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We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to use this site. One step we’ve taken is to follow web standards and guidelines that allow you to adapt the display of this site to suit your preferences.
Some Ways To Adapt This Site To Your Preferences
How to enlarge the text on the site
If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5 or 6.0 – Open IE
- At the top of the browser’s window, you’ll see a toolbar: choose "view”.
- From the list of options that appear in the drop down menu under ‘View’, choose “text size”.
- From the next menu that appears with text size options, choose a text size larger than your current setting.
Mozilla Firefox – with Firefox open, hold down the Control (Ctrl) key, then press the plus (+) key. The text on the web page should now appear bigger.
Instructions for Netscape and Apple Safari: see Royal National Institute of the Blind, Making your web browser more accessible. http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_rnib003399.hcsp
How to navigate this site without a mouse
This site uses the standard HTML features for site wide navigation using the keyboard. Listed below are the short-cut keys specific to this site. Other short-cut keys are standard, but vary from browser to browser. These keys will take you to any part of the site. Once within the site you can use the TAB key to go from link to link.
Below are instructions for using access keys in the most commonly used browsers.
Internet Explorer 6+ : use 'Alt + (Access Key) + Enter'
Firefox 2+ : use 'Alt + Shift + (Access Key)'
Macintosh Browsers : same as above but use 'Ctrl' instead of 'Alt'.
Here is a list of short cut keys that are used within this site:
| Access Key | Function |
|---|---|
| 0 | Accessibility |
| 1 | Home Page |
| 2 | Site Map |
| 3 | Search |
| 4 | Main Navigation |
| 5 | Secondary Navigation |
| 6 | Footer Navigation |
| 7 | Whats Happening |
| 8 | Contact Us |
| 9 | Frequently Asked Questions |
| / | http://newzealand.govt.nz/ |
| [ | Beginning of Main Content |
Other ways to make the site easier to use
There are also a number of ways you can override most of the design features of the site. For example, you can instruct your browser to over-ride our style sheet, and use your own custom style sheet instead.
For more information, see the following useful links about accessibility, below.
Useful links about accessibility
- The BBC's My Web My Way. BBC website explaining the many ways you can change your browser, computer, keyboard and mouse settings to make the web easier for you to use.
- BBC website users accessibility stories. Real users explain the adaptations they use to surf the web successfully.
- AbilityNet website. Website showing "...the many ways you can make your keyboard and mouse, Windows, the internet and your favourite applications suit you and your needs...”.
- Microsoft's Accessibility site. Accessibility tutorials and information for users and developers, focusing on Microsoft products.
- Internet Explorer 6 Accessibility Tutorial. Tutorials on adjusting accessibility options in IE 6, for both mouse and keyboard implementation.
Site And Page Structure Information For Screen Reader Users
Especially for users of screen readers, here is an overview of the structure of this site and the common page structure.
This site has six main content sections:
- Advisory Services – contains information for ethnic people on our projects, consultations and ethnic communities.
- Whats Happening – an up-to-date informative section regarding previous and current events and a message board.
- Resources – Indepth guides and resources to assist our ethnic communities, including publications, research information, intercultural awareness, profiles, statistics and diversity.
- Community Directory – an online and searchable directory including contact details for ethnic councils, commissions, government agencies, Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions.
- Language Line – a free telephone interpreting service.
- Policy and Guidelines – information and guides to assist other New Zealand government agencies.
Each page on the site is organised consistently, with the main menu of navigation links to these main sections across the top of the page.
When viewing the site with a screenreader, the order of elements is:
- Main menu options (links to the six main content sections plus a link ‘home’).
- Sub-menu options for the subsection you are in.
- Page content.
- Utility links in a footer, namely Contact us, Feedback, Help, Legal, FAQs, http://newzealand.govt.nz.
Your feedback
We test this site periodically ourselves and have also had the site assessed by independent accessibility experts, and tested by users of enabling technologies.
We also really value your feedback - it will help us improve the site for everyone.
