"Being able to read and access important information and internet content is a fundamental right that is so often denied to disabled people, so implementing this toolbar on the Students’ Association website is a fantastic step towards equitable access for all and sets precedent for UTS as a whole to do what is right and just for disabled people," Accessibility Officer, Cal McKinley said.
Antona Islam Bursa, the International Students' Officer explains “About 11944 international students have enrolled at UTS in 2021 and due to recent circumstances, most of them are still overseas, doing classes online. Majority of international students are disadvantaged with English as a second language to them. On an individual level, this means that students fall behind in their studies or are unable to access certain information that might help them during their course. Having a platform like Recite Me can offer international students with that additional resource they desperately need.”
The Recite Me assistive toolbar on the UTSSA and Vertigo website includes screen reading functionality, multiple reading aids, customisable styling options an on-demand live translation feature that boasts over 100 languages including 35 texts to speech and styling options.
It can be activated on any page of the websites by clicking on the "Accessibility tools" icon in the right-hand corner of the page.