Help with customization of the site

Find out how to change text size using your web browser, how you can magnify your screen and how to change the text and background color to better suit your needs or preferences.

Find out how to change text size using your web browser, how you can magnify your screen and how to change the text and background color to better suit your needs or preferences.

Enlarging text

Text size is not a problem when surfing our sites. Just follow the instructions for your web browser to change the size to fit your needs and preferences:

Internet Explorer (5.0, 5.5  6.0 7.0)

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser.
2. Open the ‘View’ menu with the mouse.
3. Click on ‘Text Size’.
4. Choose your preferred text size with the mouse, or use the up and down arrow keys and press 'Enter'.

Firefox (1.0, 1.5, 2.0)

1. Open your Firefox browser.
2. Open the ‘View’ menu.
3. Click on ‘Text Size’.
4. Click on ‘Increase’. A quicker way to increase the text size is to hold Ctrl (Cmd in Mac OS X) and scroll down with your mouse.

Opera (9.0)

1. Open your Opera browser.
2. Open the ‘View’ menu.
3. Click on ‘Zoom’.
4. Click on your required zoom level

Safari (3)

1. Open your Safari browser.
2. Open the ‘View’ menu.
3. Select the “Make text larger” menu item.

Note: If you are having problems it may be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies, in which case you will have to contact your IT support for help.

Magnifying your screen

You can also magnify your screen. All recent versions of Windows include software for magnification. The software lets you increase text to a very large size, but it is limited to a small portion of the screen and most people with impaired vision therefore prefer fully-functional magnification software.

Windows 95, 98, 2000, Me, XP, Vista

1. Open the Start menu by clicking on the Start button or by pressing the Windows logo key (located between the Ctrl + Alt keys on most keyboards) alternatively press Ctrl + Esc
2. Click on Programs or alternatively press P on the keyboard until Programs is highlighted and then press Enter
3. Click on Accessories or press A on the keyboard until Accessories is highlighted and then press Enter
4. Click on Accessibility or if you are using the keyboard, it will already be highlighted so just press Enter
5. Click on Magnifier or press M and when Magnifier is highlighted, press Enter on the keyboard
6. The magnifier is now turned on and the settings box appears.
   You can click in the magnification level box to change the level of magnification, or use the up and down arrow keys
7. You can minimise the magnifier settings box by clicking the minimise button or by pressing Alt + Spacebar and then press N

Mac OS 8, 9, OS X

Mac OS 8 or 9 operating system users have access to CloseView, which is a magnifying software. Users running OS X can use the built-in zoom.

Mac OS 8 and 9

Follow these steps to open the Closeview magnifier

1. Select the Apple Menu
2. Navigate to the “Control Panels” sub menu and select “Closeview”
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to magnify your viewing area

Mac OS X

1. Select the Apple Menu
2. Select the “System Preferences” option from the menu.
3. Select the “Universal Access” icon
4. Select the “Seeing” tab.
5. Select the “Turn on zoom” option
6. To zoom in press the Alt, Apple and + Sign on the keyboard
7. To zoom out press the Alt, Apple and - Sign on the keyboard

Note: Set your maximum and minimum zoom levels with the “Zoom Options…” button.

Changing the font

Internet Explorer (5.0, 5.5 6.0 and 7.0)

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser
2. Open the ‘Tools’ menu with the mouse
3. Click on ‘Internet Options’, or press 'O'
4. Click ‘Accessibility’, or press Alt+E
5. Check the ‘Ignore font styles specified on Web pages’ checkbox with the mouse or by pressing Alt+S
6. Click ‘OK’, or press enter
7. Click ‘Fonts’, or press Alt+N
8. Select a web page font of your choice with the mouse, or by pressing Alt+W and arrowing through the list
9. Click 'OK' twice, or press Enter twice 

Firefox (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0)

1. Click on the 'Tools' menu with the mouse or press 'Alt ' + 'T'
2. Click on 'Options', or press 'O' to open the ' Options ' dialog box
3. Make sure that the 'General' option is selected - if not either click on it or press 'Tab' until it is highlighted and then press 'Enter'
4. Click on ' Fonts & Colors ' or press 'F'
5. Click on the box next to 'proportional:' and choose your font type - serif or sans serif - or press 'Tab' until the option box is highlighted, use the arrow keys to expand it and choose your font type and then press 'Enter'
6. Choose your specific font by clicking on the 'Serif:' or 'Sans-serif:'  drop down menus depending on what font type you selected for 'Proportional' and scroll down and select the font you want or 'Tab' into the relevant drop down menu ('Serif:' or 'Sans-Serif:') and use the arrow keys to move 'up' and 'down' the list. Once the font you want is highlighted press 'Enter' to select it.
7. Click on 'Always use my:' 'Fonts' checkbox, or press 'Tab' until the checkbox is highlighted and press the 'Spacebar'
8. Click 'OK' or press 'Enter'
9. Click 'OK' or tab to 'OK' button and press 'Enter '

Opera (9.0)

1. Open the ‘View’ menu with the mouse or press Alt+V
2. Click on ‘Style’ or press 'S'
3. Click on accessibility layout or press ‘C’

Safari (3)

1. Open the ‘Edit’ menu
2. Select ‘Preferences’
3. Press the ‘Select…’ button next to the Standard font: option
4. Select the required font from the list of available fonts

Changing colors and fonts

Some people experience trouble reading text when certain colors are combined. Others simply prefer to have for example white text on a black background. On our sites it is possible to change the colors to fit your preferences.

Internet Explorer (5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 7.0)

1. Click on the Tools menu
2. Click on 'Internet Options', or press 'O'
3. Click on the 'Colors' button, or press Alt+O
4. Choose to have your Windows colour scheme reflected by selecting the "Use Windows colors" option with the mouse or by pressing Alt+W
5. Alternatively, select either the Text button with the mouse (or by pressing Alt+T), or the Background button with the mouse (or by pressing Alt+B)
6. Select the color with the mouse or by using the arrow keys
7. Click the 'OK' button twice, or press Enter twice 

Firefox (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0)

1. Open the ‘Tools’ menu with the mouse or press Alt+T
2. Click on ‘Options’ or press 'O'
3. Select the button 'Fonts & Colors’
4. Choose to have your Windows color scheme reflected by ‘Tabbing to the Use System Colors option’ or  click on the ‘Text’ or ‘Background color’ option and choose an alternative color

Opera (9.0)

1. Open the ‘View’ menu with the mouse or press Alt+V
2. Click on ‘Style’ or press 'S'
3. Click on accessibility layout or press “C”

Mac OS 8 & 9 and Mac OS X

You can also change your settings if you are using a Mac operating system, ensuring sufficient contrast.

Mac OS 8 & 9

1. Select the ‘Apple’ Menu
2. Select the ‘Control Panels sub-menu and choose ‘Appearance’
3. Select the ‘Appearance’ Tab
4. Select a color from the drop down menu next to ‘Highlight Color’
5. To change the menu and control colors select a color from the variation drop down menu

Mac OS X

Mac OS X comes with an inbuilt high color contrast scheme. To activate this scheme follow these steps.

1. Select the ‘Apple’ Menu
2. Select ‘System Preferences’
3. Select the ‘Universal Access’ Icon
4. Select the ‘Seeing’ Tab.
5. Click the “Switch to white on black’ option
6. The desktop appearance will now change