We at Gale are committed to making Gale resources more inclusive and accessible for all users. This month, we’ve introduced updates that improve usability, meet accessibility standards, and enhance the overall experience. We have recently completed an audit of our products and are striving for compliance of key platform features by April 2026.
As part of this effort, we have identified areas for improvement on our platform and are actively addressing them. Our development teams are working to remediate gaps identified in recent VPAT assessments, available at support.gale.com/vpats. We anticipate the release of numerous accessibility-driven updates to our platform in the coming months, beginning with changes to product banners detailed below. We will continue to update this post as new enhancements are released.
The following improvements, planned for late January 2026, are designed to enhance visibility, reduce cognitive load, and ensure content works more consistently with assistive tools such as screen readers and magnifiers. Improvements to the platform partially address color contrast, focus, relationships, names, labeling, and reflow accessibility criteria.
Key modifications include:
Interior banner:
- Repositioned product family and product names to help users identify where they are on the platform, and Advanced Search link for consistent navigation.
- Banner images replaced with solid blue background to improve text legibility and reduce visual distractions.
Products impacted:
- Gale Business
- Gale Directory Library
- Gale eBooks
- Gale Health and Wellness
- Gale In Context (exceptions: Gale In Context: For Educators, Gale In Context: Elementary*)
- Gale Literature
- Gale OneFile
- Gale Power Search
- Gale Presents: National Geographic Kids
- Gale Primary Sources (exception: Gale Digital Scholar Lab*)
- Gale Research Complete
*Exceptions to be remediated at a later date.
Home page:
- Banner text, including search options and database selection tool link, consolidated into containing box with white background to improve readability and asset screen reader navigation.
- Decorative background text has been removed from Basic Search bar to reduce potential confusion.
Products impacted:
- Gale Power Search
- Gale Research Complete
Database selection tool:
- Now identified with clearly labeled clickable button, making the tool easier to find and operate.
- Tool window resized (no longer full page when opened).
- Content types/databases organized in an accordion menu to reduce scrolling.
Products impacted:
- Gale Power Search
- Gale Research Complete
Curriculum standards:
- Accordion organization for standards replaced with drop-down selection menus that reflect clear labeling and maintain hierarchies for a more intuitive selection process.
- Simplified text/display in right-hand panel to make key actions easier to identify.
Products impacted:
- Gale In Context: For Educators