https://lifeathmrc.blog.gov.uk/raising-accessibility-awareness/
Raising accessibility awareness
Activities you can try
To gain an insight into the challenges of users with access needs try these activities. You can do them at home, at your desk.
- Try this game accessibility through a maze
- Not everyone uses a mouse so unplug your mouse or disable your trackpad and try using only your keyboard for an hour
- Change your browser zoom to 400% and check the effect of resizing on the webpage you are viewing
- Try some of the built in Microsoft Windows accessibility features, such as Windows Narrator
- If you have an Apple device, try the Mac accessibility features, such as VoiceOver
- Search for a hearing loss simulator which demonstrates how different levels of hearing loss are perceived
- The dyslexia simulator rearranges the letters within words on a page to give you a feel for what it may be like reading with dyslexia
- Colour blindness experience allows you to find out what it is like to live in a colour-blind world and access simulators to find out what your content looks like to someone who is colour blind
- The Funkify simulators mimic cognitive; dyslexia; motor and vision conditions. You can experience the web through the eyes of users with these disabilities.
Watch and listen to some videos
We have compiled a few YouTube playlists to give you easy access to videos where you can find out more about why accessibility matters, demonstrations of assistive technologies and guidance and best practises to follow.
User stories
Story 2 - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Story 3 - Inflammatory arthritis
Story 4 - Retinitis Pigmentosa
How you can make a difference
Here are some suggestions of things you can do where you can make a difference
Accessibility is not an afterthought
Check the accessibility of your service before you get an audit
Designing for colour blindness
Make your documents accessible
Check the spelling, grammar and readability of your content. In Microsoft Office products use Review > Spelling & Grammar, or paste text into Hemingway Editor
Learn how to make your content accessible using the Accessibility Checker facility in our Microsoft Office 365 products
Get involved
Be My Eyes - bringing sight to blind and low-vision people. Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers for visual assistance through a live video call. Read an article on how a Be MyEyes volunteer can help
Useful resources
Visiting one of our HMRC accessibility empathy hubs to experience the barriers that disabled people can face will inspire you to think about the role you play in a new, more accessible way. Note: you will not be able to do this whilst COVID-19 restrictions are in place.
We have also compiled a list of resources you may find useful.
Please email us at accessibility.team@hmrc.gov.uk if you have any questions.