Developing resources for Hwb

Any page, document or item hosted on Hwb must meet accessibility standards. 

All elements of a resource must be accessible to be hosted on Hwb.

YouTube has numerous step-by-step videos on how to make any document format accessible or how to use accessibility functions in different applications.

We accept the following file types for resources to be published on Hwb:

• HTML (links to HTTPS secure external websites)
• playlists
• PDF
• Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint)
• videos (provided via link to YouTube or secure external website)
• MP3 (with accompanying transcripts)
• pre-approved apps

These files need to be accessible before submitting for publishing. 

Any other formats will need to be considered by the Hwb Content Team before publishing.

HTML

HTML means linking to external websites, web pages or online-hosted documents. The accessibility requirements for these resources vary. If the Welsh 

Government has funded, sponsored or commissioned the resource, it must meet accessibility standards as outlined in their contract.

Playlists

Playlists are an accessible resource format specifically designed for Hwb. They are usually developed internally by the Hwb Content Team or policy colleagues.

PDFs

PDFs are a popular format for sharing information but can be challenging to make accessible once exported. The key is to ensure accessibility in the original format before exporting. 

The Hwb Content Team uses Adobe Acrobat Pro’s inbuilt accessibility checking feature to verify PDFs. If you don’t have access to this, PAVE is a free web tool that checks PDF accessibility and guides you through making necessary corrections. 

PDFs created in Adobe programmes

The Welsh Government’s guidance on how to create accessible PDFs can help ensure accessibility requirements are met. There is also guidance by Adobe on designing documents in InDesign and Acrobat.

PDFs created in Canva

Canva’s built-in accessibility function supports designing accessible documents, but issues often arise when exporting to PDF. We recommend running an Adobe accessibility check after exporting or allowing extra time to resolve any problems. To minimise issues, enable Canva’s accessibility checker at the start of your design process so you receive alerts as you work.

This step-by-step guide shows how to use the accessibility features. Additionally, this help centre article on Canva highlights the features specific to exporting documents as PDFs.

PDFs created in Microsoft applications

Creating accessible documents in Microsoft applications and saving them properly as PDFs should ensure the final PDF meets accessibility standards. Follow the steps in the ‘Microsoft Office applications’ section below.

Microsoft Office applications

Use the search bar at the top of any Microsoft Office application to find help, search for answers to queries or to find functions. 

In-built Microsoft accessibility tools can help ensure your documents are accessible. Run the accessibility checker at the very beginning of creating your Microsoft Office content to receive notifications of issues with accessibility as you go along.

For detailed instructions on creating accessible files, visit the Create accessible documents guidance.

Using the Microsoft accessibility checker

These instructions are based on using PowerPoint. However, the checker works the same way on other Microsoft applications, including Word and Excel. 

For full details on how to use the Microsoft accessibility checker, including in older versions of Microsoft Office, go to the Microsoft accessibility checker help forum.

Open your document and follow these steps.

1. Go to the ‘Review’ tab in the top menu bar.
2. Select ‘Check Accessibility’ to open the ‘Accessibility Assistant’ pane on the right-hand side. If you’re starting a new document, it’s best to do this at the beginning as this will flag any accessibility issues as you work.
3. Work your way through the errors or warnings flagged in the ‘Accessibility Assistant’ pane.
   a) Click on each item to fix the issue.
   b) The learning tips explain the error, why it’s important and how to fix it.
   c) Continue this process until all errors and warnings are resolved.

You can keep an eye on the accessibility of the document by checking the ‘Accessibility’ message on the bottom left-hand side of the window. For example, ‘Accessibility: Investigate’ means there are issues that need to be addressed.

Alternative text (alt text)

Add alt text to images or mark them as decorative. Ensure alt text is in the same language as the document (for example if the document is in Welsh, the alt text should also be in Welsh).

To add alt text in Microsoft applications

1. Select the image and right-click on it.
2. From the dropdown menu, select ‘View Alt Text … ’.
3. The accessibility pane will open and allow you to check and edit the alt text or mark the image as decorative if it isn’t relevant to the content.

You can learn more about alt text in this article by Microsoft support.

Colour contrast

Proper colour contrast is crucial as it ensures that text and important elements are readable for everyone.

Use the Web Aim contrast checker to make sure the colours you choose are accessible to people with visual impairments. Make sure your colour contrast meets at least the WCAG AA standard.

Headings

Headings play a crucial role in making documents accessible. They:

• help users, especially those using screen readers, to navigate through the document easily
• allow users to jump from one section to another without having to read through all the content
• provide a clear structure, making the document easier to understand
• break down the content into manageable sections
• improve the searchability of the document
• ensure a consistent format throughout the document

In Word documents, use heading styles to organise your content. The Create accessible documents guidance provides step-by-step instructions on how to use heading styles effectively.

Without headings, screen readers cannot interpret the table content, making it inaccessible for users with visual impairments. The Create accessible documents guidance includes detailed instructions on how to make tables accessible.

Reading order in PowerPoint

The reading order determines how a screen reader reads the content on your document. By default, it follows the order in which items were added, which might not be the logical reading order. This is most important if you’re exporting a PowerPoint into a PDF, as an incorrect reading order can make the document difficult to understand for users relying on screen readers.

To correct the reading order in Microsoft PowerPoint:

1. Go to the ‘Accessibility’ tab in the top menu.
2. Click the small down arrow next to the ‘Check Accessibility’ button.
3. Select ‘Reading Order pane’ from the dropdown menu.
4. In the ‘Reading Order pane’, each item on the slide is numbered. Drag and drop items to change their order.
5. Untick boxes next to items you don’t want read out (for example repetitive information like contact details).

Find more information on using the ‘Reading Order pane’ on the Microsoft support page.

Saving as a PDF

To save your Microsoft document as a PDF with the correct settings:

1. Go to ‘File’ then ‘Save As’.
2. Change the ‘Save as type’ to ‘PDF’.
3. Click on ‘Options…’ and ensure the following options are ticked:
   • document properties
   • document structure tags for accessibility
   • bitmap text when fonts may not be embedded

Please note that some options may not be available depending on the application you’re using.

Videos

Videos published on Hwb are for educational purposes. They are not intended for use on social media. 

Any video published on Hwb must meet:

• accessibility requirements
• Welsh language standards
• copyright laws

Unless they are hosted on an external website, videos must be uploaded to YouTube to be published on Hwb.

You must contact the Hwb Content Team as early as possible to discuss your video project.

If your video is part of a Welsh Government-funded project, please consult with your policy contact as early as possible to discuss your plans.

For general information around the publication of videos, visit ‘Videos on GOV.WALES’.

Creating accessible videos

It is essential to ensure all videos include closed captions. These are time-synchronised text that mirrors the audio track of a video, allowing viewers to read along while watching. Closed captions must not be burnt on to the video image, instead use tools like YouTube’s closed captions feature.

The process of closed captioning involves:

• transcribing the audio to text
• including relevant non-dialogue audio cues, such as indicating the language being spoken at the beginning or when it changes (for example ‘speaking English’)
• noting any background sounds that are important to the content (for example ‘children singing in Welsh’)
• dividing text into chunks known as ‘caption frames’
• synchronising the caption frames with the video

Once you have completed the closed captioning, you must:

• save and publish the captions
• unpublish or delete the automated version

A transcript will be added to your video. You can access the transcript by selecting the 3 dots under the video and choosing ‘Open transcript’.

Closed caption transcripts must be provided as an SRT timestamp file and should match the spoken language of the video.

British Sign Language (BSL)

The accessibility and language requirements for videos in BSL will be different. These videos will need to be discussed with the Hwb Content Team. Transcripts for videos in BSL will need to be timed by a professional interpreter that understands all languages used in the video.

Welsh language requirements for videos

To comply with Welsh language standards, video content must treat the Welsh language equally to English. This typically involves creating videos in both Welsh and English. Additionally, all videos must include closed captions in the language of the video.

For resources that include case study videos, content must be created using bilingual participants to produce videos in both Welsh and English. Alternatively, separate case studies of equal quality could be created, one Welsh and one English.

We do not accept bilingual videos as part of Hwb resources. If you want to create a bilingual video, please contact the Hwb Content Team to discuss your options.

If you have any questions about the Welsh language standards, please contact Safonau.Standards@llyw.cymru.

Copyright

All videos must comply with copyright laws. This includes:

• ensuring relevant permissions are obtained before creating a video if possible, or if not before publication
• not identifying schools or learners if you do not have the permission to do so
• creating videos in a suitable location ensuring no trademarked items or sensitive information are visible in the background

Hosting videos

Video content should be hosted either on your YouTube channel or ours. This can be agreed once the request is received.

Once a video is published on Hwb, no further adjustments should be made to that video content without prior approval from the Hwb Content Team.

YouTube requirements

The following information must be provided along with the video for uploading to our YouTube channels.

• Video title: the title must be unique, make sense of the content and not exceed 70 characters (including spaces). 
• Video description: a brief summary of up to 5,000 characters clearly explaining what the video is about (you can find tips on how to write good video descriptions on YouTube Help).
• Video transcript for closed captions as an SRT timestamp file.
• In the video settings, please select ‘made for kids’. This helps filter out inappropriate adverts.

Timescales

You must submit the final video at least 15 working days before the publication date. Additional time will be needed if:

• your video needs further checks by the Hwb Content Team
• there are a large number of videos to be published
• the video(s) are very long (over 10 minutes)

Examples of good practice

• English example
• Welsh example 

Further advice on when videos should be used and how to make them accessible is available on GOV.WALES.

To discuss your video project, you can email the Hwb Content Team at educationcontent@gov.wales.

MP3

MP3s must be provided in both Welsh and English, with a Word document transcript in the language spoken in the recording. Please ensure the audio in the recording is clear.

Pre-approved apps

Ensuring accessibility in mobile and web apps is crucial for inclusivity and compliance with legal standards. The Bilingual technology toolkit for good user experience will help you offer a good IT project or service in both Welsh and English.

This guide to mobile accessibility by Accessibility Checker explains regional app accessibility requirements and how to implement them.

You must clearly state who is responsible for maintaining the app and outline the update management process before submitting it for publication. Outdated or non-functional apps will be removed from Hwb.