LAW AND BENEFIT REVIEW

ACCESSIBILITY: Disability Matters wishes to ensure that all those logging onto our website will find it accessible as it can be for those suffering from mobility, visual impairments and arthritic diseases so we hope that the following information will assist you to engage your browser to make the most of our website:

[1] ACCESS KEYS:
The main categories of the website and the home page are available by pressing the 'Alt' key and the corresponding number for the link you want, followed by the return key. Each of the categories in the left hand navigation is numbered from 1 to 9.
E.g. to access the 'How You Can Help' section, press Alt+3 and then enter, or to access the Online Shop press Alt+5 and then enter.
To access the Site Map use Alt+M and then enter. To go directly to the Search box use Alt+S then enter your keyword and press enter.

[2] TROUBLE WITH SCROLLING:
You may find that it is difficult to scroll down the page to access all the information on the page. You may find it easier to use the arrow keys on your keyboard rather than the mouse. You can also jump a screen at a time using the Page Up and Page Down buttons on your keyboard if they are available.
We are committed to making this site accessible to all visitors using any browser. However, if you experience any difficulty in viewing any of the pages or accessing any of the information, please LET US KNOW

[3] ADJUSTING TEXT SIZES AND COLOURS:
If you use the Internet Explorer or Netscape browsers to view the Internet, the following guidelines will enable you to enlarge the size of the text and control the colours on your screen. However, if you require even larger text, or use a text-only browser, please refer to the RNIB website, which contains useful information on how to access the web using different technologies.

[4] INSTRUCTIONS FOR USERS OF MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER:
Open your Internet Explorer Web Browser.
Select 'Tools' from the menu at the top of your window.
From the options which appear, select 'Internet options...'
Click on the 'General' tab.
Click on the tab marked 'Accessibility'.
To change your font size, select the checkbox marked 'Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages'.
To remove background and font colours, select the checkbox. marked 'Ignore colours specified on web pages'.
Click 'OK' (and again if necessary).
Select 'View' from the menu at the top of your window.
From the options which appear, select 'Text size'.
Select your desired text size.

[5] FOR APPLE:
Open your Internet Explorer Web Browser.
Select the 'edit' menu at the top of your window.
From the options menu which appears, select 'preference'.
Click on 'web content'.
Deselect the button marked 'show style sheets'.
Return to the list of preferences.
Click on 'web browser'.
Select 'language/fonts'.
Select the font size you require.

[6] INSTRUCTIONS FOR USERS OF NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR PRIOR TO VERSION 6
To change the text size:
Select 'Edit' from the menu at the top of the window and choose 'Preferences'.
Open the Appearance group and click the 'Fonts' category.
Next to 'For the encoding' should read Western to tell the computer which types of letters and symbols to use.
From 'Size' select 18.
Next to the Variable Width Font field is a drop down box: select 'Arial'.
The Fixed Width Font box should already read 'Courier New'. From 'Size' select 18.
To override the fonts used by the designer of the web page, select 'Use my default fonts overriding document specified fonts'.
Click 'OK'.

[7] TO CHANGE THE PAGE COLOURS
Select 'Edit' from the menu at the top of the window and choose 'Preferences'.
Open the Appearance group and click the 'Colours' category.
Select a colour button to change colours of text, background, unvisited links, or visited links.
To override the colours used on the web page, select the 'Use my colours, overriding document' option.
Click 'OK'.

[8] INSTRUCTIONS FOR USERS OF NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR VERSION 6 AND UPWARDS:
To change the text size:
Select 'Edit' from the menu at the top of the window and choose 'Preferences'.
Open the Appearance group and click the Fonts category.
Next to 'Fonts for:' should read Western to tell the computer which types of letters and symbols to use.
Next to the 'Proportional' field is a drop down box: select 'Sans-serif'. For the size select 18.
Next to the 'Monospace' field, the box should already read 'Courier New'. From 'Size' select 18.
In the 'Minimum font size' box select size 18.
Deselect the 'Allow documents to use other fonts' checkbox so no tick shows by clicking on it.
Click 'OK'.

[9] TO CHANGE THE PAGE COLOURS
Select 'Edit' from the menu at the top of the window and choose 'Preferences'.
Open the Appearance group and click the 'Colours' category.
Select a colour button to change colours of text, background, unvisited links, or visited links.
To override the colours used on the web page, select the 'Use my chosen colours, ignoring the colours and background image chosen' option.
Click 'OK'.

It must be said that the above information may not be found on your particular operating system due to updates, new or revised systems. The world of computers moves on so quickly, it is virtually impossible to keep up with all the changes. All we can say is that the information continues to be published in computer information books and websites and should be looked at as a ‘generality’ of information for users. Alternatively, contact the websites shown on page three for updates or your own software supplier, Microsoft, Apple, etc.

If you have any ideas of your own that helps you to operate your lap top or main computer, then please do let us know so that we can pass on all ideas to help others.

Alan de Derval et de Moisdon
Chairman Disability Matters