Somnia | Web Design and Consultancy
Accessibility
We have made every effort to ensure the design of this web site conforms to the highest web standards for both usability and accessibility. The pages and templates produced pass all of the 'best practice' guidelines, tests and standards listed below.
1. W3C XHTML Validation
XHTML is the next generation of HTML. It is designed to move the standards developed for HTML forward so that devices (such as printers, phones, televisions or visual aides) can display web pages without needing the page translated.
XHTML is also compatible with older browser technologies so that users are not forced to upgrade their computers.
2. W3C CSS Validation
Cascading Style Sheets allow web pages to be designed separately from the content. This allows the page designer to create various 'versions' from the same content (i.e. for high visibility pages, or for text-only versions of the site).
Pages created with CSS files tend to be far smaller - and download quicker.
These two standards allow this web site to:
- be accessed by other technologies than just a web browser,
- be displayed in an understandable manner for all users,
- load quicker,
- display in text-only, and printer only versions,
- be easier to update,
- be cheaper to maintain.
3. W3C WAI-AAA
Triple A approval from the W3C is the strictest of guidelines for creating accessible web pages. Although hard to attain the pages produced by Somnia will always strive to meet this top (Priority 3) criteria - however as there is not an official 'test'. It is a subjective review of the page by the page author.
By following these guidelines we are trying to make sure that all the information on our web site is available to everybody: not just the text, but the information contained in the images and any other media used.
4. Plain English
It is our belief that not only should web sites be accessible but they should also conform to the standards set by the Plain English Campaign.
We offer a bespoke editing service for either your web or business communications, e.g. leaflets, posters, press release information, etc. - contact us for details.
5. Access Keys
Access keys have been chosen to fit in with recommendations found on the web. At present there does not appear to be a 'standard' but recommendations from the UK Government e-envoy website have been adopted.
More details about the keys for this site can be found on the 'Access Keys' page.
6. Forms and E-Mail
We have replaced the use of e-mail contact details with online forms. There are several benefits by doing this :
- most importantly, users without e-mail capabilities will be able to contact us - these could be people using the computers at libraries, schools or colleges, behind a firewall or at an internet cafe,
- to defeat e-mail address harvesters - tools that collect e-mail addresses for spammers - and reduce spam,