Website Accessibility ...

Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, all users can have equal access to information and functionality.

For example, when a site is coded with semantically meaningful HTML, with textual equivalents provided for images and with links named meaningfully, this helps blind users using text-to-speech software and/or text-to-Braille hardware. When text and images are large and/or enlargable, it is easier for users with poor sight to read and understand the content.

When links are underlined (or otherwise differentiated) as well as coloured, this ensures that color blind users will be able to notice them. When clickable links and areas are large, this helps users who cannot control a mouse with precision.

When pages are coded so that users can navigate by means of the keyboard alone, or a single switch access device alone, this helps users who cannot use a mouse or even a standard keyboard. When videos are closed captioned or a sign language version is available, deaf and hard of hearing users can understand the video.

When flashing effects are avoided or made optional, users prone to seizures caused by these effects are not put at risk. And when content is written in plain language and illustrated with instructional diagrams and animations, users with dyslexia and learning difficulties are better able to understand the content. When sites are correctly built and maintained, all of these users can be accommodated while not impacting on the usability of the site for non-disabled users.

The needs that Web accessibility aims to address include:

 Visual: Visual impairments including blindness, various common types of low vision and poor eyesight, various types of color blindness; Motor/Mobility: e.g. difficulty or inability to use the hands, including tremors, muscle slowness, loss of fine muscle control, etc., due to conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, stroke; Auditory: Deafness or hearing impairments, including individuals who are hard of hearing; Seizures: Photoepileptic seizures caused by visual strobe or flashing effects. Cognitive/Intellectual: Developmental disabilities, learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.), and cognitive disabilities of various origins, affecting memory, attention, developmental "maturity," problem-solving and logic skills, etc.

As described, large number of Internet users with disabilities can find websites difficult or even impossible to use because of the way that they have been designed. LT&RC recognises the need to ensure that this website meets or exceeds the requisite standards.

As such this site has been developed to be as accessible as possible and to be compatible with the types of adaptive technology used by people with disabilities, including screen readers.

Currently we have included facilities to allow the user to change the text size through the browser and be navigable by Voice browser and we will continue to develop the website to increase the level of accessibility.

Navigating this site:

To navigate through this site, please use the menu at the top of the page. If you are using a screen reader, you can use the access key alt - M (press enter). This will take you to the main menu; from there you can use the tab key to navigate through the links.

Font sizes:

 

Users can change the font size of this document to their preference through the browser. In Internet Explorer select View, then Text Size, and then your preferred size. In Netscape select View, then Text Zoom, and then your preferred percentage size. In Mozilla Firefox select View, then Text Size, then Increase or Decrease.

Style sheets:

Users may import their own style sheet into the website. In Internet Explorer select Tools, then Internet options, and then Accessibility. Next click on any or all of three checkboxes to ignore colours, font styles or font sizes. In the same window you can change the style sheet by clicking the checkbox that says 'Format document using my style sheet' then browse to your preferred style sheet and click OK.

In Netscape select Edit, then Preferences and then Appearance. You will then be given the choice to specify your own colours and fonts.

In Mozilla Firefox select Tools, then Options, then the Content tab, and select your own colour and font preferences.

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