Accessibility

Plain-language summary

A person can use MyTalker with a touch, with one or two switches, by listening, or with their eyes. Text can be turned all the way down to pictures only, or all the way up to full sentences. Symbols and text can be made larger, the screen can be light or dark, and motion can be reduced. MyTalker speaks in English, Spanish, Italian, German, and French. We are working toward WCAG 2.1 AA, we are not there yet, and we want to hear from you when you hit a barrier.

How a person can access MyTalker today

These access methods are real and available in the app now. A person can choose the one that fits their body and abilities, and a caregiver can set it up with them.

Touch. A person can tap directly on a word, symbol, or button to choose it.

Switch scanning. For a person who cannot tap precisely, MyTalker can highlight items one at a time and the person selects with a switch. Both automatic scanning (the highlight moves on its own and the person selects at the right moment) and 2-switch step scanning (one switch moves the highlight, the other selects) are supported.

Auditory scanning. For a person who cannot see the screen well, MyTalker can speak each choice aloud as it is highlighted, so the person can select by ear.

Dwell and eye-gaze selection. A person can select by holding their gaze or pointer on an item for a set time, with an adjustable dwell duration, which supports eye-gaze and head-pointer use.

Adjustable reading levels. The amount of text is adjustable from pictures only, through pictures with single words, up to full sentences, so the app meets a person's literacy and comprehension rather than forcing one level on everyone.

Large symbols and adjustable sizes. Symbols and text can be made larger, and the number of choices on a screen can be reduced, to support low vision, motor precision, and attention.

Light and dark themes. A person can choose a light screen, a dark screen, or follow the device setting, which helps with light sensitivity and contrast needs.

Reduced motion. MyTalker honors the system "reduce motion" setting and turns off non-essential animation for people who are sensitive to movement.

Keyboard and skip links. Pages include a "skip to content" link so keyboard and screen-reader users can jump past the navigation to the main content.

Device and system voices. MyTalker speaks using the voices built into your device or system, so a person can pick a voice that sounds right to them.

Five languages. The app and its voices work in English, Spanish, Italian, German, and French.

The standard we are working toward

We are working toward WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines published by the W3C. We do not yet claim full conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA. We test the app with the access methods above, we fix the barriers we find, and we treat reports from the people who use MyTalker as a priority. As we close gaps, we will update this statement.

Known limitations, and please tell us

We want to be honest about where we still fall short. Some areas of the app have not been fully tested against every access method, some screen-reader labels and focus order may need improvement, and some newer features may not yet support every access method as completely as the core communication screens do. Symbol coverage is still growing, so a few words may show a generated picture rather than a curated symbol.

If you or the person you support runs into a barrier, a missing label, a control you cannot reach with a switch or by gaze, or anything that makes MyTalker hard to use, please tell us. Real reports from real users are the fastest way we improve. Tell us what you were trying to do, what got in the way, and the device and access method you were using, and we will work on it.

Contact us about accessibility

To report an accessibility barrier or ask for help, email mytalker@solutions.co. We aim to reply within a reasonable time and to work with you on a solution.