Theme Accessibility Addendum: Default Theme
Product: Open Journal Systems (OJS), Open Monograph Press (OMP), Open Preprint Systems (OPS)
Version: 3.5
Theme Name: Default Theme
Date: 2026-06-26
Conformance Level: WCAG 2.1 AA (Theme Layer Only)
On this page
- Scope of This Addendum
- Relationship to OJS/OMP/OPS Core VPAT
- WCAG 2.1 Success Criteria: Theme-Specific Findings
- Known Limitations
- Theme-Specific Accessibility Improvements (Planned)
- Evaluation Methods
- Statement of Use
- Feedback
1. Scope of This Addendum
This addendum supplements the OJS/OMP/OPS 3.5 Core VPAT and applies only to the Default Theme , i.e. the front-end presentation layer that ships with OJS, OMP, and OPS.
It Evaluates:
- Front-end templates (landing pages, article/preprint/book pages, catalog, search)
- Navigation components (primary navigation, breadcrumbs, skip links)
- Visual presentation (color contrast, font sizing, reflow, responsive behavior)
- Interactive patterns tied to theme markup (form presentation, link structure, ARIA labeling)
It Does Not Re-Evaluate:
- Editorial workflows and back-end administrative interfaces (covered in the Core VPAT)
- Authoring guidance and ATAG conformance (covered in the Core VPAT and ATAG section)
- Content uploaded by authors, editors, or journal managers (out of scope)
2. Relationship to OJS/OMP/OPS Core VPAT
Unless otherwise noted, all WCAG 2.1 success criteria are supported at the same level as documented in the OJS/OMP/OPS Core VPAT.
This addendum documents theme-specific deviations, enhancements, or limitations introduced by the Default Theme’s templates, stylesheets, and markup.
3. WCAG 2.1 Success Criteria: Theme-Specific Findings
| WCAG SC | Level | Conformance | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content | A | Partially Supports | Missing alternative text on core UI elements, including logos and institution (“ROR”) icons. Linked book covers frequently use empty alt text without ARIA labels. Broken links lacking href attributes identified. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #12596, #12669 |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships | A | Partially Supports | Many landing pages lack visible Heading Level 1. ARIA landmark roles misconfigured; multiple navigation regions exist where only one should be present. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #12669, #12680, #12793, #12810, #12811, #12839 |
| 2.1.1 Keyboard | A | Supports | All interactive elements are visually accessible via keyboard focus indicators in the theme’s front-end templates. (See Core VPAT for back-end findings.) |
| 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks | A | Partially Supports | Skip links largely non-functional. Focus fails to move to target area or behaves inconsistently. Cookie consent popups intercept skip link functionality. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #12645, #12662, #12809 |
| 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) | A | Partially Supports | Duplicate links per item double tab count for screen reader users. Generic “Read more” links lack context. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #12652, #12665, #12667, #12668, #12692, #12812 |
| 3.3.1 Error Identification | A | Partially Supports | When validation fails, focus does not automatically shift to error message. Error messages sometimes appear only under single field rather than listing all errors. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #9352, #12616, #12635, #12636 |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions | A | Partially Supports | Some form instructions incomplete or missing. Fieldsets may lack proper legends. Search form lacks clear input instructions. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #12613, #12640, #12725 |
| 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value | A | Partially Supports | Non-descriptive ARIA labels (e.g., referencing internal IDs like article-6-galley-9). Submenus not announced as expandable controls. Platforms: OJS, OPS, OMP Issues: #12812, #12835, #12839 |
| 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) | AA | Partially Supports | Several interface elements fail minimum contrast ratio. Includes links on registration forms, grey text in banners/side panels, light-colored “Featured” headings. Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS Issues: #12650 |
| 1.4.4 Resize Text | AA | Partially Supports | Text sizing inconsistencies exist; font sizes below recommended 1rem. Platforms: OJS, OMP Issues: #12585 |
| 1.4.10 Reflow | AA | Partially Supports | Interface not fully responsive at high magnification. At 200%/400%, content cut off, search boxes overflow containers, horizontal scrolling required. On 320px screens, text truncated within boxes. Platforms: OPS, OMP, OJS Issues: #12585 |
| 2.4.5 Multiple Ways | AA | Partially Supports | System provides XML sitemap ([domain]/index.php/[journalPath]/sitemap) and tables of contents. Human-readable sitemap page not provided by default. |
| 2.4.6 Headings and Labels | AA | Partially Supports | Navigation labels sometimes ambiguous (e.g., “Current” vs “Current Issue”). Main pages often lack descriptive site title or homepage link in menu. Platforms: OJS, OMP, OPS Issues: #12659, #12660, #12663 |
| 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation | AA | Partially Supports | “Search Again” button fails to clear results/reset form state. Requires manual intervention to clear previous inputs. Platforms: OMP Issues: #12614, #12641, #12654, #12655 |
| 3.3.3 Error Suggestion | AA | Partially Supports | Form submission triggers errors with minimal guidance. Generic “fill out this field” message presented without actionable suggestions (password criteria, format requirements). Platforms: OMP, OJS, OPS |
| 3.2.5 Change on Request | AAA | Supports (web) / Partially Supports (software) | Visual layout remains stable unless triggered by user action. Users cannot easily reset complex search states since there is no dedicated “Clear Filters” button. Search box dynamically relocates after search. Platforms: OPS, OJS, OMP |
4. Known Limitations
- Author-supplied content: Accessibility of published article, preprint, and book content depends on files uploaded by authors, editors, or journal managers (PDFs, images, HTML, etc.). The theme cannot guarantee accessibility of third-party content.
- Custom color configurations: Journal managers can customize theme colors. Out-of-box color contrast passes applicable WCAG criteria, but custom configurations may reduce contrast ratios below required thresholds.
- Third-party plugins: Plugins may introduce markup, scripts, or styles not covered by this addendum. The Default Theme does not control plugin accessibility.
- Unresolved template variable rendering: In some search contexts, raw template variables (e.g.,
##search.searchResults.foundPlural##) displayed instead of translated text.
5. Theme-Specific Accessibility Improvements (Planned)
| Issue | WCAG Ref | Planned Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing alt text on logos and ROR icons | 1.1.1 | Add descriptive alt attributes and ARIA labels to all core UI images | Planned |
| Landing pages lack visible Heading Level 1 | 1.3.1, 2.4.6 | Refactor template structure to require visible <h1> and introductory text | Planned |
| ARIA landmark misconfiguration (multiple nav regions, form vs. search) | 1.3.1 | Consolidate navigation landmarks; apply search role to search regions | Planned |
| Skip links non-functional | 2.4.1 | Fix focus target IDs; resolve cookie modal interference | Planned |
| Duplicate links per item (image + text) | 2.4.4 | Remove redundant link wrappers; consolidate to single descriptive link per item | Planned |
| Color contrast failures (grey text, registration links, “Featured” headings) | 1.4.3 | Adjust CSS color tokens to meet 4.5:1 ratio minimum | In Review |
| Font sizes below 1rem | 1.4.4 | Update base font sizing in CSS to minimum 1rem | Planned |
| Reflow failures at 200%/400% magnification and 320px screens | 1.4.10 | Implement responsive CSS improvements for magnified/small-screen viewports | Planned |
| Non-descriptive ARIA labels on galley links | 4.1.2 | Replace ID-based labels with descriptive accessible names (article title + format) | Planned |
| Ambiguous navigation labels | 2.4.6 | Change “Current” to “Current Issue”; enforce descriptive labels in templates | Planned |
| Error focus management | 3.3.1 | Programmatically move focus to first error on form validation failure | Planned |
| Missing form instructions/search guidance | 3.3.2 | Add descriptive instructions to search and registration forms | Planned |
| “Search Again” button/rellocation issues | 3.2.3, 3.2.5 | Add “Clear” button; keep search box in fixed position above results | Planned |
6. Evaluation Methods
Testing was conducted February–March 2026 by Access Changes Everything (ACE), combining manual and automated methods across multiple platforms:
Primary Reviewer: Lisa Snider, Access Changes Everything
Testing Environments:
- MacBook Air (macOS Ventura 13.5), Firefox and Chrome
- iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 26.3), Safari
- Windows 10 and 11 laptops (Edge, Chrome)
- iPad Pro 12.9″/Chrome with pinch-to-zoom and Dynamic Type
Auditors with Disabilities (12 auditors):
- Fully blind: JAWS 2026/Edge/Windows 10; VoiceOver/Safari/iPhone 14
- Deaf-Blind: JAWS 2022/Chrome/Mantis braille display; VoiceOver/Safari/Focus 14 Blue braille
- Near-blind: Windows Narrator/Edge; NVDA 2025.3.3/Chrome; VoiceOver/iPhone 14 Pro
- Low vision: iPad Pro with zoom/Dynamic Type; Mac Mini with increased contrast
- Cognitive: ADD, panic and anxiety disorders
7. Statement of Use
This addendum is intended to be used in conjunction with the OJS/OMP/OPS Core VPAT when evaluating accessibility conformance of deployments using the Default Theme. It does not modify the conclusions of the Core VPAT and addresses only theme-specific conformance deltas.
8. Feedback
We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our software and website. If you encounter an accessibility barrier or need accommodations, please report them to us.
Visit our support page to access assistance with PKP software. If you would like to report an accessibility issue, please use our Accessibility report form. For all other inquiries, please use our contact form.