Accessibility

Accessible Features Found on This Website

Skip to Content

This tool offers the option to skip to the main content of a web page, rather than having to go through a long list of navigation links, a sub list of links, a search link, a logo, etc. before getting to the "meat" of the page.

High Contrast

By clicking the high contrast link, the contrast between foreground (text) and background is increased, allowing for people with low vision to interpret information on the screen in a high contrast environment.

Media Alternatives

All audio/video content available on this site is accompanied by text transcripts and closed captioning. 

Accessible Features That are Built Into Browsers

Magnify the Screen

Many web browsers allow you to zoom in on web pages using simple keyboard controls. The magnifier allows you to focus on specific parts of the screen, enlarging the text and other page elements.

  • For Windows operating systems, press "Ctrl" and "+" to zoom in on a web page ("Ctrl" and "–" to zoom out).
  • For Mac operating systems, press "Cmd" and "+" to zoom in on a Web page ("Cmd" and "–" to zoom out).

Customize the Mouse Pointer

You can customize a computer mouse pointer in several ways. For example, you can slow down the speed of the mouse pointer for easier handling. You can also change its appearance so that it contrasts more with the screen content.

Learn how to change mouse settings for Windows operating systems:

Learn how to change mouse settings for Mac operating systems:

Audible Text

Many computers have text-reading features, but they can be limited in what they offer. For example Windows Narrator reads only menus and dialogue boxes, but not blocks of text. Windows Narrator is available in Windows 7 and 8, or Windows 10.

For Microsoft Windows, software is available that offers more advanced screen-reading capabilities (both free and commercial). A popular free and open source screen reader is NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access). The 2 most common commercial screen readers are JAWS and Window-Eyes.

For Mac users, VoiceOver is available as a standard part of the OS X operating system.

Change Contrast

High Contrast heightens the color contrast of some text and images on your computer screen, making those items distinct and easier to identify. You can change the contrast locally on your computer.

Mac OS

Open System Preferences and click "Universal". Select the "Seeing" pane. To reverse the display and show white text on a black background, choose the “White on black” option. There is also an option to remove all color and use a grayscale display. To make more gradual contrast adjustments, use the "Enhance contrast" slider.

Windows 7

  1. Open Appearance Settings by clicking "Start" and then "Control Panel". In the search box, type "Window color", and then click "Change window colors and metrics".
  2. Under "Basic and High Contrast Themes", click the high-contrast color scheme you want to use.

Windows 8

  1. Go to "Start", "Control Panel" and open "Appearance and Personalization", then "Ease of Access Centre".
  2. Select "Make the computer easier to see", then choose a high contrast theme.

Windows 10

  1. Go to "Start", "Settings" and open "System".
  2. Under "Customize your display", move the "Adjust brightness" level slider to change brightness.