Inclusive publishing · WCAG-aligned practice
Accessibility
Prime Academic Press is committed to making our websites, submission systems, and published research as usable as possible for readers, authors, and reviewers—including people who use assistive technologies.
Our Commitment
We follow practices common among leading scholarly publishers—transparent standards, accountable feedback channels, and continuous improvement across digital platforms and published outputs.
Digital Platforms
Corporate sites, journal homepages, and submission portals designed for keyboard navigation, readable contrast, and responsive layouts.
Published Content
Article HTML, figures, tables, and supplementary files prepared so assistive technologies can interpret structure and meaning.
Inclusive Authorship
Guidance for authors and reviewers on accessible manuscripts, alt text, and equitable language—aligned with open-access dissemination goals.
Website and Submission System
Our public websites and editorial systems are developed and maintained with accessibility in mind. We aim to conform with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA, consistent with approaches used by major publishers such as Springer Nature, Elsevier, and Wiley.
Practical measures include semantic HTML where supported by our platform, visible focus indicators, scalable text without loss of function, descriptive link text, and forms that associate labels with controls.
We test with common browsers and assistive technologies—including screen readers and keyboard-only navigation—and remediate barriers reported through our feedback channel.
Scholarly Content Accessibility
Accessible research communication depends on both the platform and the files we publish—similar to policies at PLOS, Nature Portfolio, and Taylor & Francis.
HTML and Full Text
Where full-text HTML is available, we encourage structured markup for headings, lists, and tables so screen readers can navigate articles efficiently.
PDFs and Downloads
PDFs are tagged when feasible to support reflow and reading order. Authors may supply accessible source files to improve downstream conversion.
Figures and Data Visualisations
Informative figures include descriptive captions and, where appropriate, alt text or long descriptions. Complex charts should be explained in the narrative or supplementary notes.
Tables, Maths, and Supplements
Tables use header cells where possible; equations are presented in accessible formats when the workflow allows; supplements are described and linked clearly from the article record.
Alternate Formats and Assistance
If you need content in a format not available on our site, contact us. We will work with you in good faith, as leading journals do for readers with print disabilities or specific assistive setups.
Formats We May Provide
Depending on the article and rights, options can include large-print PDF, structured HTML, or plain-text extracts. Timelines vary by volume and technical complexity.
Third-party Platforms
Some content is hosted on external systems (e.g. reference linking, video hosts, institutional repositories). We encourage partners to meet accessibility expectations and welcome reports when they do not.
Standards and Conformance
We align our programme with internationally recognised frameworks used across scholarly publishing.
- WCAG 2.2 Level AA — primary target for corporate and journal web properties.
- Section 508 — considered for US federal and institutional procurement contexts.
- EN 301 549 — referenced where European accessibility requirements apply.
- PDF/UA and EPUB accessibility — pursued for downloadable full texts when production workflows support tagging.
This statement was prepared in line with publisher accessibility pages from Springer Nature, Elsevier, Wiley, PLOS, and Nature Portfolio. It is reviewed periodically and updated when platforms or policies change.
Known Limitations and Ongoing Work
Legacy PDFs, author-supplied figures, embedded third-party widgets, and some mathematical notation may not yet meet our target level of accessibility. We prioritise remediation for high-traffic pages, current journal volumes, and barriers that block access to core submission or reading tasks.
Conformance Status
We consider our websites partially conformant with WCAG 2.2 Level AA: most new templates and major user journeys are designed to meet the standard, while older content and external integrations are being addressed on a rolling basis.
Assessment Approach
We combine automated checks, manual audits of key templates, and user feedback. Formal third-party audits may be commissioned for major platform releases.
Report a Barrier or Request Assistance
Tell us what you were trying to do, which page or article, and the technology you use (browser, screen reader, device). We aim to acknowledge accessibility reports within five business days.
Email Accessibility TeamGeneral Enquiries: [email protected] · Contact Page
