Our commitment
First Bell is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying relevant accessibility standards across our website and mobile application.
We believe that accessible design is good design - for schools, substitute teachers, SNAs and the wider community we serve in Irish education. Accessibility is a core part of how we design and improve First Bell.
Technical specification
The accessibility of First Bell's website and app relies on the following technologies:
- HTML5
- CSS3
- JavaScript
- WAI-ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications)
These technologies are relied upon for conformance with the accessibility standards listed below.
Accessibility standard
First Bell uses Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA as its current design and testing target. WCAG 2.2 builds on WCAG 2.1 and is recommended by the W3C for current accessibility work. We are working towards this target and do not claim that every page or feature has yet been independently verified as fully conformant.
First Bell is committed to making its platform accessible to everyone. We review accessibility as the website and apps change, prioritise barriers that prevent people completing key tasks, and welcome feedback from users of assistive technologies. Current limitations are listed below.
What we have implemented
- Keyboard navigation support throughout the website
- Skip to main content link for screen reader and keyboard users
- Labels and instructions for form controls
- Semantic headings, landmarks and page structure
- Accessible names for icon-only controls
- Expanded and collapsed state information on mobile navigation
- Text alternatives for meaningful images, with decorative images hidden from assistive technology
- Decorative images and icons are marked aria-hidden
- Language attribute (lang="en") declared on the HTML element
- Colour contrast and responsive layouts designed to support enlargement and zoom
- Focus indicators visible on all interactive elements
- Descriptive titles for embedded media
- Captions or transcripts for First Bell video and audio content where available
- An accessibility adjustment widget offering display and reading preferences
Items under active remediation
The following limitations are currently known or require further testing. If one prevents you from using First Bell, please contact us so we can provide assistance or an accessible alternative.
| Issue | Affects | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Some product screenshots and device mock-ups are illustrative and may not describe every item shown on screen | Marketing website | We are reviewing alternative text and hiding purely decorative elements from assistive technology |
| A complete independent accessibility audit has not yet been completed | Website, school web app, Android app and forthcoming iOS app | We are continuing manual and automated testing and will update this statement when formal audit results are available |
| Content supplied through third-party services may have accessibility limitations outside our direct control | App stores, Spotify, video players and linked documents | We aim to choose accessible services and provide an alternative format on request where practical |
Accessibility features
Accessibility adjustment widget
All First Bell web pages include the Sienna accessibility widget, accessible via the icon in the bottom-right corner of every page. This widget allows you to:
- Increase or decrease font size
- Adjust line height and letter spacing
- Switch to high contrast mode
- Enable a reading guide
- Adjust colour saturation
- Enable dyslexia-friendly font
The widget supplements the accessibility built into our pages. It does not replace accessible design, semantic code, keyboard support or testing with assistive technologies.
Keyboard navigation
Our aim is for First Bell web pages to be navigable by keyboard. Use Tab to move forward, Shift+Tab to move backward, and Enter or Space to activate controls. A "Skip to main content" link is provided on this page.
Screen reader compatibility
Our current testing includes the following screen reader and browser combinations:
- VoiceOver with Safari on macOS and iOS
- NVDA with Chrome on Windows
European accessibility requirements
The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) applies from 28 June 2025 to specified products and services. In Ireland it is implemented by the European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023. The rules contain functional accessibility requirements and include exceptions and sector-specific provisions.
First Bell EdTech Limited (CRO No. 820218) works to meet the accessibility obligations that apply to its services. WCAG 2.2 Level AA is our practical benchmark for web accessibility, alongside applicable requirements for software and mobile applications. This statement is intended to explain our approach; it is not a certification of legal compliance.
Feedback and contact
We welcome feedback on the accessibility of First Bell. If you experience any barriers, or if you would like to request content in a different format, please contact us:
Email: support@firstbell.ie
Post: First Bell, Marine Court Centre, Malahide, Co. Dublin, K36VK53, Ireland
Please tell us the page or feature involved, what went wrong, and the browser, device or assistive technology you were using, if you are comfortable sharing that information. We aim to acknowledge accessibility feedback within 5 working days.
Assessment approach
First Bell assesses the accessibility of this website through the following methods:
- Automated testing using the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WebAIM)
- Manual keyboard navigation testing
- Screen reader testing using VoiceOver on macOS and iOS
- Colour contrast verification using the WebAIM Contrast Checker
- Review against WCAG 2.2 Level A and Level AA success criteria
This statement was reviewed on 15 August 2026 following an internal assessment. We will update it as testing is completed, material accessibility changes are made, or new limitations are identified.
Escalating a concern
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may raise your concern with the Irish authority responsible for the relevant product or service. For e-commerce services within the scope of the European Accessibility Act, the competent authority is the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC):
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)
Website: www.ccpc.ie/consumers
Contact information and complaint channels are available on the CCPC website