Universal Access : NIDDK

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Universal Access

What Is Universal Access and Why Is It Important?


A site that is universally accessible is available to all possible audiences. This includes users with physical disabilities as well asvisitors using outdated or less sophisticated computer software andequipment. According to the World Wide Web Applications and the Internet Best Practices and Guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

"All web site pages shall provide graphic and table information in text format to ensure the content is accessible and readable for users with disabilities as well as accommodate various browser software packages and low-bandwidth access."

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recognizes the importance of this recommendation and has incorporated universal accessibility into the design of its web site. NIDDK is committed to providing health information to the widest possible audience, including groups under-served by traditional information dissemination.


What Makes the NIDDK Site Universally Accessible?


A text version of the NIDDK home page is available for visitors who use screen readers or text-only browsers. All images, graphics, and video files are accompanied by alternative text (alt-text) or descriptions (d-links) for blind and visually impaired users. Alternative text and captioning accompanies all audio files for hearing impaired visitors.


Instructions for Blind and Visually Impaired Users


This web site has been designed to be used with a screen-reader.

All images on this site are accompanied by an alt-text tag. These tags are visible and will be read by the screen-reader when you turn images "off" in your browser, if your browser supports the alt-text function.

Some images are accompanied by a "d". The "d" is a link that will bring you to a text description of the image. The description is typically two or three sentences, and may contain links. At the end of the description is a "Return" link. Selecting "Return" will take you back to the image.

Page last updated: November 25, 2008

General inquiries may be addressed to: Office of Communications & Public Liaison
NIDDK, NIH
Building 31. Rm 9A06
31 Center Drive, MSC 2560
Bethesda, MD 20892-2560
USA
For information about NIDDK programs: 301.496.3583

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