Tool Types

As described in Accessibility 101: Basics for Science Centers and Museums, there are many types of disabilities that impact participants’ experiences of museum digital engagement offerings. Below, you will find a guide to the different types of software and tools that can help you make your digital engagement programs and experiences more accessible to a variety of users.

Guide to icons used

1. Visual – Blindness, low vision, color blindness, diabetes-related eye conditions, scratched cornea, dilated eyes
2. Auditory – Deafness, hardness of hearing, auditory processing disorder
3. Speech – Nonspeaking, stuttering, Tourette Syndrome (TS) 
4. Cognitive / Neurodiversity – Autism, dyslexia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), dementia, seizure disorder, anxiety, dyscalculia and low numeracy
5. Mobility – Weakness or limitation of muscle control for the arms, hands, fingers, or other body parts that impact mobility, dexterity, or stamina. May include amputation, arthritis, paralysis, repetitive stress injury
6. All Users – Tool will support accessibility for multiple types of disability

Tools to make digital engagement more accessible

Note that the examples provided are illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as endorsed ASTC.

Type of Tool	Description	Type of Disability(s) Supported	Human-power Required	Cost	Examples
Accessibility Evaluation Tool	Evaluates a website for accessibility errors.		Minimal to moderate time required	Free or low cost	Accessibility Insights; WAVE
Readability Checker	Checks readability of text.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	Hemingway App; Readable.com
Participant Interaction	Supports non-verbal interaction between participants.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	Slido
Caption Creation	Adds text to videos which viewers read.		Minimal to moderate time required, depending on manually or automatic completion	Free or low cost, up to significant cost	Captioning Software List
Color Checker	Checks to ensure the colors used in digital documents are readable for people who are colorblind.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	Colour contrast analyser; Color blindness simulator; WebAIM: Contrast Checker; Accessible Colors; Color Oracle
Accessible Color Combinations	Identifies accessible color combinations.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	Color Safe
PDF Accessibility Checker	Checks the accessibility of PDF files.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost, up to significant cost	PAC 2021 – The Free PDF Accessibility Checker; Adobe Acrobat Professional
Screen Reader	Converts images and text into audio or Braille output.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost, up to significant cost	NVDA; JAWS; VoiceOver
Document Accessibility Checker	Checks a document for accessibility problems.		Minimal time required	Moderate cost	Microsoft Word; Grackle for Google Docs
Presentation Accessibility Checker	Checks presentation slides for accessibility problems.		Minimal time required	Moderate cost	Microsoft PowerPoint; Grackle for Google Slides
Spreadsheet Accessibility Checker	Checks spreadsheets for accessibility problems.		Minimal time required	Moderate cost	Microsoft Excel; Grackle for Google Sheets
Guide to Microsoft Products’ Accessibility Tools	Overview of  the accessibility functionality of Microsoft products.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	Accessibility Tools for Learning
Photosensitive Epilepsy Analysis	Identifies seizure risks in web content and software.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	Photosensitive Epilepsy Analysis Tool (PEAT)
Audio Descriptions for YouTube Video	Sighted volunteers write and record audio description tracks for YouTube videos.		Minimal time required	Free or low cost	YouDescribe