Internet and Email

Website Accessibility

Careful website design is paramount for anybody creating a website to ensure everybody can read their website. But website design is even more important for people with disabilities particularly those using speech output and screen magnification software. To cater for as many peoples' needs as possible, websites should be flexible in design, enabling the individual to adjust the text and colour settings to suit their needs and navigate easily. The programming language and design techniques used can make the difference between a website that is accessible and one that is not. There is growing interest and expertise in this area and today, there is much information available on how you can make sure your website is accessible for all. Information and guidelines for web programmers is available from the leaders and experts on the development of accessible websites, the World Wide Web Consortium.

User Preferences

Just like in Windows, you can adjust the appearance of web pages to suit your needs by simply changing some settings in your Internet browser. Different browsers have different ways of doing this but for Internet Explorer, which is probably the most commonly used browser in Ireland, this can be done by going into Tools on the top toolbar of Internet Explorer and selecting Internet Options. In the dialogue box that appears, click on Accessibility. Under the heading formatting, you can choose for your web browser to ignore the colours, style and size of text set as standard by the web designer and apply your own preferences which you can choose by going to Internet Options, then Colours and Fonts. For more information on making the web work for you, view the AbilityNet Factsheet, Tweaking the Web.

Email

There are very simple email software programmes which are easy and fun which can be more interesting for children or people using email for the first time. IcanEmail is a programme which can be helpful to people who have difficulty reading or visual impairment because the programme talks to the user, for example by reading out the options for the user e.g. Who would you like to send this to?, and it uses simple colourful icons on a high-contrast background. It can also access free email browser based accounts through a third party programme called Izzymail. IcanEmail can be downloaded as a trial programme and used seven times before it expires. It then must be purchased.

Incredimail is a free email programme which allows the user to completely personalise their emails. From backgrounds to fonts, animations and 3D-effects, handwritten signatures to voice message recording to attach onto your email.

For users whose preference is to use picture symbols, it is also possible to send emails using a picture software programme called Intercomm. This software must be used with an associated programme, Writing With Symbols. Intercomm has been particularly popular among young communication aid users who utilise symbols to communicate. For more information, visit www.widgit.co.uk

For individuals using Alternative and Augmentative communication devices and software, many high-tech devices also include features to allow the user to compose messages using symbols and pictures as well as text, and read incoming emails using voice synthesis.