Speech, reading and translation tools via ReachDeck

Whether you are using a smartphone, tablet, PC or Mac, ReachDeck provides speech, reading and translation tools. This is a guide on how the ReachDeck toolbar can support you when using the website.

ReachDeck icon

You will find the ReachDeck icon in the top left corner, as shown above, the toolbar will appear at the top of the browser window.

What is ReachDeck?

ReachDeck adds speech, reading, and translation tools to the page. It makes content more accessible for people with dyslexia, literacy problems, English as a second language, and mild visual impairments.

Features include:

• dual-colour highlighting
• text magnification
• translation
• MP3 maker
• screen masking
• pronunciation modifier
• secure site reading
• PDF reading
• international languages

The toolbar

Using the buttons on the toolbar, you can:

• hear text read aloud
• translate it
• convert to MP3
• add a screen mask
• magnify text
• personalise your own settings

Text to speech

If you would like information to be read out aloud on a page click on the first symbol shown below, highlight the text or use the play and stop buttons.

Translation

If you need to change the language on the website you can select the icon highlighted below. This will display a list of 99 languages for you to choose from.

Some languages will also show the text to speech symbol (as above) which means the page can also be read out aloud in this language.

Picture dictionary

This button displays images for you on text that you highlight, highlight the word and then select the icon highlighted below from the toolbar.

MP3 generation

You can download an audio file of selected information on a page, click the icon highlighted below and the file will be generated. If you have translated the page this will be generated in the selected language.

Screen mask

This lets you apply a colour filter to your screen. A letterbox reading window will display so you can focus on a few lines of text at a time.

Text magnification

You can magnify the text as it's being read aloud. You can set the font, size and colour to suit your needs by selecting the icon highlighted below.

Simplifier

You can magnify the text as it's being read aloud. You can set the font, size and colour to suit your needs by selecting the icon highlighted below.

Help

Selecting the question mark gives you a quick list of the features on the toolbar.

Settings

In the settings menu you can personalise the features to suit your own needs. You can personalise the following:

• Highlight colours for text to speech and text magnification
• Set text magnifier on as default
• Select the size of the magnified text
• Switch hover to speak off
• Select voice speed
• Identify links on a webpage

Video guide