Google’s new Chromebook update promotes accessibility for disabled people

Google has introduced new updates for Chromebooks to help people with low vision and learning disabilities, an initiative that was much needed in the accessibility technological space.

A nine-month-long pandemic has set a new trend across the world. People are now working from inside their homes. For those with disabilities, accessibility still remains a major issue when it comes to working with technology. Tech giant Google has now introduced new updates for Chromebooks to help people with certain disabilities to make their work environment accessible and productive.

Latest update from Google

People with visual impairment will now be able to change the color of the cursor in order to improve their visibility on-screen. A feature mainly for those with low vision and certain learning disabilities, this indeed gives a personal touch to the Chromebook. Pointers can also be adjusted according to the user’s convenience.

In a statement issued last week, Google said, “With select-to-speak, people can select text on the screen to speak aloud. “You now have the option of shading background text that is not highlighted, which makes it easier to focus on the words being spoken”.

ChromeVox is a built-in screen reader on all Chromebooks. Screen readers are critical for computers that are blind and weak. So Voice switching on ChromeVox automatically changes the screen reader’s voice based on the language of the page.

ChomeVox will detect which voice you must use when reading it aloud if the page is in English or Spanish. They have reportedly added voice customization options, Smart Sticky Mode, and improved navigation in ChromeVox menus.

A much-needed technology

Over time, the technology that has largely remained inaccessible to people with disabilities is now finding ways to make things easier.

Maitreya Shah, who is visually impaired, is a disability rights advocate from Gujarat who finds the latest update from Google interesting……

Read more: https://newzhook.com/story/google-new-chromebook-accessibility-technology-disabled/

Source: Newzhook