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Accessibility

We aim to make our website as accessible as possible for all users

At NEST we understand that people using this website may have different needs which could affect how they view and access the internet.We are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience.

In the longer-term this website aims to meet AA compliance as set by W3C accessibility standards.

This will allow equal access to people with disabilities using technologies other than standard web browsers, such as screen readers. Such technologies have settings that can be changed to enhance the user experience.

We are currently working towards this and in the meantime, we are open to your comments on website accessibility.

The guidelines on this page explain how to make web content more accessible.

How to change the size of the text on this website

To change the text size use the text size options at the top of all pages.

For larger text select A+ For smaller text, select A-

To return to the default setting, select the middle letter A

For other browsers:

Select Text Size from the View menu. (In some browsers Text Size may be called Text Zoom or Zoom)

Choose the size that you want from the Text Size menu.

Accessibility advice for Mac users

The Mac operating system includes many accessibility options, including resizing text, text-to-speech and keyboard alternatives to using a mouse.

Visit the Apple website's accessibility section

Help with PDF documents

You can download Portable Document Format (PDF) using Adobe Reader – available free of charge.

All PDF documents are marked with (PDF, file size KB)

Assistive technology and PDF documents

Adobe Reader allows you to extract the text of an Adobe PDF document and save it as a text file. This feature is useful when you want to read the document on a note-taker or emboss the file with a Braille printer.

Find out more information for users with disabilities here.

Help with Word documents

You can download Microsoft Word documents using Microsoft Word Viewer available free of charge.

All Word documents are marked with word

Assistive technology and Word documents

The Microsoft website has more information for users with disabilities

Help with Excel documents

You can download Microsoft Excel documents using Microsoft Excel Viewer available free of charge.

Assistive technology and Excel documents

The Microsoft website has more information for users with disabilities

All Excel documents are marked with excel

Changing the look of this website

This section tells you how to:

change the text font
change the text colour
change the background colour
remove images.

The instructions for users will differ depending on which browser you are using. We have provided guidance below on how to change the look of this website when using some of the most commonly used browsers.

If you use an Apple Mac you can get more information at the Apple website's accessibility section
If you use a PC visit the BBC accessibility guide for more advice

Instructions for Microsoft Internet Explorer version 8 users

Older versions may be slightly different.

Changing the text font

From the Tools menu, select Internet Options (on older versions Internet Options may be in the View menu).
Select the Accessibility button.
Select the box next to Ignore font styles specified on web pages.
Select OK.
Select the Fonts button.
Choose your font from the drop-down menu under Webpage font.
Select OK.

Changing the text colour or the background colour

From the Tools menu, select Internet Options (on older versions Internet Options may be in the View menu).
Select the Accessibility button.
Tick the box for Ignore colours specified on web pages.
Select OK.
Select the Colours button.
Deselect the box for Use Windows colours.
To change the colour of the text, select the button to the right of Text, choose your colour from the palette and select OK.
To change the colour of the background, select the button to the right of Background, choose your colour from the palette and select OK.
Select OK.

Removing the images

From the Tools menu, select Internet Options (on older versions Internet Options may be in the View menu).
Select the Advanced tab at the top right corner of the box.
Scroll down to the Multimedia heading.
Deselect the box next to Show Pictures.
Select OK.

More information

Visit the Microsoft website - Accessibility in Internet Explorer

Instructions for Firefox version 3 users

These instructions are for Firefox version 3. Older versions may be slightly different.

Changing the text font

From the Tools menu, select Options (on older versions you may have to select Edit then Preferences).
Select the Content panel from the list at the top of the Options window (on older versions you may have to select Fonts and colours in General options or Fonts from the Appearance category).
Under Fonts and colours select Advanced.
Deselect Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of my selection above (on older versions you may have to tick the box Always use my fonts or deselect the box Allow documents to use other fonts).
From the Proportional box select whether you want to use a Serif or Sans Serif font. (Sans serif is normally clearer.)
Select the font from the Serif or Sans Serif box you want to use.
Select OK twice.

Changing the text colour or the background colour

From the Tools menu, select Options (on older versions you may have to select Edit then Preferences).
Select the Content panel from the list at the top of the Options window (on older versions you may have to select Fonts and colours in General options or Colours from the Appearance category).
Under Fonts and colours select Colours.
Deselect Allow pages to choose their own colours, instead of my selection above (on older versions you may have to tick the box for Always use my Colours or Use my chosen colours).
To change the colour of the text, select the button to the right of Text, choose your colour from the palette.
To change the colour of the background, select the button to the right of Background, choose your colour from the palette.
Select OK.

Removing the images

From the Tools menu, select Options (on older versions you may have to select Edit then Preferences).
Select the Content panel from the list at the top of the Options window (on older versions you may have to select Web features or Advanced).
Deselect Load images automatically(on older versions this may be called Load Images or Automatically Load Images).
Select OK.

More information

Visit the Mozilla website - Firefox Options

Instructions for Opera version 10 users

These instructions are for Opera version 10. Older versions may be slightly different.

Changing the text font and colour

From the Tools menu select Preferences.
Select the Web pages tab.
Select the font you want to change Normal font or Monospace font.
Select the Font, Size and Colour you want to use and then select OK.
From the Preferences window, select the Advanced tab and then select Content from the left hand list.
Select Style options and then Presentation mode.
Under both Author mode and User mode deselect Page fonts and colours and tick My fonts and colours.
Select OK twice.

Changing the background colour

From the Tools menu select Preferences.
Select the Web pages tab.
Select Background colour.
Select the Colour you want to use and then select OK.
From the Preferences window, select the Advanced tab and then select Content from the left hand list.
Select Style options and then Presentation mode.
Under both Author mode and User mode deselect Page fonts and colours and tick My fonts and colours.
Select OK twice.

More information

Visit the Opera website - Opera's settings for disabled users

Images

Most images on this website have alternative text that describes their contents or function. Images used in purely decorative graphics or for layout do not include alternative text.

Advanced help

For further help on viewing websites in a more accessible way, go to the BBC’s My Web My Way

If you would like to get in touch with NEST you can contact us here