what makes this an accessible website?

semantic CSS layout and easy navigation

This page with no CSS styling.

This website has been built using semantically correct, standards-compliant XHTML and CSS code to separate the content mark-up from its presentational styling. This allows visitors using screen readers or text-based browsers to easily access the information within the site. To see how the underlying text for this page is structured, simply 'disable styles' from within your browser. Notice how the navigation menu appears at the top as a clear list of text links (with a 'skip link'), followed by the main content which is logically structured with semantically correct headers. This is exactly how a blind person using a screen reader would want to 'see' the page. Note also that the styled version of the site features clear and consistent navigation graphics that make it very easy to know where you are within the site.

high contrast stylesheet

This website also features a selectable alternative stylesheet to assist visitors with a variety of sight impediments and/or cognitive disabilities and/or very slow connections. The alternative page is high in contrast and monotone so as not to discriminate against colour-blind users. The alternative page navigation elements are also bold and simplified for those with cognitive impairments and/or learning difficulties, and the page as a whole will load even quicker than normal due to fewer image files.

text resizing selector

This website features a text sizing tool that allows visitors to pick the best size to suit their standard of vision. Although the text on most websites can be scaled using browser options, the layout of many sites breaks up with large text, rendering them unusable. The text sizing tool on this website is unique in that it scales up different types of text at different rates, so you don't end up with HUGE headlines just because you prefer larger body text. The width of the entire site also increases to make room for the larger top text links.

text size: A A A A

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