Accessibility
This site has been built in hope that everyone can use it, regardless of disability. Therefore, the use of this site should be enjoyable and you should feel at ease in using it. This page reveals what has been done to try and make the site accessible for all users.
Page Contents
Also see the assistive technologies section.
How the site is built for accessibility
The site's layout and style was achieved through the use of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). However, tables have been used where forms have been inserted into site. The navigation has been made simple with the use of 'skip to main navigation' and 'skip to main content' links. In addition, the layout remains consistent throughout the site, including the position of the main navigation bar down the left hand side of each page.
The following further outlines some of the site's accessible features:
Text
- Headings have been used to distinguish different areas of information.
- Wording has been made simple.
- Font size and type is clear.
- Bullet points have been used to divide up information.
- There is a font size changer in the top right hand corner of each page. Use the plus and minus buttons to make changes.
- You can also change your browser settings, including the font size, colour and type. For more information visit the BBC My Web My Way.
- JavaScript elements, such as the font size changer, allow users to use the mouse or keyboard.
- A printable version is available on each page.
Navigation
- A site map has been included for easy site navigation.
- A search box can be found in the top right hand corner of each page. Find out about search tips.
Links
- Links are meaningful (no use of 'click here')
- Links have been highlighted in the typical blue colour and are purple when visited. Furthermore, they are underlined.
Forms
- Forms can be navigated through by using the tab key.
- Radio buttons that can be found in sections like 'quizzes' have a large clickable area, as you can click on the button or the text to select an option.
Colour
- Where colour is used, maximum contrast has tried to have been achieved.
- The colour blind have been considered in the choice of colours used, for example red and green have not been used together.
Audio
- The site's main logo is a background image; therefore we have created an audio logo, which reads the logo text out loud to you. This is a wav file and should open in a player such as Windows Media Player. A text version has also been inserted and should be picked up by screen readers.
Search tips
There is a search box located in the top right hand corner of each page, which can be used to help you find something you are looking for.
Tips:
- Use keywords rather than long questions.
- Use quotes to search for phrases (e.g. 'audio books').
Information for those using Screen Readers
The Disability Hub web site has 5 main sections which include: the home page (which you begin at) as well as a news, fun, books and chat section. Then within some of these sections there are sub-sections. For example, when entering the fun section you will be presented with a list of links such as games, jokes and quizzes. Use these links to go to your chosen area. However, most of the site's main features can be accessed straight from the home page.
Site Structure and Navigation
The site contains a header across the top of the page; the first two links within this header are a 'skip to main navigation' and a 'skip to main content' link. If you decide not to use these links the next set of links are: about us, contact us, site map and accessibility (this page). This is then followed by a search edit box, which allows you to search for content within the site; you can then use the search button to activate your search.
The main part of the site contains three columns. The left hand side column contains the site's main page links (news, fun, books and chat). This column also contains a voting poll, the top three recommended online books and weekly horoscopes. The middle column is the largest and contains a breadcrumb trail of links, which allows you to navigate back to the home page. This is then followed by the main heading for the page you are on. This section also contains the main content for each page. Finally, this column has a link that will take you back to the top of the main content area. The right hand column is titled 'Fun Features' and contains a number of headings followed by relevant links, these headings include: play and review games, play the weekly quiz, read jokes, chat update and play hangman.
At the bottom of each page is the footer which has a link to the site's terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Headings
This site has been coded using header tags making navigation simpler for you. For example, the main heading for the content on each page is labeled as header 1 and the the sub-headings within the content are header 2's. The right hand side column on each page contains header 3s.
Images
All images provided by this site have an alt tag, which means that your screen reader should read this text out loud to you.