Accessibility

Structured, semantic markup

HTML heading tags are used to convey document structure. H1 tags are used for main titles, H2 tags for subtitles, and so on. Navigation menus are marked up as HTML lists. This ensures that the number of links in the list is read out at the start and it can be skipped easily.

Images

All content images used in this site include descriptive alt attributes. Purely decorative graphics include empty alt attributes.

Colours

We have checked the site's font and background colour combinations against the different colour blindness conditions and ensured that all information is still clear. You can change the settings using the uppermost menu; this allows you to apply a contrast style or no style at all.

Font sizes

You may change the font size of this site using the "normal", "medium", "large" feature on the top menu. Alternatively you can change to your preference through your 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.

Style sheets

This site uses cascading style sheets for visual layout. If your browser or browsing device does not support style sheets at all, the use of structured semantic markup ensures that the content of each page is still readable and clearly structured.

Forms

All forms follow a logical Tab sequence. Labels are associated with fields using HTML label tags.

Scripting

Java script is used on the website to improve usability and is required for online shopping. However it is possible to browse the website without Java script.

Links

Linking text has been written to make sense out of context. Where appropriate, links have title attributes which describe the link in greater detail, for example to advise you if the link will open in a new window.

Search

A search facility is available throughout the site to help you find products. The access key ALT+4 will take you straight to the search field.

Navigation aids

Where pages follow a linear sequence, they have previous, next, up, and home links to aid navigation in text-only browsers. Netscape 6 and Mozilla users can also take advantage of this feature by selecting the View menu, Show/Hide, Site Navigation Bar, Show Only As Needed (or Show Always). Opera 7 has similar functionality.

Standards compliance

The pages on our website conform at a minimum to level A compliance as specified by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and endorsed by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). The majority of pages on our website meet level AA and AAA requirements. All pages validate as XHTML 1 Transitional and use structured semantic markup. The CSS also validates. We strive to obey the spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 1995 with respect to the provision of services online, as required by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). http://www.disability.gov.uk/dda/