Here’s more encouraging evidence of Google’s commitment to accessibility–a powerful add-on for the Chrome browser designed to make the Internet more accessible for individuals with low vision. This add-on has been created by Google, not by a third-party.

Chrome Vis is an add-on for Google’s Chrome browser that magnifies selected text and changes the contrast between the colours of text and background to a pre-set combination. Magnified text can be displayed in a floating lens immediately above the selected text, or in a lens at the top of the screen. The two modes are illustrated in the images below.

Customizable keyboard commands may be used to select and magnify text, to increase or decrease the magnification, as well as to adjust the contrast.  Keyboard shortcuts are also available to move the curser either forward or backward by character, word, sentence or paragraph.

It’s easy to set up options.  Just right-click on the Chrome Vis icon in the Add-on Bar and select ‘Options’.  The image below shows the default keyboard shortcuts; and this is where you can change them. Note: A helpful Chrome Vis User Manual is available from google-axs-chrome, the home page for ‘Google Extensions for Accessibility’.