Access Keys
What are access keys?
This site uses the UK Government Access Key system. Access Keys are keyboard shortcuts that help users who have difficulty using pointing devices such as a mouse.
Some web browsers (not all) offer an alternative way to the mouse in following navigation links by using keyboard access keys. To use an access key, hold down the ALT key and press the appropriate letter or number. Internet Explorer users will need to press RETURN or ENTER to go to the desired page. Mac users should use Ctrl and appropriate key instead of Alt and appropriate key.
Access keys on this website are used only with the primary navbar (the top navigation system) and are numbered 0-5
- Home: Access Key. 0
- About Hail: Access Key. 1
- People: Access Key. 2
- Our Services: Access Key. 3
- Contact: Access Key. 4
- Hail in Pictures: Access. Key. 5
Note: You can also use the [Tab key] on the left side of your keyboard to activate links on each page. Once a link is active press the [Enter Key] to move to the page.
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 developer's guide to accessibility.
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.
- 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.