Accessibility Overlay Tools and Accessible Website for People with Colorblindness

The Census Bureau estimates that approximately 56.7 million Americans have a disability. One out of every five people has difficulty doing things that many of us take for granted. Furthermore, as online access becomes more common in the modern world, it is becoming increasingly important to accommodate people with disabilities. Aside from using technologies such as accessibility overlay tools and plugins, here are a few simple ways to assist people with color blindness access websites more efficiently.

 

Color Enhancer, a Google Accessibility Chrome extension, allows users to adjust a color filter to help improve color perception and see websites more clearly. Following the free extension installation, a three-colored circle icon will appear to the right of the address bar, alongside other extensions. Click on the icon and check the box to enable the extension. Then, by adjusting a slider, reveal a series of images by clicking the "setup" button.

 

Users report mixed results, with some noticing an improvement and others not seeing any progress. Although it is not the best solution, it is free, simple to set up, and easy to test.

 

Another tool that can help those with visual impairments is a text-to-speech extension. Talking Web, for example, is a Google Play extension that works well and allows you to choose between male and female voices. Like the other extensions, its icon will appear in the toolbar to the right of the address bar after installation.

 

One potential issue is the requirement to highlight the text you want it to read, which may be difficult for some visually impaired users. Although these tools do not address all of the issues that people with disabilities face, there are online resources that can assist with other issues. For example, website designers and users' many more tips and suggestions are available on the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) website. WAI also helps people who have trouble hearing, controlling a mouse, or using a keyboard. If you or someone you know has difficulty viewing websites or interacting online, you may find a solution.