Creating an inclusive online experience at Why me? 

Published: Thursday, August 11th, 2022


This is a blog by Development Officer Sula Blankenberg.

 

Recite me statisticsAt Why me? we work with a diverse range of people with different needs and we pride ourselves on being an organisation that goes the extra mile to always improve communication and quality of service for our service users and staff. In line with the work we do on improving access to Restorative Justice for everybody affected by crime and conflict, Why me? invested in an accessibility and language support toolbar called “Recite Me” to create a barrier-free website. 

You can now activate the inclusive toolbar by clicking “Accessibility” located in the top right navigation menu on our website.

Recite Me will support Why me? to reach more audiences, including those related to our projects, such as Project Articulate: Widening Access to RJ for people with English as an Additional Language (EAL), Access to Justice: Delivering Restorative Justice for Learning Disability and Autism (LDA) hate crime, and even our Youth Justice Project.

By being able to communicate better with our audiences and share information about the work we do and the services we offer, Recite Me will support Why me? on our mission to improve awareness of, and access to Restorative Justice, an extremely powerful tool that all people affected by crime and conflict should be entitled to.

1 in 5 people in the UK have a disability that can prevent them from reading and understanding online content. In addition, it is reported that 10% of people in the UK speak English as an Additional Language (EAL). Those who are most affected by inaccessible information are those who:

  • Have decreased vision 
  • Experience learning difficulties
  • Have issues with literacy 
  • Speak additional languages 
  • Have linguistic problems 
  • Experience attention disorders 
  • Have physical disabilities 

Over 1 billion people worldwide encounter barriers when trying to read and understand content online. This can be due to disabilities, learning difficulties, visual impairments, or if people speak English as a second language. Without additional accessibility and language options, people are unable to perform everyday tasks from paying bills and researching services and support, to applying for their next career move. Recite Me website accessibility plugin software provides every online user with the tools they need to create a unique experience.” – Recite Me

This innovative software works across all devices, allowing everyone to use the internet in a way that works for them. 

The toolbar includes screen reading functionality, multiple reading aids, an on-demand live translation feature that translates over 100 languages including 35 texts to speech functionality, and styling options. This includes adjustments to colour, font type, and size. 

Being able to offer an inclusive experience is essential to support over 20% of the population who may encounter barriers when exploring our website due to having a disability, learning difficulty, visual impairment or if they speak English as a second language. 

Ross Linnett Recite Me’s Founder and CEO said: “It is important to provide an inclusive online experience, where everyone can use our digital world in a way in which best suits their needs. As more organisations provide accessibility tools online, those who face online barriers can access information and services hassle-free. The digital world must be accessible for all.” 

For more information go to Recite Me or contact us at info@why-me.org.

© 2025 Why me? Charity no. 1137123. Company no. 6992709.