Web Accessibility

This website is for Everybody!

Our website has been built with findability, accessibility and usability in mind, so we hope you can find, access and use the information you need. This page explains the accessibility features available on the web site. We are always happy to receive feedback via the email about accessibility on the web site.

Help with understanding the information

Our writing style presents information in plain and simple language

We have tried to write the information on this web site in plain and simple language so it is easy to understand for as many people as possible.

Our glossary explains difficult words and phrases

Where we introduce difficult words or phrases and specialist terms they are defined in the Encyclopedia.

Have a web page read aloud to you using Browse Aloud

If you cannot see the text on the web site we have endeavored to make this site easy to access with text-to-speech screen readers.

If you don't have one of the popular screen readers on your computer there is some alternative free text-to-speech software available that will read web pages aloud.

Browse aloud
Alternatively you may like to use the free text-to-speech software Browse Aloud which is available to download from www.browsealoud.com.

Change the color of the web site

At the top of every page you can change the color of the web site display. This is intended to help people with sight impairments and people with dyslexia.

To change the colour click on one of the coloured boxes with a number 1, 2, 3, or 4 in it at the top of the page.

Change the size of the text

There are various ways to change the size of the text displayed on each page.

Change the text size in the web page

At the top of each page you can click on the 'font size' links.

A small the smallest text size each time you click it.
A normal the standard / normal text size each time you click it.
A large the larger text size each time you click it.
A large the largest text size each time you click it.

Change the text display settings in your web browser

You can also change the text size settings in your web browser. In most web browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer) this is done by going to the 'View' menu and selecting the 'Text size' option.

Flexible page layout so the column width resizes when you stretch the window

Our web site has a flexible page layout. The central text column stretches to fit as you resize your browser window. This allows you to adjust the text line length for easier reading at whatever text size you have chosen.

Navigate around the web site using a keyboard and access keys

To help you find your way around the web site there are a number of navigation aids.

Access keys

If you use a keyboard to navigate web sites there are access keys that you can use as shortcuts. We have provided the access keys in the government standard and added a few extra for this web site.

H - Home page
N - News
F - Forums
P - Projects
A - Frequently Asked Questions
T - Testimonials
L - Links
C - Contact Us
W - Website Accessibility
J - Join Us
G - Photo Gallery

Using Internet Explorer in Windows
To use access keys in Internet Explorer 5+ press Alt + Access Key then release both keys and press Enter, e.g. Alt + 1 then Enter to go to the home page.

In earlier versions of Internet Explorer press Alt + Access Key.

On a Macintosh
To use access keys on Macintosh press Ctrl + Access Key, e.g. Ctrl + 1 to go to the home page.

Firefox 2
To use access keys in Firefox 2 you will need to press Shift + Alt + Access Key, e.g. Shift + Alt + 1 to go to the home page.

Opera
To use access keys in Opera press Shift + Escape then release both keys and press the Access Key, e.g. Shift + Escape then 1 to go to the home page

Useful links to accessibility web sites

BBC - My Web My Way
A comprehensive resource for web accesibility with lots of advice about how to adjust your computer to get the best out of the web. My Web My Way