How to use The ReachDeck Toolbar
Exciting news!
We’ve added speech, reading and translation support to The Resources Hub!
The ReachDeck Toolbar (previously known as Browsealoud) is part of our new accessibility software from Texthelp to help improve our digital accessibility and inclusion.
The Toolbar helps to make our content more widely available by removing some of the barriers that could be faced by those living with rare conditions while on the web.
The ReachDeck Toolbar gives patient group leaders a choice in how they want to access The Hub’s content in a way that best suits them.
How do I access The ReachDeck Toolbar?
Can you see the orange launchpad in the top righthand corner of your screen?
It’s the orange circle with a pair of white headphones on it.
Click this circle to launch the ReachDeck Toolbar!
You’ll quickly see the Toolbar pop up on the top of your screen.
You will need to launch the ReachDeck Toolbar like this each time you want to access its features on desktop, tablet and mobile.
Where to find the toolbar on different devices
Keep in mind that you may find the toolbar in a difference place on the screen when using different devices.
Tablet
If you’re using the toolbar on your tablet, then you’ll find the toolbar at the top of your screen just like you would if you were using a desktop.
You can access every feature of the ReachDeck toolbar when using a desktop or tablet device.
Mobile
If you’re using the toolbar on your mobile device, then you’ll find a simplified version of the toolbar at the bottom of your screen.
You can have the text read aloud or translated into over 100 languages.
If you’d like to have the text read aloud, then select the hand clicking icon in the bottom left of the toolbar and select the text you’d like to read.
If you’d like to have the text translated into your native language, then select the settings icon in the middle of the toolbar. A window with a drop down menu will pop up. You can select your preferred language as well as the voice speed in which you’d like to hear it spoken.
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Through the ReachDeck Toolbar, patient group leaders can opt to have The Hub’s content:
- Read out loud
- Translated into over 100 languages
- Converted into an MP3 file to be listened to offline
- And more!
Leaders can even opt to block or remove distractions to help them focus on what they’re reading.
Writing in plain language and short sentences is always our goal. We want every resource to be easy to read and understand, regardless of a person’s ability.
Who is the ReachDeck Toolbar for?
The ReachDeck Toolbar especially benefits those who:
- Have a visual or hearing impairment
- Have a hidden disability, such as dyslexia
- Identify as neurodiverse and would like further assistance
- Prefer to read in their own native language
- Would like further support with reading online
- Want to feel welcome and included
- Want to personalise their online experience
- Navigate the web with ease and confidence
The ReachDeck Toolbar can be accessed by your keyboard.
Each feature’s description can even be read out loud if needed or preferred.
What features are included in TextHelp’s ReachDeck Toolbar?
TextHelp’s ReachDeck Toolbar offers the following features:
Text-to-Speech: reads on-screen text out loud with read along highlighting.
You can either select “Hover to Speak” (the hand clicking icon) or “Speak the Current Selection” (the play button icon). “Hover to Speak” is the default option.
To stop having the text read aloud, simply click the stop button on the toolbar. This will clear the highlighted text and stop the words from being spoken.
**If you’re using a touchscreen device, then you’ll have to click on the text to hear it!
To have the text read out loud, select the hand clicking icon and highlight a sentence or two to have them read out loud. Unselect the hand clicking icon and hit the play button icon to hear the content you highlighted!
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You can also highlight a whole paragraph and click the play button icon to have that section read to you.
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Translation: allows words to be translated into over 100 languages and spoken out loud in 48!
Languages that can be translated and spoken aloud are indicated by a volume icon.
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Picture Dictionary: displays a word’s meaning through illustration
***Note: The picture frame icon doesn’t turn blue when selected!
To use the Picture Dictionary, highlight the word that you’d like further explanation on to help aid your understanding.
The Picture Dictionary will then display images related to the selected text on the page to help you better understand the word’s meaning.
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MP3 maker: converts online content into MP3 files for easy listening.
Highlight the text that you’d like to convert into an MP3 file and hit “generate.”
***Note: You have to save the audio file to your desktop, tablet or mobile device if you want to listen to the recording later.
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Screen Mask with reading pane: reduces visual stress and improves focus
This is done by placing a slightly see-through mask over the screen, leaving a clear rectangular reading box so you can focus on a few lines of text at a time.
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Text Magnifier: magnifies text and reads it out loud.
This increases accessibility of even the smallest web text. You can personalise the text’s font, size and colour!
To use the Text Magnifier feature, highlight the text you’d like read out loud and select the Text Magnifier feature.
By selecting the Text Magnifier feature, you’ll automatically select the hand clicking icon.
To have The ReachDeck Toolbar read out your text and magnify its size, simply deselect the hand clicking icon and hit the play button icon!
Pro tip: Before launching the Text Magnifier function, move the ReachDeck Toolbar below the text you’d like magnified and read out loud so you can see it clearly on the top of your screen.
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Webpage Simplifier: creates a simplified view of a webpage and removes distracting content, such as images and graphics.
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To explore more features, click on the question mark (?) icon to discover what each feature on the toolbar does!
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Don’t forget that you can customise The ReachDeck Toolbar features to suit your preference by clicking on the settings icon.
*** Note: The settings icon won’t turn blue when selected!
It will instead open a pop-up window where you can personalise the toolbar’s settings.
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When you open this pop up window, you’ll be able to:
- Choose your voice speed
- Set the size of magnified text
- Identify links on a webpage
- Keep the simplify feature on as default
- Keep the text-magnifier feature on as default
- Turn “Hover to Speak” off
- Choose the highlight colours used when deploying the text-to-speech and text-magnification features
Why accessibility is important to Beacon
Globally, 1 in 7 people have a disability.
Many rare disease patients, families and leaders experience barriers when they’re on the web.
Those with visual impairments may struggle if information is only available in text format.
Likewise, those with cognitive disabilities might find it difficult to read information on a crowded web page.
These barriers can impact a person’s ability to browse and access online content and services.
We must keep in mind that only 1 in 10 people who would benefit from assistive technology have access to it.
By adding the ReachDeck Toolbar to The Resources Hub, we’re giving extra support to patient group leaders who may need it.
The addition of The ReachDeck Toolbar to The Resources Hub reflects our ongoing commitment to accessibility and inclusion.
We want to ensure that everyone can access our information online, regardless of ability or circumstance.
TextHelp’s ReachDeck Toolbar is helping us to achieve this goal.
We hope that you enjoy a better online experience while using The Resources Hub and our official Beacon: for rare diseases website.
We have proudly added The ReachDeck Toolbar to both!
For more information on Beacon’s commitment to improving health equity and inclusion for people living with rare diseases, read our commitment now.
