Accessibility

How IUMS journals work to make our websites, submission systems and published content accessible to the widest possible community, including researchers, clinicians, students and members of the public with disabilities.

Applies to all IUMS journal sites, content & services
Policy v1.0 – last updated April 2025
Related policies: Consent & privacy · Author guidelines · Reviewer guidelines · Archiving & indexer readiness

1 Our accessibility commitment

Making IUMS journals usable for as many people as possible.

IUMS journals are committed to ensuring that our websites, submission platforms and published content are accessible to users with a wide range of abilities, devices and connectivity conditions. This includes, for example, readers who:

  • use screen readers, magnifiers or braille displays;
  • navigate primarily with a keyboard rather than a mouse;
  • have low vision or colour-vision differences;
  • have hearing impairments or rely on captions and transcripts;
  • have cognitive or learning differences and benefit from clear, consistent structure and language.

We view accessibility as an integral part of research quality and equity, not an optional add-on.

2 Standards & guidelines we follow

Aligning with recognised web accessibility principles.

Our goal is for IUMS journal sites and content to be consistent with the principles of widely recognised web accessibility standards (such as WCAG guidelines), focusing on content that is:

  • Perceivable: information is presented in ways that users can perceive (for example, with text alternatives for non-text content);
  • Operable: navigation and controls can be used by various input methods, including keyboard-only;
  • Understandable: content and interfaces are clear, predictable and well-structured;
  • Robust: content works with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

While not every element of every legacy page may yet meet the same level of accessibility, new development and major updates are planned with these principles in mind.

3 Scope: what this policy covers

Which systems, sites and materials are included.

This policy applies to:

  • the main IUMS journals portal (en-journals.iums.ac.ir);
  • individual journal websites hosted under this domain;
  • online article pages, HTML abstracts, PDFs and supplementary materials that we publish;
  • online forms and submission/review systems operated directly by or on behalf of IUMS journals.

Some external platforms (for example, third-party submission systems, indexing services, repositories or video hosts) have their own accessibility policies and technical constraints. We aim to work with providers that support good accessibility and to encourage ongoing improvements.

4 Website design & navigation

Structure, layout and navigation features that support accessibility.

We aim for IUMS journal sites to provide:

  • Consistent navigation: menus, headers and footers in predictable locations;
  • Logical headings: clear use of headings and subheadings to structure pages for both visual users and screen readers;
  • Keyboard access: the ability to move through links and controls using the keyboard (e.g. Tab, Enter, space, arrow keys);
  • Visible focus indicators: clear visual cues showing which element is currently focused;
  • Readable contrast: foreground and background colours chosen to support legibility;
  • Responsive design: layouts that adapt to different screen sizes (desktop, tablet, mobile).

We also aim to avoid design patterns that are known to interfere with accessibility (for example, auto-playing audio, content that cannot be paused, or essential information conveyed only by colour).

5 Support for assistive technologies

Working with screen readers, magnifiers and other tools.

IUMS journal pages are developed with semantic HTML where possible, so that:

  • headings, lists, links and tables can be interpreted accurately by screen readers;
  • form labels and controls are associated in markup;
  • landmarks (such as navigation and main content) can be identified by assistive technology.

Users may access our sites with a range of assistive tools (for example, screen readers on desktop and mobile, browser zoom and contrast settings). We test key workflows where feasible, and we welcome feedback on specific technologies that may need better support.

6 Forms, submission systems & alerts

Accessibility in author, reviewer and editor workflows.

Forms used for:

  • article submission;
  • reviewer sign-up;
  • profile management; and
  • contact or feedback;

are designed to:

  • include labels associated with input fields;
  • indicate required fields clearly in text, not by colour alone;
  • provide helpful error messages that describe what needs to be fixed;
  • allow navigation and completion using the keyboard.

When external submission platforms are used, we work with providers to encourage adherence to similar accessibility principles.

7 Accessible articles, PDFs & figures

Making research content more usable for all readers.

We are gradually improving accessibility of article content by:

  • providing HTML abstracts (and, where possible, full text) with properly structured headings and lists;
  • aiming to produce PDFs with:
    • tagged reading order,
    • bookmarks for major sections,
    • selectable, searchable text (rather than image-only pages).
  • encouraging meaningful figure legends that do not rely only on colour to convey information;
  • using table markup that supports interpretation by assistive technologies.

For older or legacy articles, some PDFs may not fully meet current accessibility expectations. Where specific barriers are reported and the source files are available, we will explore options for improved or alternative versions.

8 Multimedia, audio & video

Supporting captions, transcripts and alternative formats.

When IUMS journals publish or embed multimedia (for example, video abstracts, audio interviews, webinars), we aim to:

  • provide captions or subtitles where feasible;
  • offer transcripts or descriptive summaries, especially for key scientific content;
  • avoid auto-playing media with sound;
  • ensure that essential information is not available only in audio or visual form without alternatives.

For externally hosted multimedia, we encourage use of platforms that support captions and transcripts, and we provide links to textual summaries on the journal site when possible.

9 What we ask authors to do

How authors can help make their submissions more accessible.

Accessibility begins with how manuscripts and figures are prepared. We ask authors to:

  • follow the Author guidelines, including any instructions on figure quality, table layout and use of plain language;
  • avoid placing all important information in images; provide descriptive captions and legends;
  • use clear, descriptive headings and avoid long unbroken blocks of text;
  • ensure that any colour coding in figures is supplemented with patterns, labels or other cues;
  • check that equations, symbols and special characters display correctly.

Where appropriate, authors may also share underlying data in accessible formats, as described in the Research data & code sharing policy.

10 Alternative formats & reasonable accommodations

When standard formats are not sufficient.

If you encounter content on an IUMS journal site that is not accessible to you—for example:

  • a PDF that cannot be read by your screen reader;
  • a figure that lacks sufficient textual explanation;
  • a video without captions or transcript;

you may request a more accessible version or alternative format. Depending on what is feasible, this may include:

  • a tagged or re-flowed PDF;
  • a structured HTML version;
  • a textual description or transcript of key content.

We will assess each request individually and respond as promptly as we can, taking into account technical constraints, copyright considerations and the age of the material.

11 Reporting accessibility barriers

How to let us know when something is not working.

We welcome constructive feedback from users about any accessibility barriers on our sites or in our content. Examples of issues you can report include:

  • pages that are difficult to navigate with a keyboard;
  • content that is not readable by screen readers;
  • colour combinations that make text hard to see;
  • forms or submission steps that are not accessible.

When contacting us, it is helpful if you can include:

  • the URL or clear description of the page or file;
  • a short description of the problem;
  • details of the browser, device and assistive technology (if any) that you were using.

We use this information to troubleshoot specific issues and to prioritise improvements.

12 Accessibility, consent & privacy

Handling accessibility-related information with care.

When you contact us about accessibility, we may need to collect limited personal information (such as your name, email address and details of your request) in order to:

  • respond to you;
  • follow up on technical issues; and
  • track recurring problems.

We do not require you to disclose medical or diagnostic details. Any information about disability, health or assistive technology that you choose to share is handled sensitively and in line with our Consent & privacy policy.

13 Governance, monitoring & review

How we improve accessibility over time.

Accessibility is an ongoing process. IUMS journals:

  • review this policy periodically, especially when we introduce new site features or platforms;
  • use feedback and reported issues to identify priorities for improvement;
  • work with technical teams and external partners to address known barriers;
  • raise awareness of accessibility considerations with editors, authors and reviewers through guidelines and training.

Major updates to this policy will be reflected on this page, with the date of the latest revision clearly indicated.

14 Contact

Getting help or sharing suggestions about accessibility.

For questions, requests for alternative formats or to report accessibility barriers on IUMS journal sites, please contact:

Policy version: v1.0 – last updated April 2025. We appreciate your feedback and partnership in making IUMS journals more accessible and inclusive for all readers.