Browsealoud reads web pages aloud for people who find it difficult to read online. Reading large amounts of text on screen can be difficult for those with literacy problems or visual impairments.

Who would use Browsealoud?

Browsealoud makes using the Internet easier for people who:

• Have low literacy and reading problems
• Experience learning difficulties (or dyslexia)
• Speak languages other than English at home
• Struggle with low vision affecting web page reading

How many people have trouble reading and understanding your website content?

Add Browsealoud speech output to your website will potentially increase your Australian audience by:

• 6.2 million people (50% of working age group Australians) who experience some literacy and reading problems (ABS 1997)
• 4 million people (20% of Australians) who do not speak English at home as their preferred language (ABS 2001)
• 2 million people with learning difficulties or dyslexia (UNESCO 2006)
• Half a million people with vision impairments who are not able to see well enough to read web and print content (Vision Australia 2002)
• 4 million people (20% of Australians) with a disability (ABS 2003)

Note also that Australia's older adult population (60 years and older) is expected to double between 1999 and 2031 to over 6 million. In a further 20 years, they will make up a quarter of the Australian population. With this growth in the older population, the proportion of web visitors with low vision problems and other disabilities will increase significantly. (UNSW 1999; Vision Australia Foundation 2002; ABS 2001)

As this growth is being driven by the baby boomer generation entering old age, organisations need to be prepared for their demands for a greater range and higher quality of services. (National Strategy for an Ageing Australia 2005)