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SearchEditors Draft: $Date: 2009/10/28 22:12:11 $ [changelog]
Status: This document is an in-progress draft and should not be referenced or quoted under any circumstances. Please send comments to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).
[Draft]
Making Web Browsing More Enjoyable
- Ways to Customize Your Computer System
Page Contents
Introduction
Websites may often have text that is difficult to read, controls that are difficult to click, or multimedia that is difficult to hear. There are many ways in which you can customize your computer system to make your web browsing experience more enjoyable. Web browsers and other computer software often provide configuration options that you can adjust with simple steps. Sometimes using additional software or hardware may further improve accesibility of the Web for you.
Note: sometimes websites are not developed accessibly and do not support customizating them to your preferences or needs. Consider contacting website owners to make them aware of the problems you are encountering.
[@@@ Question: Would illustrative icons and images throughout the document be useful, or would the increase the length too much? Would it be easy to find meaningful images and symbols?]
Explore Your Computer System
Your computer system can be customized to meet many preferences and needs. This includes customization options in the operating system which runs your computer, in software applications such as web browsers and media players, and sometimes for additional hardware devices such as external loud-speakers and microphones.
Customizations are generally easily reversible in the same way that you made them, and generally do not delete or otherwise disrupt the normal functionality of your computer. Look for menu items called 'options', 'preferences', 'settings', or similar and get acquainted with them. Try out the one or the other setting to see if it is useful for you.
Difficulty Seeing and Reading Websites?
Before changing the settings on your computer, make sure the screen and screen settings are optimal for you. Some screens will allow you to adjust the brightness, contrast, and other settings that effect the display. Also make sure that the room lighting and your position in front of the screen is optimal for you.
Enlarging Text and Images
Browser: Most web browsers will allow you to simply enlarge and reduce text and image sizes by pressing 'Ctrl and +' and 'Ctrl and -', or other keyboard combinations. You can also change the default settings of your web browser to always display larger or smaller text and images.
System: You can also change the default display settings of your computer operating system, rather than only that of your web browser. You can increase the default font-size which will make the text (but not the images) appear larger in all your applications, or you can descrease the resolution of your display which will make all content appear larger but will therefore take up more space on your computer screen.
Tools: There are also magnification tools, some of which are built directly into your computer operating system. These software enlarge text and images, and can sometimes be set to read out loud text and menus.
Resources related to enlarging text and images include:
[@@@ Question: Should the references be inline for each section (as above) or be organized in the references section?]
Changing Colors and Fonts
Browser: You can define the default colors for text, background, or links, and change the default font styles to make the text easier for you to read and distinguish. Several web browsers provide simple options for defining such color and font schemes in the browser settings, and provide options to reuse the customized settings of your computer operating system.
System: You can select color and font schemes for your computer operating system which will apply to all your applications rather than only to your web browser. You can set your web browser to reuse these color and font schemes or define different schemes for the Web, for instance to better highlight links.
Tools: You can create customized styles called 'style sheets' to control the default color schemes, text size, and font styles of websites. Web browsers can be set to use these style sheets to override the styles provided by the website authors.
Having Text Read Out Loud
There are several software tools that will read out loud websites for you. While 'voice browsers' are alternative web browsers that read aloud the text on websites, 'screen readers' and some 'screen magnifiers' are specialized software that read aloud the text on the screen, including that in your web browser. These tools often provide additional functions such as enlarging the text, highlighting the text being spoken, or providing the text on a 'refreshable braille display'. These tools provide a variety of functions and configuration options, and usually require time and training before they can be used effectively.
[@@@ Question: Should key terminology like 'voice browsers' and 'screen readers' be linked to definitions? Issue: Where are (should) these definitions be located?]
Difficulty Hearing Multimedia on Websites?
Make sure that any multimedia devices attached to your computer such as loud-speakers, headphones, or earplugs are properly attached. Some devices may have buttons or controls on them to switch them on, adjust the volume, or do other adjustments. Make sure these devices are setup optimally for you.
Adjusting the Volume
Some keyboards have volume-increase and volume-decrease buttons that will adjust the volume level to your preference. In addition, you can adjust the volume level from the settings of your computer operating system, which may include additional options depening on the devices attached to your computer. Software tools that are used to show video or listen to audio (called 'media players' and are sometimes embedded into the web browser) often have additional volume controls. Be sure to adjust these too, and to make sure that the sound output of the system or speakers is not muted.
Subtitles and Transcripts
When multimedia is produced to be accessible for all users, it contains subtitles and other captions that provide the audio information in textual form. Often these subtitles are not displayed by default but need to be switched on from the configuration options of the 'media players'. Sometimes multimedia producers may provide text transcripts of the audio in addition or instead of the subtitles. These transcripts are often external files or web pages that are linked from near the multimedia content, and sometimes they are provided directly below on the same page.
Sign Language Videos
Some website owners provide sign language videos as an alternate format to text or audio. Often these are clearly marked with an icon symbolizing a signing gesture or similar. Sometimes the sign language interpretation is displayed directly within the video, and sometimes these versions with sign language are linked separately. See also information about sign language avatars below.
Difficulty Typing and Using Your Keyboard?
Typing can be straneous if the keyboard is not in an optimal position, or if the keys or keyboard design is not comfortable for you. Keyboards have keys with various shapes and sizes, and with different levels of softness. They also have different layouts and shapes that effect your arm and wrist positions. Make sure your keyboard is optimal for you and consider replacing your keyboard if needed.
Browsing the Web by Keyboard
Many software applications including web browsers can be operated through the keyboard. Web browsers generally support the 'Tab'-key to jump from one link or control to the next. Sometimes these links or controls may not be visible on the screen, or it may be difficult to see which one is selected. Often the status bar at the bottom of the browser window may indicate where a link leads to, and may help you identify which one has been selected.
Web browsers usually also support the 'Page-Down' and 'Page-Up' keys as well as the 'Space-Bar' to scroll through the web pages. In some cases your web browser may be set to support the arrow keys to navigate within the text, or to search for text within the web pages as you type. Web browsers usually support the 'Enter' key to select links and buttons, and the 'Alt' key to active the menu bar. Sometimes 'add-ons' (small applications that extend your web browser functionality) provide additional keyboard functionality and navigation options.
Adjusting Keyboard Settings
Keyboards can be adjusted through the computer operating system settings to help you type more effectively with less effort. Examples of such customizations include:
- Shortcut Keys
- Assigning actions such as selecting menu items or typing in pre-defined text to an individual key or a combination of keystrokes. For instance, most word editors and browsers provide a shortcut on the key combination 'Ctrl and s', as an alternate method for selecting the menu item 'save'. You can define additional shortcuts for frequent actions that you perform on your computer.
- Sticky Keys
- In order to facilitate single-handed typing, you can set your system so that functions buttons such as 'Ctrl' or 'Alt' do not need to be pressed at the same time as other keys to invoke key combinations. For instance, by switching on the sticky keys functions you can press 'Ctrl' then 's' to save, rather than needing to press them at the same time.
- Key Filters
- Filters can be set to avoid repeating the input through a key that has been pressed down for too long, a key that has been pressed down several times within a short interval, or keys that have been pressed and are immediately sorrounding a key that was pressed in advance. This is useful for people with reduced dexterity who may press keys unintentionally.
Using Your Mouse Instead
For people who are more comfortable using a mouse or other pointing devices rather than a keyboard, most computer operating systems provide an on-screen keyboard that can be used with a mouse, rather than typing in the information through the keyboard. See information on adjusting mouse settings to improve the efficiency of using your mouse.
Using Alternate Keyboards
There are a number of ergonomic or specialized keyboards to help you type more effectively and comfortably with less effort and strain. Ergonomic keyboards have special designs and key layouts to reduce strain or help you type more effectively. Specialized keyboards include ones with larger keys or larger key labels, ones that compensate for trembeling and other dexterity limitations, ones with only a single switch, and many more. While most ergonomic keyboards are available at ordinary computer retailers, specialized keyboards are usually developed by 'access technology' vendors.
Note: Laptop users can attach external keyboards in addition to the one built into the computer.
Usign Voice Commands
Voice-recognition software can be used to dictate text input or to control the entire computer. For instance, voice commands can be used to launch or close applications such as the web browser, or to perform actions such as selecting links or scrolling. Voice-recognition software usually needs training to learn your voice, and may still be prone to substantial error rates. However, they can be effective for people who have difficulty typing and using the keyboard.
Grammar and Word-Prediction Tools
Grammar and spelling checkers can help you identify mistakes and avoid needing to retype text in an online form. Some web browsers have spell-checking capability and sometimes the functionality of the browser can be extended using 'add-ons'. Some users type long texts in word-processing software (such as Microsoft Word or Open Office Write) and copy that text into the online forms to make use of the grammar and spell-checking functionality that may not be available in their web browsers.
Word-prediction software tools highlight a selection of matching words based on the characters that you type, to avoid needing to type out the complete word each time. These tools are used in addition to word-processing tools or web browsers, and are sometimes used by typists and captioners among others.
Difficulty Using the Mouse?
Adjusting Mouse Settings
- Slowing down your mouse - Making your mouse left-handed - Slowing down your mouse's double click speed - Changing the size and color of mouse pointer (adding trail; highlight on ctrl; ...)Using Your Keyboard Instead
- using keyboard instead of mouse - Using your keyboard to control the mouse[@@@ link back to Browsing the Web by Keyboard.]
Using an Alternate Mouse
- alternative mice (trackballs; eye-tracking?; ...)Difficulty Understanding and Navigating Websites?
[@@@ additional suggestions for this section are welcome.]
@@@outline add-ons
@@@symbols
@@@pop-up, ads, and movement/flicker blockers
Sign Language Avatars
So called 'sign language avatars' are software tools that convert text into computer-generated sign language sequences. While these do not achieve the quality of professional sign language interpreters and generally do not convert audio into sign language, they can be used individually and independently. [@@@ link back to Sign Language Videos.]
References
[@@@ Should the references be inline for each section (see Enlarging Text and Images as an example) or all listed here in the references section as per below?]
Enlarging Text and Images
Changing Colors and Fonts
- [...]
[...]
[@@@ See references in the requirements analysis document.]