InSightul is a Chrome extension designed to enhance web accessibility for individuals with partial loss. We aim to empower visually impaired users by providing a more accessible and comfortable web browsing experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_aS1O3XNHk
The inspiration for InSightful stems from the significant number of people worldwide dealing with visual impairments and dyslexia, totaling over a billion individuals. This extension aims to make web browsing more accessible and comfortable for them, acknowledging the challenges they face in reading and navigating online content.
InSightful offers features like Text Magnification, Font Customization (with options like Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica), High Contrast and Brightness settings, and a Dark/Light mode toggle. These features enhance readability and reduce visual strain for users with various visual needs. The extension dynamically adjusts font size, style, and webpage color schemes to improve user experience.
The Chrome extension was built using a combination of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and a manifest.json file for configuration. The development process involved integrating Chrome API and custom-made CSS and Javascript to create a user-friendly interface and effective back-end functionalities.
When we tried to design the Dyslexia-friendly font style and the font style for people with partial sight loss, we did not have a way to test the effectiveness of our implementation of these features. Additionally, keeping the consistency of the adjustments across all web pages is one of the challenges we met as well.
Successfully creating a tool that substantially improves web accessibility for visually impaired and dyslexic users is a significant achievement. We are proud of font customization and contrast adjustment, which substantially aid reading and reduce eye strain.
The project provided insights into the diverse needs of visually impaired and dyslexic users. The team gained experience in Chrome extension development and learned about the importance of accessible web design. The research into various font types and their impact on readability was a key learning aspect.
Future developments for InSightful include integrating image enhancement features and text-to-speech functionality. These additions aim to further aid users in navigating websites and understanding content, moving towards the goal of effortless readability for all. The team will continue to refine the extension's features based on user feedback and evolving web accessibility standards.