Accessibility
We are committed to making the Barking and Dagenham Partnership website useable and useful to all our visitors.
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the accessibility of this site, please contact us as we want to continually improve the experience of the website for everyone.
Browsers and computer set-up
We have tried to make the site as accessible as we can using any browser, for example Internet Explorer. However, the best experience of this site for all users will be with modern browsers - for example Internet Explorer 8, Firefox 3, Safari 4. When using a modern browser the whole site can easily be zoomed to enlarge all of its' content. The text size zoom buttons (seen on the top right of every page on the purple bar) only allow the visitor to increase the font size and not the whole page.
If you need help adjusting your computer set-up, then AbilityNet's 'My Computer My Way' (http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/myway/) site offers a guide to setting up your computer in a way that suits you. It offers help with seeing the screen, using your keyboard and mouse, and with language and reading text on the page.
A practical approach to accessibility
Within the Barking and Dagenham Partnership site we have taken a practical approach to accessibility, making sure that all key information and features are available to all. However, we should mention that there are a few less significant features e.g. the poll and the twitter feed (which are both on the homepage) that are not accessible, for example that they cannot be read by a screen reader. We have provided an alternative 'Text only' version of the website. Clicking the 'Text only' button will take you through to this version. If you wish to return to the standard version then you can click 'Full view'.
Accessibility features of the website
1. For visitors with a visual impairment - all images have 'alt' tags (which means that the tag describes what the image is showing), text sizes can be enlarged, there is a text-only function, alternative high contrast versions are available, video can be transcribed and then read with a screen reader.
2. For visitors with hearing difficulties - all video audio content can have synchronised captions and be transcribed.
3. We will write in simple, plain english and keep website navigation easy and logical.
4. For visitors with mobility difficulties - the user can use the tab key to navigate the site.
A and AA level
In technical terms the website aims to achieve 'A' level accessibility for all pages and wherever possible 'AA' level. Please click here for a checklist for A and AA accessibility levels.
Below is a sample of some of the features that we have made sure are included:
1. The site uses XHTML Transitional for all mark up
2. All layout is CSS based
3. The site still functions when javascript or style sheets are turned off
4. All images have alt tags
5. All video or audio content can have synchronised captioning and be transcribed.