and labels: Some digital forms do not use headers and labels that meaningfully describe a topic or purpose, but this requirement is satisfied in all other cases. Issues concerning digital forms will be rectified with the relaunch.
• 9.2.4.7 Visible focus: The keyboard focus indicator is not always visible, but potential improvements will be explored as part of the relaunch.
• 9.2.5.3 Visible labels are a part of accessible names: Visible labels are not always implemented uniformly in accessible names. It will be taken into consideration for the relaunch.
• 9.3.1.2 Words and passages in other languages are appropriately marked: On some subpages, fewer than 50% of words in other languages are appropriately marked. This issue will be checked for rectification as part of the relaunch.
• 9.3.3.2 Form elements are labelled: This is not always ensured, but will be rectified with the relaunch.
• 9.4.1.1 Parsing: Correct parsing is not always ensured, but will be rectified with the relaunch.

Some PDF documents published on our website do not comply with accessibility requirements. Due to the sheer number of uploaded documents, addressing this issue will take some time.

Some videos integrated into our website do not have subtitles. We strive to add subtitles to all new videos produced by HSRW and apologise for not including subtitles in earlier videos.

We are also working to optimise the search function for our website as part of the relaunch.

If you would like access to specific content that does not currently comply with accessibility standards, please contact us at marketing@hochschule-rhein-waal.de or use our contact form: accessible contact form. We will try our best to find a quick solution.

Date of preparation

This declaration was prepared on 8 May 2023.

It is based on a BITV compliance test conducted by the Volmarstein Competence Centre for Accessibility (Kompetenzzentrum Barrierefreiheit Volmarstein) in August 2023. Some of the deficiencies identified in this test were remedied by a system upgrade in November 2023, so that the declaration was adapted accordingly.

This declaration was last updated on 8 April 2024.

Contact and feedback

Accessibility issues for content published on www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de can be reported to us at any time. Please send your accessibility-related questions, comments or feedback to marketing@hochschule-rhein-waal.de or use our contact form: accessible contact form.

Arbitration

If you feel that your questions, comments or feedback regarding the accessibility of www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de were not sufficiently addressed after contacting us via the email address above, you can turn to the ombudsperson for IT accessibility in North Rhine-Westphalia for further assistance. The ombudsperson is tasked with supporting the out-of-court arbitration process between individuals with a disability and public organisations in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The arbitration process is free of charge. No legal assistance is required to participate.

The ombudsperson is North Rhine-Westphalia’s designated representative for the interests of individuals with a disability in accordance with § 11 of the Equal Rights for Persons with a Disability Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz) and can be contacted via the following means:

Send an email to the ombudsperson for IT accessibility NRW

Telephone: (0211) 855-3451

Here you can find more information on the ombudsperson for IT accessibility NRW (in German).