Accessibility
Accesskeys
Many modern web browsers support a function that allows a visitor to jump to a specific page by pressing a combination of keyboard keys.
While there is potential for this feature to be very useful it presently comes with its own set of problems which can hinder usability and accessibility. Defining specific accesskeys for a website can conflict with native short–cut keys in a web browser and operating system. Research is still being carried out by the W3C and until it is properly supported this web site will not include them.
Skip navigation
Each page in this website has a 'Skip Navigation' link – this allows direct access past the navigational section and straight to the main content. Its primary use is for non-sighted visitors using a screen reader. Non–sighted visitors experience the Internet in a linear fashion – that is, one link at a time. To avoid the irritation of listening to the entirety of the link options each time a page loads, Skip Navigation can by–pass it.
Web standards
The technologies used to build this website have been selected in accordance with the W3C. It is based on a model known as the 'Trinity of Web Standards' which paves a way to control the separation of structure (XHTML) from presentation (CSS) and behaviour (ECMAScript scripting language).
All code featured has been tested and validated against the W3C's XHTML and CSS validation tools.
Acronyms & abbreviations
To aid the accessibility and usability of this website all acronyms and abbreviations are defined in the following list:
- CSS: Cascading Style Sheets
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Language used to describe how a HTML document is styled.
Find out more: wikipedia.org.
- ECMAScript: European Computer Manufacturers Association
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ECMAScript is a scripting programming language.
Find out more: wikipedia.org.
- HTML: HyperText Markup Language
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In computing, HyperText Markup Language is a markup language designed for the creation of web pages with hypertext and other information to be displayed in a web browser.
Find out more: wikipedia.org.
- UK: United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupies part of the British Isles in northwestern Europe, with most of its territory and population on the island of Great Britain.
Find out more: wikipedia.org.
- W3C: World Wide Web Consortium
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An international consortium where Member organisations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.
Find out more: w3.org.
- WAI: Web Accessibility Initiative
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The Web Accessibility Initiative develops strategies, guidelines, and resources to help make the Web accessible to people with disabilities.
Find out more: w3.org.
- XHTML: eXtensible HyperText Markup Language
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A markup language that has the same expressive possibilities as HTML, but a stricter syntax and an application of XML.
Find out more: w3.org.
- XML: Extensible Markup Language
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A general-purpose markup language for creating special-purpose markup languages with the ability to describe many different kinds of data.
Find out more: w3.org.