Checking accessibility goes offline temporarily

20.11.2024

The Checking accessibility service will only be available until 31 December 2024. The ZID is currently looking for possible successor products.

The Checking accessibility service makes it possible to use the software axe Monitor to automatically check the web pages of the University of Vienna for accessibility.

After a year of operation, the ZID and the Digital Accessibility project group have thoroughly reviewed the software. When axe Monitor was introduced in March 2023, it was decided that the software would be evaluated after an extended test phase. After all, the service is designed to help administrators of the University of Vienna’s web pages to find barriers on these web pages in the simplest possible way. Unfortunately, the feedback from users shows that the software is too inflexible to use. In addition, the costs for the software have increased.

The ZID has therefore decided to discontinue the operation of axe Monitor as of 31 December 2024.

This means for users:

  • axe Monitor and all projects and reports created in it will no longer be available from 1 January 2025.
  • If you still need issues that axe Monitor has identified, you must export them from your projects by 31 December 2024. The user guide Exporting issues will help you.

The ZID and the project group are currently looking for alternatives to axe Monitor. An important criterion is that the new software is easier to use. It should also enable better quality testing of web pages. The ZID will inform users as soon as a new software is available.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please use the Servicedesk form Anfrage zu Barrierefreiheit prüfen (Request for Checking accessibility, in German).