Accessibility

It is our aim to ensure that everyone can access the information published on our website.

The information below will help you access information on our site.

If you are having difficulty accessing any information please contact us and we will pleased to help you.

Opening documents

This website links to documents and files PDF format. You may need special software to read these files. The links below enable you to download the free software required to open these files.

PDF files

To open a PDF file you have two options. You can download a program called Acrobat Reader and install it onto your computer. The program is available free of charge from the Adobe Acrobat site.

• Download Adobe reader (external link)

Adobe publishes information on its website to help users get the most out of the accessibility features of Adobe PDF documents. Click the link to find out more.

• Read information on accessibility on the Adobe website (external link)

Other types of file

The links below will help you to download other types of document that may appear on our site

• Free viewer for Microsoft Word (external link)
• Free viewer for Microsoft Excel (external link)
• Windows Media Player (external link)
• Real Player (external link)

Information on adjusting your browser to make the text larger or to change the colours

Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser

Changing Font size and style

• Open the Tools menu with the mouse or by pressing Alt T.
• Select the Internet Options option with the mouse or by pressing O.
• Select the Accessibility button with the mouse or by pressing Alt E.
• Check the “Ignore font sizes specified on web page” checkbox with the mouse or by pressing Alt Z.
• Check the “Ignore font styles specified on web page” checkbox with the mouse or by pressing Alt S.
• Select the OK button twice with the mouse or by pressing Enter twice.
• Open the View menu with the mouse or by pressing Alt V.
• Select the Text Size option with the mouse or by pressing T.
• Choose your preferred text size with the mouse or by using the up and down arrow keys and pressing Enter.

The text on our website should now have changed to reflect your choice.

Changing colours

If you wish to change the colour settings of our web pages in order to create a text and background contrast that makes it easier to read, follow the steps below:

• Follow steps 1 to 3 above.
• Check the “Ignore colors specified on Web pages” box or press Alt C.
• Open the Tools menu with the mouse or by pressing Alt T.
• Select the Internet Options option with the mouse or by pressing O.
• Select the Colors button with the mouse or by pressing Alt O.
• Choose to have your Windows colour scheme reflected by selecting the “Use Windows color scheme” option with the mouse or by pressing Alt W.

OR

• Select either the Text button with the mouse (or by pressing Alt T), or the Background button with the mouse (or by pressing Alt B).
• Select the colour of your choice with the mouse or by using the arrow keys.
• Select the OK button twice with the mouse or by pressing Enter twice.

More details on accessibility in Internet Explorer

Microsoft publishes detailed information on the accessibility features of the Internet Explorer 6 web browser and other Microsoft software.

• Accessibility and Internet Explorer 6 (external link)

Mozilla Firefox Browser

Help with adjusting the settings in your Firefox browser to make the screen easier to read.

Increasing the size of the text

To do this in Firefox, go to the ‘View menu’, select ‘Text Size’ and then select ‘Increase’. You can have the same effect by using the keyboard and press the keys ‘Ctrl’ and ‘ ’ at the same time.

Changing the display on the screen

Firefox provides other ways in which you can fine-tune how a page displays on your screen.

For example you can change the background colours and choose which colours to have text, links and visited links displayed.

Firefox provides other ways in which you can fine-tune how a page displays on your screen.

For example you can change the background colours and choose which colours to have text, links and visited links displayed.

You can make these changes by:

• Going to the ‘Tools’ menu at the top of the page
• Selecting ‘Options...’ from that menu
• Clicking the ‘Font & Colours...’ button

On the ‘Font & Colours’ box you can over-ride the colours used by our website by ticking the boxes marked ‘Always use my: Fonts’ and ‘Always use my: Colours’.

You can specify which colours you prefer text and links to be displayed in, and which background colour should show on the page.

You can also choose colours to be used for links your have previously visited and links when your mouse hovers over them.

More details on accessibility in Firefox

Firefox publishes detailed information on how to adjust the display of their browser. Click the link below:

• Accessibility Options in Firefox

Click the link below to download the Mozilla Firefox browser.

• Download Firefox