Learn to Skate - inline skating
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Site help

Here's some suggestions for changing the way you can use this site.

Use the Accessibility Navbar

When you select the tab key on your keyboard you should find a selection of three 'quick links' which are aimed to provide quick access to parts of the site. These links are collectively known as the Accessibility Navbar. Here's an explanation of each link:

  • site help - this is the link to this page; where you can make changes to the site via your browser
  • site map - if you're lost and need to find a page, try the site map
  • jump to content - this is an internal link which moves the cursor (or point of focus) to the main content by jumping past the first list of navigational links

Use your keyboard

Did you know that you can use your keyboard for more than just writing a letter or entering numerical data? You can navigate round an accessible website with just your keyboard! Learning just a few simple keyboard commands can help you work more efficiently.

Navigational keys on your keyboard

When a page first loads you can press the Tab key on your keyboard to focus on three links which provide quick access to useful parts of the site:

  • navigation (n) - this is an internal link which moves the cursor (or point of focus) to the main navigation by jumping past the content sections
  • help (h) - a link to this page
  • site map (m) - an list of all the pages on the site split up into directories and files

You will see a letter after each of these links; these are called Accesskeys. To bring the point of focus to a link with an Accesskey use this combination of keystrokes:

  • Alt + Shift + Accesskey

Then all you need to do is press the Return (or Enter) key to either load the page (or in the case of the navigation link, change the point of focus to the first link in the navigation). You can also jump to the Search form by using the Accesskey 's'.

Other handy keyboard shortcuts with the Navigation keys

Using the Navigation keys, you can zip around the site. The navigation keys allow you to move the cursor, move around in documents and webpages and edit text in forms. The following lists covers some common functions of these keys:

  • Arrow Keys - left arrow, right arrow, up arrow and down arrow
    Move the cursor or selection one space or line in the direction of the arrow, or scroll a webpage in the direction of the arrow
  • Home - move the cursor to the beginning of a line or move to the top of a webpage
  • End - move the cursor to the end of a line or move to the bottom of a webpage
  • Ctrl + Home - move to the top of a document
  • Ctrl + End - move to the bottom of a document
  • Page Up - move the cursor or page up one screen
  • Page Down - move the cursor or page down one screen
  • Delete - delete the character after the cursor, or the selected text; in Windows, delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
  • Insert - turn Insert mode off or on. When Insert mode is on, text that you type is inserted at the cursor. When Insert mode is off, text that you type replaces existing characters

Change text size

You can adjust the size of the text on an accessible web site by using your browser or keyboard + mouse. For example if you are browsing the web with Firefox or Internet Explorer, you can change text size by going to View > Text Size and making your desired choice. Alternatively, if you have a mouse with a scroll-wheel you can press your Ctrl key and move the scroll-wheel back-and-forth to change the text size.

Change text size

You can adjust the size of the text throughout any accessible site by using your browser or keyboard and mouse. For example if you use the Firefox or Internet Explorer browsers, you can adjust text size by going to View > Text Size and making your desired choice. Alternatively, if you have a mouse with a scroll-wheel you can press your control key (Ctrl) and move the scroll-wheel back-and-forth to change the text size.

Switch to a the simplfied layout - ideal for small screens

This style sheet switcher sets a cookie on your machine in order to remember which style you choose each time you visit the site.

  1. Small screen style sheet

    This option simplifies the way the page is displayed and therefore makes it most suitable for the small screens of handheld devices like mobile telephones and PDAs.

    Works with devices that recognise the 'handheld' style sheet.

    You can view the simplified version with most desktop browsers though... go ahead and try!

  2. Default style sheet

    This is the default styling of the page. So, if you're using one of the most common desktop browsers you will automatically be shown the 'Default' style sheet option.

Learn more about how to maximise the in-built functionality of your browser

Most modern browsers provide a great wealth of functionality built-in to help you view web pages. The main browsers in use today are listed below; follow the links for infomation on how to harness more power from your browser.

Some further reading

Find out more about web accessibility and why web accessibility is important. Read about web browsers and assistive technologies like screen readers to see how they enhance the experience of surfing the web for those with a disability. Check out this accessibility software:

  • JAWS, a screen reader for Windows. A time-limited, downloadable demo is available
  • Lynx, a free text-only web browser for blind users with refreshable Braille displays
  • Links, a free text-only web browser for visual users with low bandwidth
  • Opera, a visual browser with many accessibility-related features, including text zooming, user stylesheets, image toggle. A free downloadable version is available. Compatible with Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and several other operating systems

And finally, below are some platform specific links that show you how to modify a website further: