DSpace is a widely used open-source repository system that offers various functionalities for disseminating and preserving digital assets. However, it also suffers from a poor user interface and low digital accessibility. To remedy this, DSpace 7 has incorporated significant improvements in digital accessibility. Nevertheless, DSpace 7.6 still falls short of meeting the minimum accessibility requirement of WCAG 2.2 AA standard. This poses a major barrier for users who need to access digital objects, as well as for institutions who want to adopt DSpace as their institutional repository. To address the accessibility issues of DSpace repository for the benefit of the organization and the community, the University of Oregon DSpace project team conducted a thorough analysis of the WCAG 2.2 AA standard document and identified 56 accessibility items that are essential for the repository to comply with the standard. The team classified the items into six key categories: Keyboard Accessibility, Screen Reader Compatibility, ARIA Support, Color Contrast, Captioning, and Navigation Skip. After resolving each accessibility issue on the list and verifying them byWAVE and Axe testing tools, the project team developed a comprehensive solution package that can enable UO Libraries to create an inclusive and accessible digital environment on the institutional repository, ensuring that the published digital assets are accessible and usable by all users, regardless of their abilities.
