We want everyone to be able to use Get Set as fully as possible, regardless of what technology they are using, their IT skills or personal ability.
User needs
In designing this site, we have considered the needs of:
- Children and young people with Special Educational Needs
- Children and young people with visual, hearing or motor impairments
- Children and young people with reading difficulties such as dyslexia
- Children and young people whose first language is not English
- Children and young people from a range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
Our site has a number of different features to help users of all abilities to access information and get involved with the London 2012 Games.
Here are a few guidelines to getting the most out of the website.
Known browser support
This website operates on a wide range of browsers and operating systems. It has been tested specifically against:
Windows
Firefox 1.5+
Internet Explorer 6+
Netscape 7.2+
Opera 8+
Macintosh
Firefox 1.5+
Netscape 7.2+
Opera 8+
Safari 1.3+
Enlarging text
If you find it easier to view information in a larger font than the standard font on these pages, you can adjust your browser to provide a larger text size using the + and – keys at the top of each page.
Reading pages aloud
If you would prefer to listen to the content of pages, simply click on the ‘Listen to this page’ link at the top of each page. You can also save the audio content of these pages as an MP3 file to listen to again later.
Changing colours
The colours used on this site have been chosen to provide maximum contrast and to minimise difficulty for those with different kinds of colour blindness.
Changing a website’s background colour can be useful for people who rely on magnification technology, as white can produce an uncomfortable glare. It is also possible to change the colour of body text on the site.
Both can be achieved by changing preferences in your browser. The BBC website provides detailed guidance on how to do this in each browser and operating system. View the BBC My Web My Way guidelines.
Visual design
This site uses cascading style sheets (CSS) for visual layout. If your browser or browsing device does not support stylesheets at all, the content of each page is still readable.
Multimedia
We have provided a number of video clips on the site, to bring London 2012 to life for a younger audience, who might find it easier to view rather than read information.
Video clips are provided in Flash and you need Flash version 8.0 or above in order to view them. Download Flash Player (free software).
Where possible, we have provided captions and transcripts of the films for individuals with hearing impairment or who find text versions helpful. Where we can we will also use British Sign Language to enhance the experience of those with hearing impairment.
Games
The site contains a number of interactive games. These are designed in Flash and you need Flash version 9.0 or above in order to view them. Download Flash Player (free software).
Games are designed to allow users to move around them by using the tab keys instead of a mouse.
The Sound Track and Picture Story games have been designed specifically to support those learners with significant additional needs. They include a soundtrack for those with communication or visual difficulties.
JavaScript
Javascript is only used on this site in a way that is gracefully degradable – that is, it simply enhances usability rather than being a key functional requirement.
PDFs and attachments
Our pages feature a number of PDF (Portable Document Format) attachments.
The PDF file format is a common Internet file format. It is used for electronic distribution where it is important to keep the layout and feel of the original document, including fonts, colours and images. It is also useful because it can be used across many different types of computers and browsers.
We generally use PDFs on this site for official publications, leaflets and forms.
In order to view PDF attachments, you can download a PDF document reader. There are various types available, of which Acrobat is a well-known type. Many PDF readers can be downloaded free of charge from the internet. Download Acrobat Reader (free software).
The second option is to use an online PDF conversion tool. You can visit the Adobe Acrobat website, type in the address of a PDF file and get it to translate the file into a more readable format while you wait. Or you can email the address of the file (or the file itself) to Adobe, and they will email a translation back. These translations of the files may not be as clearly formatted as the original PDF file. Use the Acrobat online conversion tool.
PDFs have become more accessible through technologies like screen readers, navigation through the keyboard and enhanced screen viewing. You can find advice on how to use these features through the Adobe website.
Non-English language use
This site is currently only available in English, but a Welsh version of the site will be launched in early 2009.
Further help using the World Wide Web
There is lots of advice available online to help users with varying abilities customise their screen to suit them.
The BBC have worked with accessibility charity AbilityNet to develop an extensive guide to help people find the best way to use the Web, and this guide may be helpful to you in customising your browser to suit you best. View the BBC My Web My Way guidelines.
Feedback
Making a website accessible is an ongoing process and we still have work to do to meet the standards we have set ourselves. However, if you have any problems using this website, or comments you would like to make, please contact us by email at enquiries@london2012.com.
The bigger picture
Our website accessibility policy is part of our broader commitment to accessible design, and to equality and diversity in general.
This ranges from ensuring a fair and representative group of people in our workforce and suppliers, to making sure that everyone will find the Olympic Park and venues easy to get around.
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