Accessibility
What is Web Accessibility
Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to ageing.
TEXT TO VOICE
Ricrod Design is committed to helping support our customers with as many options as possible.
From here you can download a FREE version of "Natural Reader®" software to your personal computer or that of anyone who would benefit from it.
"Natural Reader®" uses a natural sounding voice and an easy to use interface to enable you to convert any written text into voice. Whether it's MS Word, a Webpage, PDF files, or emails, "NaturalReader®" can handle the text with a few clicks of the mouse.
What is more, with "NaturalReader®" you can convert text directly to an MP3* or a WAV* file. (*=Optional version to purchase direct from "Natural Reader®").
Now you can listen to web sites, electronic books, and more.
Just open any web page, email, or document and either save the page as a "text file" or open it in this software to hear the text.
Enjoy listening to pages of text...
- Install the software
- Go to a web page
- Press the Control key + F9 and hear the page or
- Click the file tab, save as a text file
- Open it in the "Natural Reader®" software and click listen!
You can download the software here:
"Natural Reader®" Software download^"
^Disclaimer: Ricrod Design. cannot offer assistance on this software and recommend you review the manufacturers web site for further information.
Link to the Manufacturers Website is here: "Natural Reader®"
Building websites with the above in mind is vital to make certain the web is truly a mutli person environment where no one feels excluded. Images, and information should be accessible by all and the new compliant standards intend to develop and maintain this moving forwards.
It is very important to us that our website is accessible to as many people as possible.
The site currently conforms to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) web accessibility priority level 1. These standards ensure improved accessibility to allow partially sighted users to navigate through the website with screen reader and mangnifying tools.
For more information and a full list of guidelines please visit the W3C website .
User friendly design
In addition to the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines we have implemented our own design rules to make the site clear and easy to use:
- Using meaningful ALT text so there is a descriptive alternative for all images.
- Using clear descriptions and calls to action on hyperlinks.
- No use of frames, which are difficult for special browsers to display.
- Limited use of JavaScript, which doesn't work with some browsers and screen readers.
- Using an easier-to-read font set against a light blue background with no obtrusive background images.
- No pop-ups or obtrusive advertising. The Newsham Hanson website currently carries some external advertising.
Additional Accessibility tools
If you want to alter the way you view our website you can do so using settings in your internet browser.
Internet Explorer
To change font styles, font sizes and colours specified on the website:
- On the browser 'Tools' menu select 'Internet Options'.
- On the 'General tab', select 'Accessibility'
To increase font size or to zoom:
- In the browser 'Page' menu select 'Options' (or simply press 'cntrl –' or 'cntrl +' on your keyboard)
- In Internet Explorer 7 you can simply use the 'Change Zoom Level' tool in the bottom right of your browser window
More changes can be made by selecting 'Internet Options' in the browser 'Tools' menu.
Firefox
To change font styles, font sizes and colours specified on the website:
- Select the 'Content' tab on the browser 'Tools' menu and selct options for fonts and colours
To change the Font Size, Page Style or Character encoding:
- Select the corresponding options in the browser 'View' menu (or simply press 'cntrl –' or 'cntrl +' on your keyboard to de crease and increase the font)
Safari
Similar changes can be made in the Safari browser.
Accessibility reference W3C accessibility guidelines explain the reasons behind each guideline.