Help with accessibility
Accessibility Features
In order to make this site more accessible, Western Economic Diversification Canada has created Web page templates which:
- Are XHTML 1.0 Strict conformant, to improve compatibility with adaptive technologies, handheld devices, browsers and search engines;
- Have been successfully tested on a wide range of adaptive technologies and browser/platform combinations to ensure that Canadians can access Web pages regardless of the technology used;
- Include major components, such as the common menu bar, side menu, and content area that are properly marked up with headings to simplify navigation with a screen reader;Employ table-less layout and design to simplify screen reader navigation by reducing the structural complexity of Web pages;
- Use scalable fonts and text-based navigational elements to improve accessibility and simplify navigation using adaptive technologies;
- Provide printer-friendly functionality in the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to render pages more compatible with printers and to prevent printing unnecessary page elements and;
To learn more about Government of Canada programs and services related to accessibility please visit Persons with Disabilities Online.
Document Content Formats
Most of the content on this site is available in HTML format (like this page). Many documents are also available in their original format; those documents may require the use of a special reader.
- PDF (Portable Document Format ) is a special document format from Adobe Systems, Inc. software company and can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. An accessible version of Acrobat Reader which includes support for screen readers can also be downloaded. Alternatively, you can convert a PDF file to HTML or ASCII text by using one of the Adobe conversion services.
- PPT presentations are available in Microsoft PowerPoint format. These presentations can be opened with a PowerPoint Presentation viewer available at Microsoft Office Online.
- RTF text documents are available in Rich Text Format. This is a standard format and can be viewed with most word processors.
Multimedia Content Formats
- Audio and video files with a RAM, RM or RMM extension can be viewed with "RealPlayer 8 Basic" software. This software is available free of charge from the Real.com website.
- WMA (audio) and WMV (video) files can be viewed with Windows Media Player. This software is available free of charge from Microsoft's Windows Media Technologies Download Centre.
- Multimedia presentations with a MOV extension can be viewed with Quicktime. The basic version of "Quicktime Player" is available free of charge from the Apple website .
- Audio files with a MP3 extension can generally be viewed with the default audio player software installed on your computer. Several audio players are available free of charge. These include: RealPlayer Basic | Windows Media Player | WinAmp.
Text Size
Is the size of the text on this, or other websites, too small for you to read comfortably? If the text appears too small your browser may be set to the smallest viewing. Most browsers allow you to change the text/font size. Follow these instructions to adjust the viewing size:
Internet Explorer
- Select "View" in the menu bar
- Select "Text Size"
- Select "Larger" or "Largest"
Mozilla Firefox
- Select "View" in the menu bar
- Select "Text Size"
- Select "Larger" or "Largest"
- To increase the text size further, continue selecting "Increase"
Opera
- Select "View" in the menu bar
- Select "Zoom"
- From the menu, select the size with which you would like to view the website
- To increase the text size further, increase the percentage
Netscape
- Select "View" in the menu bar
- Select "Text Size"
- From the menu, select the size with which you would like to view the website
Client-side CSS for enhancing accessibility
The design of the Web pages on this website is flexible enough to allow you to configure the visual presentation to meet your accessibility needs by using a client-side Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) file.
Most browsers provide the ability to specify a client-side CSS file, which would be applied to every Web page on this website that you visit. To take advantage of this feature, perform the following steps:
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