Accessibility and NUS

For optimal use of this site we recommend using a standards-compliant browser such as Firefox. Firefox has an easy-to-use text resize function that may be of great use to some users.

Get Firefox: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

NUS sites aim to support Netscape and Internet Explorer browsers 4 and above.

If you have a problem which you believe may be browser related please let us know, giving as much information as possible, including which browser and operating system you are using, for example: 'Internet Explorer 5.5 in Windows 98' or 'Netscape 4.7 on Windows NT'.

Valid code

We have taken care to build a site that is accessible to all users, across different platforms and browser types. Pages of this site should validate as HTML Transitional 4.02, using cascading style sheets (CSS) to control visual formatting wherever possible.

The site can be tested for validity by using the html and css validation links provided in the footer area of each page. From January 2005 onwards all code used on NUS sites will regularly be audited in this manner.

Pages approved by the validator show that we have taken care to create an inter-operable website.

Design principles

Our pages are designed using percentages rather than fixed pixel widths in order to create a ‘fluid design’. This allows users to easily view the site in a variety of screen sizes and is considered good practise in terms of accessibility.

Where possible this site avoids the use of frames.

As many browsers do not (as of October 2004) fully support CSS, we have used html tables for structural layout. However we have tried to limit the nesting of tables wherever we can.

Use of images

We have also taken care to minimise the use of images for areas such as navigation, preferring coded text where possible. Creative use of CSS rather than a reliance on “window dressing” images also means our pages load faster. We don’t use layout images (shims etc.) either.

Images used on the site have meaningful alternative text provided for them.

PDF documents

As policy, we are trying to limit the number of PDF files used on this site.

User experiencing difficulty reading PDF files can process a PDF form here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_simple_form.html

All PDF files require the user to have free-to-use Acrobat reader software installed. It’s available for download here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Please note that most links to non-NUS sites open in a new browser window.

Alternative formats

If you require any of our materials in alternative formats please contact the appropriate department at NUS via our reception team:

email: nusuk@nus.org.uk
text phone: 020 7380 6649
tel: 0871 221 8221
fax: 0871 221 8222

Please take care to note the webpage address where you located the materials in question, as this will greatly assist us in accurately finding and supplying the content you require.

Covering your tracks online

You may wish to prevent others from knowing which pages of this site you have visited. To help do this you should clear your “history” and empty your cache file (automatically saved web pages and graphics) from your browser's settings.

Given the variety of browsers now available, please see your browser's help section for details on how to do this.

This information may not completely hide your tracks. Many browser types have features that display recently visited sites. The safest way to find information on the internet, would be at a local library, a friend's house, or at work.