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memoQ, a leading provider of translation management solutions, announces significant enhancements aimed at improving accessibility for linguists who are visually impaired.

Using a translation management system or a CAT tool helps linguists all over the world land more jobs and facilitates their processes—now, in an effort to foster inclusivity within the language industry, memoQ has implemented changes to their product and documentation to make them more accessible for people with visual impairments.

For the past few years, digital accessibility has been a priority at memoQ. The memoQ team has been extensively researching the subject, interviewing linguists, and developing Accessibility Mode based on a continuous conversation with affected users. The aim was to ensure that people with visual impairments have access to the same services as those who are sighted, and to provide equal opportunities for all linguists.

What Has Changed?

As a first step towards accessibility, memoQ 10.1 introduced Accessibility Mode, a feature designed to integrate memoQ WebTrans with screen reading software such as JAWS, NVDA, Windows Narrator, and macOS VoiceOver.

Before Accessibility Mode, there was no way for screen-reading software to navigate within the tool or to read the source or target text. Users needed to rely on another person to help them get started with memoQ. Now, with Accessibility Mode enabled, users who are visually impaired can navigate memoQ’s web-based platform independently, ensuring full access to more features and functionalities than before.

Moreover, the memoQ team has made significant changes to its Documentation and has also started to revamp the Help Center page to enhance accessibility. The team also introduced alt text descriptions for images, allowing screen reading software to provide accurate descriptions of screenshots and visuals. Furthermore, documentation links are being replaced with descriptive and meaningful alternatives, improving overall usability for all users.

Additional updates to the Documentation and Help Center include structural changes for better searchability, improvements to wording and readability, as well as color contrast.

Where Are We Headed?

memoQ’s push towards accessibility is just the beginning. The memoQ team is committed to further improving memoQ’s accessibility for users with different disabilities and ensuring a more inclusive user experience for all linguists.

So far, feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive, with linguists who are visually impaired expressing appreciation for the enhanced accessibility features. By prioritizing accessibility, memoQ aims to empower linguists of all abilities and to create a more inclusive environment within the translation industry.

“memoQ is a success story of inclusion and accessibility. I was so desperate to find accessible CAT tools/TMSs. In 2023, memoQ announced the official launch of accessibility mode in their new version, memoQ 10.1. My visually impaired team and I were so happy and eager to use it.

Eventually, my team tested the accessibility of the new version with both JAWS and NVDA, and they could use the online version smoothly and successfully. We are so grateful to memoQ for their consideration and eagerness for the inclusion of visually impaired translators.”

Iman Refaat

Assistant Lecturer at Pharos University in Alexandria and Language Development Team  Lead at Arabize

For more information about memoQ’s accessibility enhancements and future plans, visit memoQ’s article on the subject on their website.

About memoQ 

memoQ is a technology provider that has been delivering premium solutions to the translation industry since 2004. memoQ has been dedicated to delivering innovation through diverse developments that today help hundreds of thousands of freelance translators, translation companies, and enterprises worldwide. 

Having simplicity and effective translation processes in mind, memoQ combines ease of use, collaboration, interoperability, and leverage in a single tool. Discover a new world with memoQ! 

For more information, visit www.memoq.com 

2024 – www.memoq.com