Accessibility

Introduction

Our website is designed to conform to World Wide Web Consortium accessibility standards, but there are some things you can do to make our site even easier to use:

• Site accessibility features
• Customising your computer
• Using keyboard shortcuts
• Useful links

Site accessibility features

Skipping to content and footer links

For users who have assistive technology such as screen or Braille readers, we have included two links at the top of every page to allow you to bypass repetitive information:

• a skip to content link which takes you straight to the main heading on the page
• a skip to footer link which takes you to a selection of useful links.

Resizable text

By default, text is set at a medium font size, but you can resize the text on all pages using options in your web browser.

Flexible width and scalable layout

You can drag the four edges of the website to display any size you want. The page content adjusts automatically to display correctly for the shape you choose:

1. If you have full screen display, select the 'Restore down' button at top right, to see the edges of the display window.
2. Move the pointer over a display window edge until two arrows appear.
3. Drag the top, bottom and side edges to the shape and size you want.

You can change your display this way in any application, not just on our website (although the content may not adjust). Next time you visit us and choose 'Restore down', your display will be the size and shape you last chose, regardless of where you chose it from.

Customising your computer

AbilityNet and the BBC have developed some tutorials which tell you how to customise your computer to give you a better experience when using the web. For example, you can find out how to:

• change how information is shown on your screen, to get more on, or to see content more clearly
• change colours and fonts, a good idea if you have a visual impairment and need more contrast
• adapt the mouse, for example, to slow it down, make the pointer bigger, or if you are left-handed
• change a variety of keyboard settings, including the rate at which the cursor blinks.

Go to AbilityNet for more information, or My Web My Way to see the tutorials.

Using keyboard shortcuts

You can use keys on the keyboard to move around our website more quickly. These are called shortcuts, and the keys you use depend on your browser. Find information for the four main browsers by selecting:

Internet Explorer version 9 shortcuts

Internet Explorer version 8 shortcuts

Internet Explorer version 7 shortcuts

Chrome shortcuts

Firefox shortcuts

Safari 8 shortcuts

Safari 6/7 shortcuts

Useful links

You can download free software from the web, and find out about accessibility features for a variety of systems:

www.abilitynet.org.uk - for information about customising your computer

My Web My Way - for information and tutorials, developed by the BBC and AbilityNet, on customising your computer

www.screenreader.net - for access to the free screen reader Thunder

www.microsoft.com/enable/training/default.aspx - Microsoft accessibility wizard and how to use it

www.google.com/accessibility/all-products-features.html - Google accessibility tools

www.apple.com/accessibility - Apple Macintosh accessibility features

www.accessfirefox.org - accessibility features in Firefox and download extensions