Accessibility
Accessibility Insights (free)
Assists in solving accessibility issues in websites and applications. Android, Windows, and Web-based.
Accessibility Suite Pro ADA Plugin (yearly licensing fee)
A WordPress plugin to assist with auditing WordPress sites for accessibility according to WCAG and Section 508 standards.
axe (free)
Scans HTML documents for potential accessibility issues and tells you how to fix them.
BrowserStack (paid options)
A must-have tool for web designers and app developers, it provides mobile app and browser testing across 2,000+ real devices and browsers. But this isn’t an emulator or simulator — it provides testing on the actual devices and their many configurations.
Color.review (free)
An accessibility tool that focuses on color accessibility for design by checking on your swatch’s contrast.
Color Contrast Checker (free)
Enter your foreground and background colors in RGB hexadecimal format for this tool to guide you with proper color contrast.
Color-reliant Link Contrast Checker (free)
This tool assists you with making your link color scheme accessible.
CommonLook PDF Validator (free)
Works as a plugin within Adobe Acrobat. Verifies and validates document compliance automatically. Only PDF checker that tests against Section 508, WCAG 2.0 AA, PDF/UA and HHS standards.
File Transformer (free)
Converts your files into alternative formats to fit various needs, devices, and learning preferences. Web-based.
Koa11y (free)
A desktop app that allows you to automatically detect accessibility issues on webpages.
WAVE (free)
Scans HTML documents for potential accessibility issues and tells you how to fix them.
Accessibility Simulations
Distractability Simulation (free)
Dyslexia Simulation (free)
Low-vision Simulation (free)
Screen reader Simulation (free)
Do-it-Yourself Captioning and Subtitling
AutoCap (free and paid)
Helps you caption your videos. Android.
Amara (free)
Web-based for videos that are hosted elsewhere. Create your captions from scratch. Best for short videos.
Caption And Description Editing Tool (CADET) (free)
Downloadable caption-authoring software.
Clipomatic (paid)
Helps you caption your videos. iOS.
Quicc (free and paid)
Uses AI to caption your videos in a format that you can edit. Supports 11 different languages and dialects. Web.
Subtitle Edit (free)
A downloadable program with both beginner and advanced interfaces. Windows.
Do-it-Yourself Transcription
Descript (paid options)
Record. Transcribe. Edit. Mix.
Express Scribe (free and paid options)
Software designed for professional transcribers that can be controlled through your keyboard or a foot pedal. Mac and Windows.
The FTW Transcriber (free)
Features automatic timestamps and supports a wide range of audio and video file types. Windows and Android.
Inqscribe (one-time licensing fee)
A downloadable tool that allows all transcription to be done in one window. Plays audio and video from a URL, a server, a hard drive, a flash drive, and a CD. Windows and Mac.
OTranscribe (free)
Upload an audio or video file or provide a link to a YouTube video to transcribe your audio in the same tab you play your media. Web-based.
Subtitle Edit (free)
An open source editor for video subtitling.
Transcribe (paid options)
A downloadable tool that provides secure transcription. Offers automatic transcription which you can edit, voice typing with dictation, and self-transcription. Also does video captioning.
AI Captioning & Transcription
Fireflies.ai (free and paid options)
AI Voice Assistant For Meetings. Record, Transcribe and Search across your voice conversations.
Otter Voice Meeting Notes (free and paid options)
Record and review in real time. Search, play, edit, organize, and share your conversations from any device. Generates sharable smart notes that sync audio, text, and images.
Rev (paid options)
Transcription, captions, and foreign subtitling. Choose between AI and human services. Human services are more expensive but more accurate.
Speechlogger (free)
Automatic transcription, captioning, and instant translation.
Speechnotes Files (paid options)
Automatic transcription of audio & video files.
Temi (paid options)
Speech to text AI transcription in 5 minutes.
Human Captioning & Transcription
3Play Media (paid options)
A company that provides closed captioning, live auto captioning, transcription, audio description, and translation with subtitling.
ai Media (paid options)
A company that provides closed captioning, live captioning, Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART), audio description, and transcription services for everything from social media streaming to events, conferences, and lectures.
Rev (paid options)
Transcription, captions, and foreign subtitling. Choose between AI and human services. Human services are more expensive but more accurate.
Speech (Voice) to Text / Dictation
Dragon Speech Recognition (paid options)
Speech recognition software with high accuracy once trained.
Speechkeys (free)
Dictation keyboard. Chrome-only.
Speechnotes (free)
Speech to text online notepad.
Speechnotes (free)
Speech to text Chrome extension.
Voice Dictation for Chrome (free)
Speech recognition to write emails and documents in Google Chrome.
Other Communication Tools
SpeechNinja (free)
An Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Text To Speech reader online, that helps people speak out loud.
TTSReader (free)
Text to Speech Reader. Instantly reads out loud text, PDFs, and eBooks with natural sounding voices online. Just drop the text and click play.
Wavello by Sorenson (free app for hearing people)
A VRS call with video that shows the Deaf person, hearing person, and an interpreter. No additional callers can be added to the call. Free for the hearing person; Deaf user must have an ntouch product to use service.
Resources
Access Is Love: List of Readings and Resources
A starting point to learn about accessibility and disability justice.
ADA Accessibility Standards
Text of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s accessibility standards.
Alt-Text as Poetry
An of exploration of why and how to use alt-text for images.
ASL Access: Every Organizer’s Responsibility
A Facebook note (no login required) with links to multiple essays about the importance of providing ASL.
Autism & Safety Toolkit
A toolkit made by autistic self-advocates that provides information on abuse and neglect, bullying, interactions with police, mental health, and safely navigating community.
Community Access (Captions, Transcripts, Image Descriptions) [Facebook Group]
The members of this Facebook group provide captions, short transcripts, and image descriptions for free.
Design Patterns for Mental Health
Improving the standard of design in mental health products and services.
Drake Music
A UK-based arts charity working in music, disability, and technology who have been pioneering the use of accessible music technology for over 20 years.
Fragrance Free Femme of Colour Genius
A resource guide that explains how and why to be scent-free, including product recommendations.
How to report on mental health
Links to information on how to write about mental health, suicide, violence, and eating disorders in a stigma-reducing manner.
Inclusive Design 24
A yearly, free 24-hour event that shares knowledge and ideas about inclusive design. Check out their sessions from every year on their YouTube channel.