Accessibility Help

Accessibility and Usability Testing

In 2004, two Accessibility and Usability website audits were carried out by outside consultants from Napier University and Headstar Ltd (www.headstar.com).

Work is being scheduled to address the issues raised and we can now build on this to achieve our target of 'AA' standard, satisfying WAI Priority 1 and 2 Checkpoints. We will consider the need for further accessibility and usability site testing in the autumn of 2005.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Standards Compliance

It is the policy of Dumfries and Galloway Council to make reasonable adjustments in order to make all web-based information and services on the new DGCommunity.net website accessible and equally effective to all regardless of disability. Dumfries and Galloway Council will adhere to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)'s AA standard.

In designing this website Dumfries and Galloway Council have ensured that disabled people with a range of sensory, cognitive and mobility impairments have been involved in the process of website design and development.

We will respond to any criticisms you may have about the accessibility of the site. Please contact us in confidence if you wish to discuss any aspect of the site with regards to accessibility issues.

The DGCommunity Web site has been designed to comply with the guidelines issued by W3C/WAI. The Site was also validated as HTML 4.01 Transitional, using the W3C and Web Design Group validators, with CSS compliance.

Valid HTML 4.01! Valid CSS! Explanation of Level Double-A Conformance Bobby WorldWide Approved AAA

Browsealoud - Listen to our Website

Speech Enabling our Website

This website is now speech-enabled, which means that you can download free software onto your personal computer and have the site read aloud to you. The free software is called Browsealoud, and is used on over 2000 websites in the UK and USA. Browsealoud is a Windows browser plug-in designed for use with Internet Explorer 4 upwards or Netscape Navigator. If you install the Browsealoud plug-in onto your PC, you can have the web pages on the Dumfries and Galloway Council website read to you (and other sites that are speech-enabled).

Why speech enable our website?

Speech enabling our website provides an additional way of accessing our content for people who find it hard to read. This includes those with dyslexia or learning difficulties, those for whom English is not their first language, or anyone with a mild visual impairment. It is not designed to replace other screen readers.

Downloading Browsealoud

Click on the image below and you will be taken to an external site where you will find full instructions to carry out the download and installation. A browsealoud icon will be placed in your system tray which is at the bottom right of your browser.

Access Keys

To aid those using a screen reader or a talking browser or any user agents that support access keys, quick access to the main navigation links are provided via the keyboard using keys based on the the UK Government Access Keys system.

These access keys provide a quick way to navigate round the site without using a mouse.

Hold the 'Alt' key (Windows PC) or 'Ctrl' key (Apple Mac)

Select the key from the list below

Press 'Enter' if using a Windows PC (an Apple Mac takes you straight there)

• 0 - Accessibility Help Page
• 1 - Home
• 3 - The Council
• 4 - Search
• 5 - A to Z of Services
• 6 - A to Z of Documents
• 7 - A to Z of MiniWebs
• 8 - Terms and Conditions

• j - Jobs
• n - Events
• p - Public Notices
• r - Press Releases
• s - Skip Navigation, go to Content
• u - Contact Us
• w - News Headlines

Cross browser support

Use of access keys differs according to browser:

• Internet Explorer 5+: Hold down the Alt key and select the number/letter of the access key, then press ENTER
• Internet Explorer 4: Hold down the Alt key and select the number/letter of the access key
• Internet Explorer 5+ for Mac: Hold down the Ctrl key and select the number/letter of the access key
• Internet Explorer 4.5 for Mac: Access keys are not supported
• Mozilla: Hold down the Alt key and select the number/letter of the access key
• Netscape 6+: Hold down the Alt key and select the number/letter of the access key
• Netscape earlier versions: Access keys are not supported

Enable Javascript

Navigator 3.x

• Go to "Options | Network Preferences..." from the main menu
• Change to the "Languages" tab
• To enable: make sure "Enable JavaScript" check box is checked
  To disable: make sure "Enable JavaScript" check box is unchecked
• Restart the browser

Communicator 4.x

• Go to "Edit | Preferences..." from the main menu
• Select "Advanced" panel
• To enable: make sure "Enable JavaScript" check box is checked.
  To disable: make sure "Enable JavaScript" check box is unchecked.
• Restart the browser

Explorer 3.x

• Go to "View | Options..." from the main menu
• Change to the "Security" tab
• To enable: make sure "Run ActiveX scripts" check box is checked
  To disable: make sure "Run ActiveX scripts" check box is unchecked
• Restart the browser

Explorer 4.x and Explorer 5+

• Go to "View | Internet Options..." from the main menu
• Change to the "Security" tab
• Select "Custom" and click on the "Settings..." button
• To enable: make sure "Enable" is selected under "Active scripting"
  To disable: make sure "Disable" is selected under "Active scripting"
• Restart the browser

Simply reloading the page, rather than restarting the browser, may be sufficient under some browser versions.

Change Text Size

Microsoft Internet Explorer

• Go to "View | Text Size" and choose your text size from the menu.
• OR hold down the control key and roll your mouse wheel up and down until the text is the correct size.

Opera

• Go to "View | Zoom" and choose a zoom level.
• OR hold down the control key and roll your mouse wheel up and down until the text is the correct size.

Netscape Navigator 

• Go to "View | Text Zoom" and choose whether to increase or decrease the text size.

Mozilla Firefox

• Go to "View | Text Size" and choose whether to increase or decrease the text size.
• OR hold down the control key and roll your mouse wheel up and down until the text is the correct size.

Flash Player Information

Flash

Parts of our website may use Flash to help convey information more effectively, particularly for users with cognitive disabilities. If you cannot view these files please Download Flash Player from the Macromedia website. It is free and should only take a few minutes to install.