ITALFERR has analysed its website http://www.italferr.it/italferr.html in accordance with the applicable regulations (MD of 8 July 2005, published in the Official Journal, issue no. 183, of 8 August 2005).
| REQUIREMENT | DESCRIPTION | COMPLIANT |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create pages and objects using technology defined by published formal grammars, based on the most recent available versions when supported by user programs. Use elements and attributes in accordance with the specifications and consistently with the semantics. | YES |
| 2 | It is forbidden to use frames when creating new websites. | n/a |
| 3 | Provide an alternative text equivalent for every non-text object on a page, and ensure that when the non-text content of an object changes dynamically the relevant equivalent contents are also changed. The equivalent text alternative of a non-text object must be suited to the function of the original object in the specific context. | YES |
| 4 | Ensure that all the information elements and functions are available even in the absence of the particular colour used to display them on the page. | YES |
| 5 | Avoid any flashing or moving objects and text having a flash frequency such as to trigger episodes of photosensitive epilepsy or concentration disorders, or which may cause the malfunctioning of the assistive technology utilised. If they must nevertheless be used because of information requirements users must be warned of the possible risk before the objects are displayed, with measures being put into place to avoid such elements. | YES |
| 6 | Ensure that the information contents (foreground) and the background can always be distinguished, by means of sufficient contrast (in the case of text) or different sound levels (in case of speech with background music). Text in image format should generally be avoided, but, if absolutely necessary, should be produced with the same distinction criteria stated above. | YES |
| 7 | Use client-side rather than server-side image sensitive maps, except when the sensitive zones cannot be defined in one of the default geometrical forms shown in the adopted DTD. | YES |
| 8 | If server-side map images are used, supply the alternative text links needed to obtain all the information or services available by interacting directly with the map | n/a |
| 9 | For the data tables, use elements (markers) and the attributes contained in the adopted DTD to describe the contents and identify the headings of lines and columns. | YES |
| 10 | For the data tables, use elements (markers) and the attributes contained in the adopted DTD to associate the data cells and the heading cells featuring two or more logic levels of heading for lines or columns. | YES |
| 11 | Use style sheets to check the presentation of contents and organise the pages so that they can also be read when the style sheets are disenabled or unsupported. | YES |
| 12 | The presentation and the text contents of a page must be designed to adapt to the window size of the browser utilised by the user without any objects overlapping or loss of information that would otherwise make the contents incomprehensible, even in case of resizing, enlargement or reduction of the display area and/or of the characters with respect to the default values. | YES |
| 13 | If the tables are used for layout purposes: ensure that the contents of the table are also comprehensible when read in linear format, using the elements and attributes of a table in compliance with the semantic value defined in the specifications of the marker language. | YES |
| 14 | In the forms, explicitly associate labels and their controls, positioning them so as to facilitate the compilation of the fields in connection with the use of assistive technology. | YES |
| 15 | Ensure that the pages are usable when scripts, applets or other programming objects are disenabled or unsupported. | YES |
| 16 | Ensure that event managers activating scripts, applets or other programming objects, or which have their own specific interface, are independent from a specific input device. | YES |
| 17 | Ensure that the functions and information conveyed by the programming objects, objects using technology not defined in the published formal grammars, scripts and applets are directly accessible. | YES |
| 18 | If a film or multimedia presentation is indispensable to ensure fullness of information or of the service provided, provide a synchronized alternative equivalent text, in the form of subtitles and/or voice description, or provide a summary or a simple label for each video or multimedia element, taking into account the level of importance and difficulty of implementation, in the case of real time displays. | YES |
| 19 | Ensure clarity in the destination of each link with significant texts, even if read independently from the context or associated with alternative links having similar explanatory value. Provide mechanisms for avoiding the repetitive reading of sequences of links common to several pages. | YES |
| 20 | If there is a default time by which certain actions must be taken by the user, in order to use the service provided by a page, the user must be explicitly informed specifying the maximum available time and providing any alternatives for using the service. | n/a |
| 21 | The links on a page must be designed for selection and activation via the keyboard, keyboard emulation technology or selection systems other then the mouse. | YES |
| 22 | At the time of initial application, in the case of existing websites, for any page that does not comply with these requirements, a link must be provided to a compliant page containing equivalent information and functions and updated at the same rate as the original page, avoiding the creation of text-only pages. The link to the accessible page must be clearly shown at the start of the non-accessible page. | n/a |
Great care has been taken during the website design and creation stages to abide by the applicable accessibility and usability requirements and to ensure that the site pages are compliant with the technical specifications provided in the implementing decree of the so-called "Stanca Law" (Law 4/2004 "Provisions for facilitating disabled access to information technology") and in the WCAG 1.0 guidelines, as outlined by the international WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) standards, an initiative by the worldwide consortium W3C which deals with standardising website design.
Making a site accessible means allowing anyone to fully access its contents, information and services, regardless of the operating system used, navigation tools (devices other than the monitor, keyboard or mouse), browser settings and available connection speed; therefore, any disabled user who needs assistive technology or special configurations must be able to easily access the services and information.
Technically speaking, all the site pages are valid for the doctype XHTML 1.0 Strict, the layout has been created using only CSS style sheets and the pages contain no inaccessible frames or flash objects; no nested tables have been used.
The website has been tested with the following browsers:
| BROWSER | OPERATING SYSTEM |
|---|---|
| Internet Explorer | Windows |
| FireFox | Windows |
| Opera | Windows |
| Netscape | Windows |
| Safari | OSX |
| Konqueror | Linux |
In order to enhance visitor experience to this site, advanced navigation tools have been included, such as shortcut key combinations for rapidly accessing the various sections of the website, and rapid links to the main browsing features and the contents.
For your reference, a usage chart showing the shortcut keys for all the pages on the site is provided below:
| KEY | FUNCTION |
|---|---|
| H | Homepage |
| C | Contacts |
| N | Legal notes |
| D | Credits |
| M | Map |
| A | Help |
| F | FAQ |
| E | Accessibility notes |
Moreover, each page may contain variable numerical shortcut keys, according to the page contents and depending on whether there are contextual navigation menus. We also wish to remind users that various browsers have different shortcut key activation methods.
Those for the most common browsers are listed below:
| BROWSER | KEY COMBINATION |
|---|---|
| Mozilla Firefox (from version 2.0 upwards) | ALT + SHIFT + ANY KEY |
| Mozilla Firefox (versions preceding 2.0) | ALTO + ANY KEY |
| Internet Explorer | ALT + ANY KEY + SHIFT |
| Opera | SHIFT + ESC + ANY KEY |
Note: limited use of access keys has been made since this involves assigning a link selection function to keys which can at times impair the navigation experience of users who make use of voice-reading programmes that already include key associations.
Great care has been taken in the creation of our http://www.italferr.it/italferr.html website and accessibility for all user categories has been ensured.
Maintaining site accessibility (the ability of computer systems to provide services and supply information without discriminating against any user category) is an ongoing process and we are continually working to offer a better experience.
Therefore, the accessibility standards of this site http://www.italferr.it/italferr.html will be monitored and guidelines on the technical and editorial development of the side will be provided.
The current online version of ITALFERR's website is compliant with the recommendations of Law 4/2004 (Official Gazette n.13 of 17 January 2004), which establishes obligatory website accessibility for: <<public administration entities, public economic bodies, privately-owned public service concessionaires, regional utility service enterprises, service organisations and public rehabilitation bodies, transport and telecommunication companies which are primarily publicly owned and IT service contractors.>>.