Test the accessibility of your web page with your own web browser.
This weeks tip: test the accessibility of your web page with your own web browser.
It seems to be a little know fact - but it is worth remembering - that almost all Web browsers allow you to change the text size, font, colour and background colour of the web pages you visit. You can find out more about how to change your browser preferences on Lois Wakeman's excellent website at http://lois.co.uk/services/access.shtml.
Try experimenting with the setting in your own browser; check how your pages look with much larger or smaller text, or a different text/background combination. And even more importantly, check if the design of your page allow these attributes to be altered at all.
If they can't be altered (perhaps because the designer has tried to force the page to look the same on everybody's screen), then this should alert you to the fact that your pages may not be as accessible as you thought.
An important aspect of accessible web design is giving users the ability to change the presentation of the page to suit their own needs - if they can't do that then this should alert you to accessibility issues with your site.
You have permission to reprint this and other accessible web design tips on your own website - see http://www.mcu.org.uk/weeklytips/ for terms and conditions.