This site was created and is maintained and hosted by BOCC. It was developed to XHTML 1.0 / CSS 2.0 standards and complies with the accessibility initiatives described below. All pages are created dynamically using a BOCC web based database-driven content management system. In addition, each user has the ability for direct control over the format of the pages. The pages are tagged for access control, search engines, catalogues and content rating.

Dynamic versions

To assist browsing this website, it is available in a number of versions that are created dynamically to suit the user's preferences. The style, look, resolution, content and navigation are altered to match the relevant media / format. The version can be selected from the foot of the BOCC home page.

The following versions are currently available by user selection:

Navigation

On every page there is a link to the BOCC home page. The BOCC home page contains links to all the main sections of the site.

Inline text hyperlinks are underlined and coloured; font size, style and colour are user definable		The link to the BOCC home page is a graphical image or an emboldened text link at the top of every page; the text version font size, style and colour are user definable

When your pointer (e.g. mouse pointer) is over a link, your computer will automatically change the screen cursor into a hand symbol. To assist sighted users, a rollover element is used which changes the colour of the link text into bright blue. Not all browsers (user agents) will support this accessibility feature.

Inline text links are displayed in colour and underlined by default		Moving the pointer over the link changes it to a hand symbol and title text is displayed

The site map shows all public pages on BOCC.CO.UK.

Getting the best out of BOCC.CO.UK

You can adjust settings on your computer to view websites that support accessibility initiatives, like BOCC.CO.UK, with your own preferences. AbilityNet, a charity providing expertise on computing and disability, provides the following useful guides to adjusting your workstation and browser:

Standards and tests

BOCC has always developed accessible websites, and BOCC.CO.UK is no different. The legal and user issues are different for every website, and this always forms part of our initial discussion with clients requesting any form of IT development. The issues often needed to raise are:

• user audiences
• management techniques
• access technology
• web accessibility and World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative
• disabled access
• the Disability Discrimination Act
• RNIB accessible website guidelines
• UK e-Government guidelines
• e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF)
• the Bobby test software tool

Accessibility and other 'badging' is not consistent and often untrue for many sites. We review every page on BOCC.CO.UK frequently (see the dates at the end of the pages) and check the following standards each time.

Badge	Description
	The site is coded to XHTML 1.0 standard
	Cascading style sheets are used and these have been validated
	Pages have been labelled with their content rating
	Pages have been tested against the W3C WAI standards to meet the AA accessibility requirements
	Pages have been tested against the Bobby test to meet the AA accessibility requirements
	The main links have access keys for quick navigation
	BOCC supports the 'any browser' campaign and believes that all websites should be available to all browsers and not be Explorer or other product or version specific. Try BOCC.CO.UK with Netscape 1.0!

Some of these will not be relevant for some projects that BOCC works on; in other cases different standards may apply.

Access keys

To use these shortcut keys, hold down the ALT key (Linux/PC) or CONTROL key (Mac) and then one of the keys below. In some browsers, you may need to press ENTER to confirm your choice.

The pages on BOCC.CO.UK are access key enabled that you can use the keyboard to jump to any main area from anywhere else in the site in certain browsers.

It's in the detail

The pages on BOCC.CO.UK have many accessibility features considered and some may not be obvious initially. The content is written specifically for the website, has been reviewed for usability, grammar and spelling and pages are designed to maximise the readability of the copy.

BOCC have avoided technologies on this site that are difficult for some users to access or may have turned off; where these technologies have been used (e.g. Macromedia Flash), an alternative is always available. Within the coding there are page maps (helpful for linear screen reading software), intra document navigation, link labeling, good use of meta data including Dublin Core, style sheets, access keys (described above) and speed links.

Website planning, concept, strategy, project management, requirements analysis, system design, program design, information design, user interface design, program implementation, copy writing, editorial, graphics, Flash movies, photography, database design and development, content management system, verification and validation, usability and accessibility testing, performance and load testing, acceptance testing, server setup, configuration management, documentation, training, launch, 24 x 7 x 365 server and network monitoring, maintenance, support, site promotion, visitor monitoring, server log analysis, operation management, server management and hosting - all by BOCC.

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