This is page describes the accessibility and usability standards we aim to achieve to help you get the best out of using the Knowledge Community (KC).
Standards compliance
We aim to ensure that the KC is Bobby AA approved. This is a free service which checks whether a chosen page meets all accessibility criteria.
We aim to comply with the first three of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. We will provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content. We will also ensure that text and graphics are understandable when viewed without color. We will use markup and style sheets and do so properly. This means <h1> tags are used for main titles, <h2> tags for subtitles (and so on), with presentation being handled through the appropriate usage of stylesheets.
We also aim to ensure that all pages within the KC are validated to meet the requirements of XHTML 1.0 Strict.
Visual design
We use style sheet technology, such as cascading style sheets, for visual layout. This is an efficient way of working that helps us to organise and update websites in the easiest way.
We ensure that the use of tables for layout is kept to a bare minimum, as evidence strongly suggests that tables are less user friendly.
We use only relative font sizes, compatible with the user-specified "text size" option in visual browsers, to help make sure the text is as easy as possible to read.
We aim to ensure that if a user has a browser that does not support stylesheets, then the content of each page should still be readable.
Image use
We aim to include textual alternatives for image content. These are known as alt tags. Using these ensures that people using screen readers who are often visually impaired are also made aware of the pages image content.
We aim to include descriptive alt tags for all content images. We will ensure that all images used for purely decorative purposes will include null alt tags.
Finally, we will include longdesc tags for all complex images used. Using these ensures that the significance of each aspect of the complex image is explained to people using screen readers.
Logo use
All pages within the KC will carry the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) logo in top right position and KC logo in the top left position.
In addition, the the KC homepage will carry the Department of Health logo in the bottom right position of the footer.
Font use
All pages within the KC will carry an Text size tool to increase and decrease the relative font size of the text on the page. We will ensure that this is compatible with the user-specified "text size" option in visual browsers, to help make sure the text is as easy as possible to read.
Assistance with files
The KC enable uses to upload and download files in various formats. To assist you with accessing these files we have listed below of commonly used file types and links to the appropriate readers.
- Adobe PDF files Adobe's online PDF to HTML converter
- Microsoft Word files Word Viewer 2003
- Microsoft PowerPoint files PowerPoint Viewer 2003
- Microsoft Excel files Excel Viewer 2003, and
- Microsoft Visio files Visio Viewer 2002.
Links to accessibility references, software and services
To help you get the best out of using the KC we have listed below links to accessibility references, software and services.
Accessibility references
- W3 accessibility guidelines, which explains the reasons behind each guideline
- W3 accessibility techniques, which explains how to implement each guideline
- W3 accessibility checklist, a busy developer's guide to accessibility, and
- U.S. Federal Government Section 508 accessibility guidelines.
Accessibility software
- JAWS, a screen reader for Windows. A time-limited, downloadable demo is available
- Home Page Reader, a screen reader for Windows. A downloadable demo is available
- Lynx, a free text-only web browser for blind users with refreshable Braille displays
- Links, a free text-only web browser for visual users with low bandwidth, and
- Opera, a visual browser with many accessibility-related features, including text zooming, user stylesheets, image toggle. A free downloadable version is available. Compatible with Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and several other operating systems.
Accessibility services
- Bobby, a free service to analyze web pages for compliance to accessibility guidelines. A full-featured commercial version is also available.
- HTML Validator, a free service for checking that web pages conform to published HTML standards.
- Web Page Backward Compatibility Viewer, a tool for viewing your web pages without a variety of modern browser features.
- Lynx Viewer, a free service for viewing what your web pages would look like in Lynx.
Speak to someone about the accessibility of the KC
The Care Services Improvement Partnership manages the KC. If you would like to speak to someone in person about the accessibility of this site, please contact:
- Rowan Purdy, knowledge management lead, communications and knowledge services, CSIP, phone 07852 175 374, email rowan.purdy@csip.org.uk
- Simon Pearson, information management lead, communications and knowledge services, CSIP, phone 07884 473 499 email simon.pearson@csip.org.uk

