The ReachDeck Toolbar

The ReachDeck tools help make our online content more accessible for people with dyslexia, low literacy, English as a second language, and those with mild visual impairments. It can read out loud, translate webpages into 99 languages and read the content aloud in 40 languages. 

Please note that the translations are generated by ReachDeck using Google Translate, and so Lymphoma Action takes no responsibility for the quality or content of the translations. Our information is created for the population of the UK, so some phrases or medical terms may not be directly translated. Please check with your medical team before acting on any translated information.

How to launch the toolbar

Click on the orange circle 'stickman' icon you can see at the top of all our website pages to launch the ReachDeck Toolbar. If you are on a computer screen, laptop or larger tablet it will appear at the top of your screen, while on mobiles and smaller tablet screens a simplified version will appear at the bottom. 

Using the toolbar on mobile

• Read aloud - select the finger-pointing icon in the bottom left of the toolbar and then select the text you’d like to be read out loud. If you need to adjust the voice speed, select the settings icon in the middle of the toolbar. You can also change the language you’d like to hear spoken here too.
   
• Translation - select the settings icon (cog) in the middle of the toolbar. A window with a drop down menu will pop up where you can select the language you'd like the webpage translated into. The text will also be read out loud in this language, and you can adjust the voice speed here too.

Using the toolbar on desktop 

• Read aloud - Text to Speech
  There are two options, Hover to Speak and Speak the Current Selection. Hover to Speak is turned on by default when the toolbar is launched and you can also select the finger-pointing icon (first icon on toolbar) to hear the whole page read aloud. Or you can highlight text you want to be spoken aloud and use the play, pause and stop buttons. 
   
• Translation
  To translate into another language, select the fourth icon from the left that has the two rectangle tiles on, you can then choose your chosen language from the drop-down box. The website will then also be read out loud in this language too. 
   
• Picture dictionary 
  This displays pictures related to the text selected on the page. Select the fifth icon and highlight the word or words that you would like pictures displayed for. A pop-up box will appear with the images for the highlighted words where this is possible.
   
• Audio file (MP3) generation
  This converts any text that you select into an audio file that you can download and listen to offline. Select the sixth icon, then highlight the text that you would like to convert into an MP3, give your file a name in the pop-up box and then click the blue generate button to download your file.
   
• Screen mask
  This feature allows you to apply a filter to your screen. A semi-opaque mask extends across the screen, leaving a letterbox reading window clear - this blocks distractions and allows you to focus on a few lines at a time. To use this tool, select the seventh icon and then when you move your mouse/cursor up and down the page it will move the screen mask.
   
• Text magnification
  This can be used with the read aloud function so that the text is magnified as it’s being read aloud- select the eight icon of the magnifying glass. You can personalise the font, size and colour to suit your needs in settings (last icon - cog).  
   
• Simplify
  This removes additional distractions on a page, such as pictures and promotions, so you can just see the text you want to read. Select the ninth icon to start – from there you can customise it to your needs changing the colours on the page and the size and type of font. 

Settings

Select the last icon of the cog to change your settings. On desktop, 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
• Set the simplify feature on as default
• Identify links on a webpage

Video overview 

This video gives a quick overview of the ReachDeck Toolbar

ReachDeck makes our website more accessible and usable by everyone. This addition to our website reflects our commitment to accessibility and inclusion.
 

Please share your feedback on the ReachDeck Toolbar

With grateful thanks to our funder: