Easy access to the Internet is important for all of us. It is key to our ability to find and share information. People with a wide range of disabilities – visual, auditory, cognitive and motor impairments – may have difficulty finding and reading information online.
A number of techniques, tools and guidelines are available to help make sure websites are friendly to all visitors and are easily navigated using assistive technology. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the international body that sets the standards for website accessibility.
Accessible health information
Every effort has been made to ensure that the Better Health Channel reaches W3C AA standard accessibility.Please use the form on our Contact us page if you experience difficulty accessing any information on the Better Health Channel or have any suggestions for improving access to this site.
General web accessibility
There are many tools that people with a disability can use to access the Internet. These tools include:- Hardware – tools that manipulate the keyboard or mouse if the person with a disability is unable to use them. Some examples include refreshable Braille displays, joysticks and trackballs, and alternative keyboards.
- Software – tools that change how a user interacts with the site. Some examples include screen readers, screen magnifiers, onscreen keyboards and programs that slow down applications for people with motor disabilities.
Vision Australia has a wide range of information about the many resources and tools that are available.
Browser shortcuts
Browser shortcuts can help you to navigate a website through a keyboard. Details of the various shortcuts specific to different Internet browsers are available from the manufacturers’ websites:Display and readability
You can adjust your browser and your computer settings to make things easier to see on the screen or for your visual preferences. Some examples include adjusting the font size or colour of text displayed on the screen, changing the background or link colours, formatting the page differently or turning certain functions on or off.More details are available from the Vision Australia website.
