Help
This help page advises how you can use our website. The following captions provide further information:
Accessibility, Layout and Content
Accessibility
Accessibility in web design relates to internet pages which are accessible to EVERYONE. Such includes internet pages which are designed so that they can be understood by the disabled as well as by individuals without disabilities. The information is available to all.
Layout
The layout of an accessible website is decisive for unrestricted access utilizing technical assistance, as for example, screen readers.
The technical layout of our website has been designed without hidden layout tables. The contents are structurally organized in a logical sequence and can thus be viewed without the design. The design is thus separated from contents.
Currently we are not supporting data transfer mediums, e.g. printing, with an extra design but are working on a special concept for such.
Contents
If the contents of a website are not intelligible then the time taken to design such was wasted.
The contents of our website have been designed so that such are accessible, meaning that our contents are organized in a structurally correct manner. Such is referred to as content stability. Content stability assures the suitability of the website for various data transfer mediums.
Navigation, Search, Skip-Links and Hidden Navigation
We utilize a continuously uniform navigation structure.
Navigation Menus
Our website uses various navigation guides:
- Primary Navigation
- Sub-Navigation
- Skiplink-Navigation
- Hidden Navigation
Primary Navigation
Primary Navigation is found at the top of our website. The navigation points are organized next to one another. The main themes of our website build the navigation points and subdivide the contents into individual topics.
Sub-Navigation
Sub-Navigation appears when a Primary Navigation point is clicked upon.
Sub-Navigation is located in the content window on the left side and subdivides the contents more specifically.
Skiplink-Navigation
Skiplink-Navigation is located after the short text given in pages where an outline of topics can be viewed.
Skiplink-Navigation refers to links on one page which can assist in jumping directly to another page or contents, as for example, this “Help” page.
The Skiplink-Navigation is our alternative to the Access Keys described below.
Hidden Navigation
We have incorporated Hidden Navigation at the beginning of each page as additional assistance, especially for screen readers, and in order to better access the website with the keyboard. Such only become visible when one jumps from link to link with the tab key.
Try it!!
Click on a link on any page and then use the tab key. When you have finished navigating through your browser various links shall appear on the upper side of the website. You will directly jump to these sites with the help of these links.
Search
The Search function also serves navigation!
Searching for a certain topic in our website? The Search function is there to assist!
Text, Captions and Listen
It is extremely important that each portion of text or contents is correctly defined in order to assure that contents are intelligible. Thus a caption must be identified as a caption.
We pay particular attention in our website pages that the correct definitions have been given the contents.
It is especially important that Captions be correctly interfaced. Individuals using technical assistance, as for example screen readers, can thus utilize Captions to navigate.
Images and Text Images
Images support the understanding of contents.
Our website contains two types of Images:
- Images which communicate information.
- Images which only serve to graphically decorate the layout.
Images which communicate information.
Such are Images which can be technically presented and can be scripted with alternative text.
Text Images
Text Images are images which communicate text as contents. Such text is not intelligible to technical assistance such as screen readers.
Our website does not utilize Text Images.
Accesskeys
Access Keys are key combinations which can be used to control the website.
The use of Access Keys requires substantial programming effort and, in most cases, the concerned key combinations are already reserved by the browser.
For said reasons we find no advantage in using Access Keys and have not implemented assistance by means of such key combinations.
Web-Standards
To the best of our knowledge and abilities we endeavor to conform to
BITV - Priority 1 & 2 -
and
WCAG 1 at Level AA
.
All pages are verified at a determined point in time. However, should errors exist in the markup of such pages, we would appreciate being advised thereof. All pages are organized with intelligible structure and semantic markup. This especially applies to text highlights and content structure. We use caption elements of h1 to h6, so that our viewers and listeners can navigate the sites with various types of program assistants.
