Jisc TechDis launches new free tool to improve internet accessibility

The Jisc TechDis toolbar has been created in partnership with the University of Southampton’s School of Electronics and Computer Science. The free application, released as a beta version, provides a range of editing and speech tools to enable internet users to better access information and interact with web pages. This is particularly useful for researchers and learners in helping them to complete research and gather information for their studies.

Features such as the text to speech function, where users can have either the whole page or highlighted text read out loud, have been designed to support partially sighted users to enable quicker and easier access to what they need. The toolbar also provides a simple way to adjust the magnification or font used on web pages in order to make it easier to read.

Sal Cooke, director at Jisc TechDis said: “Being able to access, use, share and interact with information on the internet is an important part of today’s culture and key to successful research and study. However, the traditional tools offered by internet browsers do not go far enough to address user needs. For someone who is partially sighted, having a tool that relays information from a given website is vital for research and knowledge gathering purposes.

“Likewise, the editing facilities with which we are familiar in programs such as Microsoft Word, are lacking when it comes to working with the internet. The Jisc TechDis toolbar, however, combines the ease and flexibility of word processing programs with the range of knowledge and information available on the internet to enable users to gather and process information with ease."

Users can now browse a web page or search for what they are looking for without having to read through the entire text. This can then be collated and exported to a Word document or notepad. Editing tools such as spell check, dictionary, and font and style formatting can also be selected and applied when working within an interactive web resource such as a blog or social media site.

Steve Lee at OSS Watch, the open source software advisory service, said: “I'd like to congratulate Jisc TechDis on the beta release of the toolbar. Even as a beta release it is an accessibility tool that brings an enhanced web experienced to a range of users. It has the potential for sustainability through collaboration from a broad community of interested parties.”

The toolbar can be accessed using a ‘favourites folder’ and applied to individual websites (Lite version), or downloaded onto a PC or Mac to be applied to all web pages accessed. It is designed to work with all operating systems and browsers, including Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Sal concluded: “We are confident that the Jisc TechDis toolbar will become an indispensable, online resource for the worldwide community of scholars, teachers and students.”

Further instructions and information about the toolbar

For the Lite version, click here and the toolbar will appear at the top of your web page