able.arto.ch

Web design for the Disabled

Tests, tips and examples

Changing font size

By resizing the font size in a visual browser like Opera, Firefox, Mozilla or the Internet Explorer users can make a site more readable.

There are different approaches for optimizing the font size in a user agent. In the browser settings one can adjust the default font size to a readable value. All well-known browsers have this option. It's is also possible to display text in the desired size independent of what the author set when designing the page. This option is very useful for people with visual impairments.

Another common way to adjust font sizes is to manually change the size when visiting a web page will illegibly small fonts. In most web browsers this can be done by pressing the control key and simultaneously turning the mouse wheel. Some user agents support font resizing by pressing control and "+" (plus) for increasing or "-" (minus) for decreasing font size.

It is generally a good idea for web authors, designers and frontend developers to play around with the font size and see what happens when someone uses individual settings.

Audio example

Here a sample of the websites text can be downloaded so visitors can hear how a web site will sound when a digital voice reads a web page, even if no screen reader is available. Two different speeds can be compared, normal speed for beginners and high speed for more experienced users.

Download audio example normal speed, mp3 format (1.5 MB)
Download audio example in high speed, mp3 format (1 MB)

Web developer extension for Mozilla Firefox

Web authors using firefox can install a free web developer extension with many useful features. Accessibility can be tested with diffent functions:

Access keys

These access keys can be used on this site:

With the Internet Explorer these can be used with Alt + [accesskey] followed by the Enter key. For example: Alt + H, Enter navigates to the home page.

In Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla it is the sampe except that the Enter key does not have to be pressed.

Accessibility without images

It is important to be sure how usable and accessible a site is, even when images are disabled. In almost all graphical browsers it is possible to disble images with a few clicks. It is recommended to use this browser function while developing a web site.