This web site has been designed to be as accessible as possible. However, we recognise that accessibility is a subjective experience and therefore we’d like to encourage you to let us know if you encounter any problems using the site. We will take action and respond as quickly as we can.
All text and image content used on this web site expand based on your preferred text-size set using your browser’s controls. You can “zoom in” to magnify the content using your browser’s font size settings.
If any aspect of the site’s layout causes you difficulty, it may be preferable for you to remove all “styles” completely, and adjust your browser settings as you require. Read on for useful links to accessibility help for different operating systems and browsers.
The web site conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (exceeding priority 2 checkpoints) from the Web Accessibility Initiative – part of the World Wide Web Consortium. In addition, the latest best practice techniques have also been used where appropriate.
In the USA it conforms with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990 and the Web specific portion of the Section 508 Amendment to The Rehabilitation Act 1973 if receiving funds or under contract with the US Federal Government. In addition, it also means that in the UK it will exceed the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Accessible design benefits all users not only disabled ones. Accessible design means that web sites are easier to use in every respect and better for search engines to index – everyone benefits from accessible web sites.
It is a popular misconception that web accessibility is just about disabled users such as the visually impaired. Not true! It also includes those with equally debilitating conditions such as dyslexia, color blindness, and mobility / dexterity impairment caused by conditions like arthritis.
In the USA, in 2001 an estimated 19.4% of civilians in the United States, totaling 48.9 million people, have a disability. It is estimated that now somewhere between 10% and 20% of the total browsing population are disabled in some way.
In the UK, the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey, Winter 2004 suggests that as many as 20% of the working age population have disabilities that accessible web design can help.