Accessibility statement

The DW digital accessibility statement underscores our commitment to ensuring that our digital platforms are accessible to all users.

Image: Christoph Hardt/Geisler-Fotopress/picture alliance

DW (Deutsche Welle) strives to make its offer accessible to all users. It should be designed in a way that complies with the national legal provisions for the implementation of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament. The legal basis in Germany is the BITV 2.0, which is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1).

This declaration of accessibility applies to the version of this website currently available on the Internet: dw.com for mobile and desktop. The declaration was created or revised on March 8th, 2021. The basis of the check is the "simplified monitoring" method: next to the start page, a number of other pages are checked that resembles the size of the website.

Declaration on digital accessibility on dw.com

How accessible is the offer?

The website is accessible with certain restrictions. Some of the colors used have sufficiently strong contrasts and images are provided with an image description text (Alt tag). The use of reading applications (screen readers) is partly possible. Subtitles are offered in a few selected contents (e.g. Meet the Angolan who turned his wheelchair into a motorbike).

Which areas are not barrier-free?

The following content areas or functions are not barrier-free and are not compatible with the current WCAG 2.1 (Level A and Level AA):

Color contrasts

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts on the page do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG. The navigation, the search, some teasers, the program schedule, the program overview, the media center, various buttons and the right column on article pages are affected
  • Measures: A website relaunch project is currently being carried out
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Main navigation

  • Description: The same ID is used in different places within the main navigation
  • Measures: A website relaunch project is currently being carried out
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Moving image

  • Description: Usually no subtitles and / or transcripts are available for audios and videos
  • Measures: In coordination for the relaunch version of the website
  • Schedule: Not terminated

Preview pictures from videos

  • Description: No "ALT" texts are pronounced in the case of images from video previews
  • Measures: A website relaunch project is currently being carried out
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Search and search filter function

  • Description: ARIA labels are missing, so the search can only be used to a limited extent
  • Measures: A website relaunch project is currently being carried out
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Declaration on digital accessibility on m.dw.com

How accessible is the offer?

The website is accessible with certain restrictions. Some of the colors used have sufficiently strong contrasts and images are provided with an image description text (Alt tag). The use of reading applications (screen readers) is partly possible. 

Which areas are not barrier-free?

The following content areas or functions are not barrier-free and are not compatible with the current WCAG 2.1 (Level A and Level AA):

Navigation

  • Description: a) ALT texts for the navigation symbol (burger button), close symbol and DW logo are not displayed; b) In some cases, the color contrasts of the navigation do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected.
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Search

  • Description: a) In some cases, the color contrasts of the search do not correspond to the specifications of the BITV / WCAG; b) Input button name is missing (search symbol)
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Main navigation

  • Description: The same ID is used in different places within the main navigation
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Preview pictures from videos

  • Description: No "ALT" texts are pronounced in the case of images from video previews
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Footer

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts of the footer do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Captions

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts of the captions do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Links in article texts

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts of links do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Program info element in the TV area

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Program overview

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Shipment overview

  • Description: ARIA labels are not shown in the shipment overview
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Voice navigation

  • Description: In some cases, the color contrasts do not meet the requirements of the BITV / WCAG
  • Measures: A relaunch project is currently being carried out for the offer, as part of which the problems are being corrected
  • Schedule: Correction by gradual relaunch until 2023 (example DW.com Portuguese for Brazil)

Moving image

  • Description: Usually no subtitles and/or transcripts are available for audios and videos
  • Measures: In coordination for the relaunch version of the website
  • Schedule: Not terminated