Written question WQ99840
- Asked by
- Paul DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 13 days
Question
What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure assistive technologies, including screen readers and communication software, are available and fully functional through the medium of Welsh?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language (Anna Brychan)
We want to make sure everyone can use their Welsh easily, without additional challenges. An important part of this is assistive technologies.
With funding from the Welsh Government, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) developed Welsh synthetic voices with software company IVONA. Through a collaboration between the Welsh Government and the RNIB, learners and teachers can now download these voices directly from Hwb and use them with compatible assistive technology, including screen readers.
Welsh Government analysts are also currently reviewing the evidence base to identify the approaches that have the greatest impact in supporting bilingual alternative and augmentative communication software. This work will help inform our ongoing consideration of how best to support the availability, functionality and use of Welsh language assistive technologies.