University of St Andrews

Accessibility Information

• Access Keys

• Setting up your browser

Access Keys

Access keys let you navigate around a site without using your mouse. They can be used to jump directly to different sections within a site or certain areas within a page, without the need to use your mouse.

Why we use access keys?

Not every user has a graphic environment with a mouse or other pointing device. Some users rely on keyboard, alternative keyboard or voice input to navigate links, activate form controls, etc. Content developers should always ensure that users may interact with a page with devices other than a pointing device. A page designed for keyboard access (in addition to mouse access) will generally be accessible to users with other input devices. What's more, designing a page for keyboard access will usually improve its overall design as well.

Keys used within the Ernest L Ransome Iii Scholarship Trust web pages:

Note the underline below particular letter; if available, this is the access key to be used

• home = h
  Action: Opens Ransome Home Page (represented as small house icon)

• development home = d
  Action: Opens Development Home Page

• university home = u
  Action: Opens University Home Page

• accessibility = a
  Action: Opens Accessibility Information Page

• contact = c
  Action: Opens Contact Specifics Information Page

• back = b
  Action: Go back to previous page

• top = t
  Action: Go to top of page

• text only = x
  Action: Disable imported stylesheet and display text only version of services

• full formatting = f
  Action: Enable imported stylesheet and display fully formated version of services

• Main Content = 2
  Action: Skip menu and jump to main content of current page ("skip menu" dispayed when "text only" version is selected)

PC Instructions:

• Internet Explorer 5+ = Hold down the ALT key, press the number of the access key, release both keys then press ENTER
• Internet Explorer 4 = Hold down the ALT key and press the number of the access key
• Netscape 7 = Hold down the ALT key and press the number of the access key
• Firefox, Mozilla = Hold down the ALT key and press the number of the access key
• Opera = Hold down the Shift key and press Escape, release both keys, then press the number of the accesskey

Mac Instructions:

• Internet Explorer 5+ (Mac) Hold down the CTRL key and press the number of the access key
• Firefox, Mozilla - Hold down the CTRL key and press the number of the access key
• Safari and Omniweb - Hold down the CTRL key and press the number of the access key

Not Supported:

• Mac - Internet Explorer 4.5
• PC and Mac - Netscape 6 and earlier

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Setting up your browser

All suggestions to improve the accessibility of web pages will apply to every site you visit. Please note that they won't affect images on the screen.

If you have any problems changing these settings, please click the Help menu on the browser toolbar. Also, if your browser has different options to the above, look at the Help menu for specific instructions.

Microsoft Internet Explorer:

Permanent Accessibility

To permanently apply the font and colour changes below:

1. On the View / Tools menu
2. Click Internet Options on the General tab
3. Select Accessibility click the three boxes to show ticks.

Changing the font

Using a sans serif font (such as Arial), rather than a serif font (such as Times New Roman) can make text easier to read.

1. On the View / Tools menu, click Internet Options
2. On the General tab click Fonts
3. In the 'Web page font' and 'Plain text font Fixed', select the fonts you would like to use.

Displaying text larger or smaller

1. On the View menu, go to Text Size
2. Select the font size you would like.

Changing text and background colour

Website authors and designers often specify particular fonts, typefaces and background colours for their pages, and the combinations can sometimes make the text difficult to read. You can override these settings by choosing your own preferred, clearer colour scheme - black text on a yellow background gives the most contrast:

1. On the View / Tools menu, click Internet Options
2. On the General tab, click Colors
3. Click on the tick box labelled Use Windows
4. Colors click Text, and select the colour you want. Click OK
5. Click Background, and select the colour you want to use. Click OK.

Note: These changes will only take effect if Accessibility options have been selected (see first Permanently Accessibility above).

To close images on web pages

1. On the View / Tools menu, click Internet Options
2. On the Advanced tab, scroll down to Multimedia
3. Click on Show pictures to remove the tick
4. Click on Apply, and then click on OK

To change the size of the window

1. On the View menu, go to Full Screen (or press the F11 key on your keyboard)

More Options

There are more options to make websites easier to read, such as removing animation and expanding text. To look at the other options:

1. On the View / Tools menu, click Internet Options
2. Select the Advanced tab
3. Choose the options you would like

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Netscape Navigator 4.x:

To change the settings on your browser go to the Edit menu, and click on Preferences. From here you can make the following changes:

Changing the font

1. Click on Appearance
2. Click Font
3. Change the Variable Width Font and the Fixed Width Font to the type you prefer

Note: To use these fonts when you visit all websites in future, click on Use my default fonts overriding document specified fonts.

Changing the colour of the text and the background

Click on Appearance

Click Colours

Select Text, and choose the colour you would like to use, click OK

Select Background, choose a colour and click OK

Click OK to close Preferences

Note: To use these settings in future, click on Always use my colours, overriding document.

To close images on web pages

Click on Edit click Preferences

Select Advanced

Remove the tick from the box marked Automatically load images and click OK

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• [development home]
• [university home]
• [accessibility]
• [contact]

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