Accessibility

This site has been designed for accessibility with the following World Wide Web Consortium’s (WWC3) Level AA guidelines.

  • Non Text Elements
    A text equivalent for every non-text element has been supplied.
  • Documents
    Standard document formats are in use throughout this site (for example: html, Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat). If your computer does not have software to open particular formats, file readers are available from Microsoft or Adobe.
  • Colours
    Foreground and background color combinations use sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen.
  • Style Sheets
    Layout and presentation are controlled for screen and print using style sheets.
  • Relative Units
    Relative rather than absolute units are used in markup language attribute values and style sheet property values.
  • Header Elements
    Header elements are used to convey document structure.
  • Lists
    Lists and list items have been marked up properly.
  • Pop Ups
    No pop-ups or other windows appear without user input to do so and no current window changes without informing the user.
  • Information Blocks
    Large blocks of information have been divided into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate.
  • Links
    The target of each link is clearly identified..
  • Layout
    Information about the general layout of a site (e.g., a site map or table of contents) has been provided.
  • Navigation
    Navigation mechanisms have been used in a consistent manner.
Changing Browser Settings

If you are having difficulties viewing our pages, most browsers allow users to change the settings in order to alter the way pages are displayed, which may improve readability.

Most browsers allow you to:

  • Zoom in to resize the web page
  • Ignore settings specified by a web page
  • Change the size of the font
  • Change the style of the font
  • Change the colour of the font
  • Change the background colour
  • Stop images downloading (so they are not visible)

To change your settings, please click on one of the following browser types for a step by step guide:

  • Internet Explorer
  • How do I zoom in on the web page
    • Newer versions of Internet Explorer include a zoom feature that allows you to increase the whole web page
      Use the keyboard by pressing CTRL and ' + ' to zoom in and CTRL and ' - ' to zoom out.
  • How do I ignore the font / colour settings?
    • From the browser menu, go to the 'Tools' menu and select 'Internet Options'
      Click on the 'Accessibility' option, which can be found under the 'General' tab.

      You will see the following options:
      1. Ignore colours specified on Web pages
      2. Ignore font styles specified on Web pages
      3. Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages
      Tick the options that are appropriate to you.
      Click 'OK'
      Click 'OK' again to close the 'Internet Options' box.
  • How do I change the colours of the text and background?
    • From the browser menu, go to the 'Tools' menu and select 'Internet Options' Click on the 'Colours' option, which can be found under the 'General' tab Untick the 'Use windows colours' option Select your own text and background colours (black text on a yellow background provides the most contrast) To change the colours of visited and unvisited links, click on the colours and select your preferred colour from the palette that appears Click 'OK' Click 'OK' again to close the 'Internet Options' box
  • How do I change the font style?
    • From the browser menu, go to the 'Tools' menu and select 'Internet Options'
      Click on the 'Accessibility' option, which can be found under the 'General' tab
      Tick the 'Ignore font styles specified on Web pages' option
      Click 'OK'
      Back at the 'General' tab, click 'Fonts'
      From this screen you can change the way your pages display 'web page font' and 'plain text font.' Once you have chosen your required settings, click 'OK'
      Click 'OK' again to close the 'Internet Options' box
  • How do I change the font size?
    • Go to 'View' and select 'Text Size' and select the appropriate size text, e.g. 'largest'
      Adjust as appropriate
  • How do I stop images downloading?
    • This allows you to only view text and the page will load much faster
      From the main menu, go to the 'Tools' menu and select 'Internet Options'
      Go to the 'Advanced' tab
      Scroll down the settings until you reach 'Multimedia'
      Untick the 'Show pictures' option
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Internet Options' box
  • Chrome
  • How do I zoom in on the web page
    • Click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar, find the 'zoom' section in the menu and select '+' to make page content larger or '-' to make page content smaller.
  • How do I ignore the font / colour settings?
    • Changing the font colour isn’t possible.
  • How do I change the colours of the text and background?
    • Changing the background colour isn’t possible, but you can install a high contrast theme.
      Click on the Google Chrome menu icon (box with three horizontal lines) on the toolbar to get the Customise and Control Google Chrome menu.
      Click on ‘Settings’ and then click on ‘Get Themes’ under the Appearance heading. Search for the ‘high contrast’ theme. Check that the theme developer is Google and click ‘Add to Chrome’ to install it.
      To remove this theme click on the Customise and control Google Chrome menu. Click on ‘Settings’ and then click on ‘Extensions’. Delete ‘high contrast’ from the list.
  • How do I change the font style?
    • From the main menu, select ’Options’
      Select ‘Content Settings’
      Select ‘Show advanced settings’
      In the ‘Web content’ section use the ‘Font size’ drop-down menu to make adjustments.
  • How do I change the font size?
    • From the main menu, select ’Options’
      Select ‘Content Settings’
      Select ‘Show advanced settings’
      In the ‘Web content’ section click on ‘Customise fonts’ and under standard font use the drop-down menu to select the font style you want.
  • How do I stop images downloading?
    • From the main menu, select ’Options’
      Select ‘Content Settings‘
      Look for the section titled ‘Images’
      Here tick the ‘Do not show any images’ radio button
  • Netscape
  • How do I zoom in on the web page
    • From th main menu select "View" followed by "Text size" and change to your preference or press the keys "CTRL" and + or - at the same time. "CTRL" and "0" (zero) will reset the text size
  • How do I ignore the font / colour settings?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'Edit' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Appearance' then 'Colors'
      Under the heading 'When a web page provides its own colors and background' check the option next to 'Use my chosen colors, ignoring the colors and background image specified'
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box
  • How do I change the colours of the text and background?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'Edit' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Appearance' then 'Colors'
      Under the heading 'Text and Background' select your own text and background colours (black text on a yellow background provides the most contrast)
      To change the colours of visited and unvisited links, click on the colours and select your preferred colour from the palette that appears
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box
  • How do I change the font style?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'Edit' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Appearance' then 'Fonts'
      Change the font type to your required settings
      To use these fonts when you visit all websites in future, untick the option next to 'Allow documents to use other fonts'
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box
  • How do I change the font size?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'View' menu and select 'Text Zoom'
      Select the appropriate size text, e.g. 'Larger' Netscape also allows you to choose the size of the text as a percentage of the original, e.g. 150%
  • How do I stop images downloading?
    • This allows you to only view text and the page will load much faster
      From the main menu, go to the 'Edit' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Privacy & Security' then 'Images'
      Under the heading 'Image Acceptance Policy' check the option next to 'Do not load any images'
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box
  • Opera
  • How do I zoom in on the web page
    • From the View menu
      Select Zoom and then the percentage you require to increase or decrease the text.
  • How do I ignore the font / colour settings specified?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Page style'
      Under the 'Author mode' option, untick the boxes next to 'Page style sheet' and 'Page fonts and colors'
      Click 'OK to close the 'Preferences' box
  • How do I change the colours of the text and background?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Fonts and colors'
      Highlight the font type you would like to change, e.g. 'Normal' or 'Heading 1'
      Click the 'Choose' button to the right. This will bring up a 'Font' box where you can change the font, font style and font size. Choose the settings that are suitable for you
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Font' box
      Back at the 'Fonts and colors' options, click on the box to the right of Background color' and select your preferred colour from the palette that appears
      To change colours of visited and not visited links, at 'Link style' click on the 'My link style' box to the right
      The 'Links style' box will appear. Click on the colours and select your preferred colour from the palette that appears
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Link style' box
      Select 'Page style'
      Under the 'Author mode' option, untick the boxes next to 'Page style sheet' and 'Page fonts and colors'
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box
  • How do I change the font style?
    • From the main menu, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Fonts and colors'
      Highlight the font type you would like to change, e.g. 'Normal' or 'Heading 1'
      Click the 'Choose' button to the right. This will bring up a 'Font' box where you can change the font, font style and size of the font. Choose the settings that are suitable for you
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Font' box
      To use these fonts when you visit all websites in future select 'Page style' (under 'Fonts and colors'
      Under the 'Author mode' option, untick the boxes next to 'Page style sheet' and 'Page fonts and colors.' Tick the box next to 'My fonts and colors'
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box
  • How do I change the font size?
    • You can choose to Zoom the contents of a page (text and images) from 20% - 100%
      From the main menu, go to 'View' and select 'Zoom'
      Select the magnification of the page that is most suitable for you
  • How do I stop images downloading?
    • This allows you to only view text and the page will load much faster
      From the main menu, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Preferences'
      Select 'Multimedia'
      Next to Images you will see a drop down menu. Click on the arrow to expand the menu and select 'Show no images'
      Click 'OK' to close the 'Preferences' box

Keyboard navigation

Keyboard navigation is an alternative to the mouse for browsing websites.

  • Use the arrow keys to scroll up or down pages.
  • Use the tab key to move between links, and press return or enter to select one.
  • Use the backspace key to go back to the previous page.
Speaking browsers

Speaking browsers read text on html pages or pdf files out loud. For information and advice on speaking browsers, contact national organisations that advise on add-on products for personal computers and browsers, such as the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6 and upwards has a ‘read-out-loud' facility for pdf documents. From the View menu, select Read out Loud. See Acrobat Help here for more information.

If you encounter any accessibility issues with this website, please let us know at info@ncepod.org.uk.