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John Howard Society of Durham Region
Mission: To reduce the impact of crime and its causes by providing a spectrum of effective prevention and intervention programs.
 Main office: 905-579-8482, 75 Richmond Street West, Oshawa, Ontario, L1G 1E3


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Accessibility

Web accessibility refers to how well people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges can access a website. JHS Durham is committed to providing a website that is accessible to all members of the community. We work hard to ensure that our site meets standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), hence the icons at the bottom of all our site pages referring to those resources.

Tips for Browsing the Web

Please note that all links in this section will open a new browser window.

Some accessibility features are built into computer operating systems and web browsers. Try the following methods to simplify your web browsing experience.

Font Face for Persons with Dyslexia

Google Translate Dyslexie Font

http://opendyslexic.org/about for the font itself!

Magnify the Screen

Many web browsers allow you to zoom in on web pages using simple keyboard controls. The magnifier allows you to focus on specific parts of the screen, enlarging the text and other page elements.

Customize the Mouse Pointer

You can customize a computer mouse pointer in several ways. For example, you can slow down the speed of the mouse pointer for easier handling. You can also change its appearance so that it contrasts more with the screen content.

Learn how to change mouse settings for Windows operating systems:

Learn how to change mouse settings for Mac operating systems:

Make the Computer Speak Aloud

Many computers have text-reading features, but they can be limited in what they offer. For example Windows Narrator reads only menus and dialogue boxes but not blocks of text.

Software is available that offers more advanced screen-reading capabilities (both free and commercial). The two most popular commercial screen readers are JAWS and Windows-Eyes.

Learn how to use Windows Narrator:

Learn how to use Mac OS X Voiceover

What Is Web Accessibility?

The web offers an unparalleled opportunity for people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges to access information and resources. For example, people who are visually impaired can have immediate access to news articles with the help of assistive technologies such as screen readers or screen magnifiers. People with motor impairments can access a wealth of web content with an unprecedented degree of independence.

Estimates vary, but up to 20% of the Canadian population has some kind of visual, hearing, motor or cognitive challenge. Canada’s large aging population often faces similar challenges.

Web accessibility is the practice of ensuring that websites are usable by as wide an audience as possible. More specifically, accessibility ensures that people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges can understand and interact with a website and its content.

More about Web Accessibility

Please note that all links in this section will open a new browser window.

W3C-Web Accessibility Initiative
The international body WC3 helps develop web accessibility guidelines, strategies and resources. The website outlines the internationally recognized web accessibility guidelines.
WebAIM
The website for this non-profit organization provides resources that help explain and address web accessibility issues.
Yahoo! Accessibility Blog
This blog reflects the experiences of individuals with disabilities, their families, and the professionals with whom they interact.
Accessify Forum
An online collection of accessibility discussion forums
The Treasury Board of Canada, Common Look and Feel for Internet 2.0
The government of Canada website accessibility standards