UK Department for Education Updates Accessibility and Inclusive Design Manual

The UK Department for Education (DfE) has overhauled its Accessibility and inclusive design manual following a round of user research with professionals in design, product, and delivery roles. The updated version was officially published on 21 July 2025.

The manual was originally released in September 2024. While usage data and initial responses were positive, subsequent research focused on whether users could locate information easily—particularly in the section previously known as the "knowledge hub"—and whether the material effectively met their practical workflow requirements.

Reorganisation and Removal of the Knowledge Hub

Testing revealed that users perceived the "knowledge hub" as cluttered and difficult to navigate. In response, DfE eliminated the section entirely and redistributed the content into areas aligned with common user tasks:

• Guidance covering accessibility issues was shifted to an audits, issues, and statements section.
• Information regarding the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) was relocated to the standards section.
• A dedicated tools and testing section was established.

Restructured Guidance on Testing and Tools

Previously, the manual provided a direct list of software tools and installation steps. Research indicated that teams needed context on user barriers, reasons for selecting specific utilities, and the sequence in which testing should occur.

DfE adjusted the section by:

• Removing technical jargon (for instance, replacing terms such as "bookmarklets" with the general label "tools");
• Structuring information around specific disabilities and access requirements before outlining relevant testing tools;
• Introducing a reference table directly mapping digital tools to the user barriers they help identify.

Homepage and Navigation Changes

The manual's homepage was also redesigned to eliminate long scrolling, excess images, and redundant icons. Navigation was simplified to highlight core actions, such as requesting an audit, testing a digital service, and meeting accessibility standards. Additionally, the "How many people?" tool was repositioned higher on the page.

Although developed primarily for internal DfE teams, the manual remains open for public use by any professionals designing or building accessible digital services. Feedback options have been embedded across all pages of the manual, and queries are being handled by the DfE DesignOps team at design.ops@education.gov.uk.