Accessibility

We adhere to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), used to ensure web sites are designed and written in a way that makes them accessible to everyone.

• where we use images, we use alternative text so that those people who cannot see the image can read the text
• we only use strong colour contrasts
• headings are used correctly to make them readable through screen readers
• links do what they say. We don't use 'click here'
• tables are laid out in tabular form with headings and summaries
• we use style sheets to determine the presentation of our web site - this assists those using screen reading devices

Change your computer settings

There are many changes you can make to ensure browsing the internet is a better experience. You can change options in your internet browser – such as altering colours, changing text size or using voice activation – to alter the way you see, hear or use a website. We and AbilityNet have developed an accessibility site explaining these and other accessibility features – useful whether you’re using a mobile device or a computer that runs Windows, Mac OSX, iOS or Android.

Explore accessibility features

Useful links

If you would like to know more about accessibility and the Internet, you may be interested in the following websites

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/ - BBC accessibility help, enabling computer users to make the most of the internet whatever their ability or disability.
• www.tavip.org.uk – Technology Association of Visually Impaired People
  
• https://www.gov.uk/browse/disabilities/rights Disability rights under the Equality Act 2010
• http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/the-disability-discrimination-act-dda Find out about disability discrimination in everyday life and the rights of people with disabilities, including in employment, health and education in Northern Ireland.
• RNIB website - The Royal National Institute for the Blind
• www.w3.org/WAI - W3C accessibility guidelines

Use these links to download various screen readers and web browsers:

• CHAP Links Library - a free text-only web browser for visual users with low bandwidth.
• JAWS - a screen reader for use with Windows.
• Lynx - a free text-only web browser for blind users with refreshable Braille displays.
• vis.js A dynamic, browser based visualisation library intended to improve on the CHAP Links Library. Open source.