At the start of the Coronavirus outbreak in the UK, Ross Linnett, CEO of Accessibility software provider Recite Me, pledged to help any organisation make their online coronavirus information accessible and inclusive at no cost for as long as this information remains important.
Ten weeks on, this pledge has helped over 22,000 people to read and understand vital online information barrier-free with;
- Over 55,000 pieces of content ‘read aloud’ by the Recite Me Text-to-Speech engine
- Over 10,000 pages translated into a different language using real-time translation tools
- Nearly 7,000 styling changings (including colours, accessibility fonts, and sizes) applied to a page
Studies show around one-in-five people have some kind of disability, long-term health condition, or situational impairment, which can make accessing online information challenging.
Therefore, when information is vital, it is vital to consider the individual needs of these people by ensuring all online information and digital platforms are accessible to them.
Over 100 organisations including Public Health Wales, Virgin Money, Network Rail, Volkswagen, RSPCA, and London Luton Airport, have joined the Recite Me Pledge.
Clare Armstrong, Head of Passenger Services at London Luton Airport commented, “Joining the Recite Me pledge has enabled us to communicate our COVID19 message to the widest possible audience. Visitors can customise their viewing experience through a screen reader, styling options, reading aids, and a translation function.
“This online support allows London Luton Airport’s key messages to be accessed and understood by all, particularly during these difficult and unsettling times. “
Any business can visit the Recite Me website now to find out how the free accessible and inclusive landing page works and how to create their own landing page.
Ross Linnett, Recite Me CEO and Founder said: “When information is vital, it is vital that information is accessible and inclusive for all.”
“During these uncertain times Recite Me is here to support businesses across the world to create online information related to Coronavirus that is accessible and inclusive for everyone.
“Recite Me was a dream to drive change, to make society more inclusive and to enable everyone to explore and share our online world freely.
“So, this is our pledge to help everyone in a time of need by helping any business make key information accessible online, free of charge.”
If you are considering a plan on how to make your website more accessible, then be sure to start with our WCAG accessibility checker.
