Robert James
Founder & Lead Developer
Robert founded Helperbird with a mission to make the web more accessible for everyone. He writes about accessibility tools, browser extensions, and assistive technology.
Posts by Robert James
- Web Accessibility & Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts
Explore research on web accessibility and dyslexia-friendly fonts including OpenDyslexia. Learn what works to enhance learning.
2020-02-09
- Helping Students with Helperbird’s Reword Feature
A student success story about Helperbird's reword feature and how it improved reading comprehension to enhance learning.
2020-04-16
- How Helperbird Transformed a Student's Academic Experience
Read Jamie's inspiring personal story of overcoming reading challenges with Helperbird's accessibility tools to enhance learning.
2021-10-11
- TV and Movie Characters with Dyslexia
Discover inspiring TV and movie characters with dyslexia that can provide inspiration and positive representation for children and adults with dyslexia.
2021-11-03
- Improving Marketing Workflows with Helperbird’s Immersive Reader
Discover how Alex used the Read Aloud and Text Spacing features to simplify his workload and manage campaigns more efficiently with Helperbird.
2021-12-19
- 3 Facts about Dyslexia and 1 Fact about Cats
Discover three important facts about dyslexia and learn how it affects reading, learning, and daily life.
2021-12-28
- Making PDFs Easier with Helperbird's PDF Reader
Follow Rory's personal journey with Helperbird's PDF reader and discover how it makes PDFs more accessible to enhance learning.
2022-02-05
- The 5 Must-Have Accessibility Tools for Students in 2021
Discover the top 5 must-have accessibility tools for students in 2021 to empower and enhance their online learning experience.
2022-03-03
- Winner of Our Chromebook Giveaway
Celebrate our Chromebook giveaway winner and their exciting prize including a Chromebook and Helperbird Pro to enhance learning.
2022-04-14
- Thanksgiving Day Message from Helperbird
A heartfelt Thanksgiving message from Helperbird team to our community, supporters and accessibility advocates to enhance learning.
2022-05-11
- Helping Students Succeed with Helperbird’s Accessibility Tools
Discover how Helperbird's comprehensive accessibility tools help students with dyslexia and learning differences to enhance learning.
2022-06-23
- How a Teacher Changed My Life - A Story
A special message for teachers supporting students with dyslexia and other learning differences daily to enhance learning.
2022-07-19
- Introducing the Next Big Release of Helperbird
Discover what's coming in Helperbird's future. Explore exciting new features and improvements planned to enhance learning.
2022-12-04
- Top 5 features of Helperbird to help your students in 2021
Discover the top 5 features of Helperbird that can make your class more accessible and productive in 2021 and 2022.
2023-01-21
- How to Use Immersive Reader in Google Docs, Step-by-Step Guide
Complete step-by-step guide to using Immersive Reader in Google Docs. A free tool for better reading support to enhance learning.
2024-01-24
- Heads Up, Helperbird's Got Immersive Reader Too!
Discover Helperbird's free immersive reader feature. A powerful accessible and supportive reading tool for dyslexia to enhance learning.
2024-02-02
- Helperbird Featured on Icelandic National Radio
Helperbird was featured on Iceland's national radio station, RÚV, discussing accessibility tools and dyslexia support to enhance learning.
2024-12-18
- How to Make Scans and Copies Accessible for Students
Learn how to make scanned documents and copies accessible by enabling OCR and other accessibility features to enhance learning.
2025-01-07
- How the University of Alaska Champions Accessibility - March 25th
See how University of Alaska championed web accessibility and supported students with learning differences and Helperbird.
2025-03-25
- Free Features in Helperbird - A Guide for Parents and Families
A complete guide to Helperbird's free accessibility features helping children read, write and learn with support to enhance learning.
2026-02-10
- How Helperbird Makes Everyday Web Browsing Easier for Seniors
Bigger text, a zoomed page, stronger contrast and read aloud. The free browser controls that make everyday reading comfortable when your eyes get tired.
2026-03-24
- How Helperbird Supports Senior Citizens at Legal Aid Kiosks
Learn how Helperbird makes legal aid kiosks more accessible for senior citizens with text-to-speech, larger text, reading support, and simplified layouts.
2026-03-24
- How Libraries and Community Centers Use Helperbird to Support Senior Visitors
What a librarian can push to every machine, what admin policy cannot preset, and the two-minute setup that gets a senior visitor reading the screen again.
2026-03-24
- 10 Chrome Extensions Every Student with Dyslexia Needs in 2026
Discover the top Chrome extensions designed to help students with dyslexia read more comfortably and succeed academically in 2026.
2026-03-26
- The Best Free Accessibility Features in Helperbird You Can Use Right Now
Explore the powerful free accessibility features in Helperbird, from dyslexia-friendly fonts to dark mode and high contrast.
2026-03-26
- How English Language Learners Can Use Browser Tools to Read Any Website
Master web reading as an ELL student using translation, simplification, and pronunciation tools.
2026-03-26
- How Helperbird Helps Organizations Meet Web Accessibility Standards
Discover how user-side accessibility tools complement WCAG compliance efforts and expand access.
2026-03-26
- How Helperbird Works on Google Docs, Slides, and Classroom
How Helperbird works across Google Workspace. The browser extension on Classroom pages, and the add-on sidebar inside Google Docs, Slides and Sheets.
2026-03-26
- How Public Libraries Are Using Helperbird to Make Digital Resources Accessible
Discover how public libraries deploy Helperbird on public computers to serve patrons with diverse accessibility needs.
2026-03-26
- How to Make Any Website Easier to Read When You Have ADHD
Learn how to configure your browser to eliminate distractions and stay focused while reading with ADHD.
2026-03-26
- How to Set Up Helperbird for Your Child at Home
A parent's guide to installing and configuring Helperbird for your child's online learning and reading—dyslexia fonts, text-to-speech, and more.
2026-03-26
- How to Reduce Screen Fatigue While Working from Home
Combat screen fatigue with practical solutions including overlay tints, dark mode, and text adjustments to work more comfortably.
2026-03-26
- A Teacher's Guide to Setting Up Accessibility Tools on School Chromebooks
Help your students succeed with built-in and third-party accessibility tools for school Chromebooks.
2026-03-26
- 5 Ways Text-to-Speech Can Improve Reading Comprehension for Kids
Discover how text-to-speech technology helps children build decoding skills, reduce cognitive load, and improve reading comprehension.
2026-03-26
- Why Every University Disability Services Office Should Know About Helperbird
Helperbird offers modern, browser-based accommodations that complement and enhance university disability support services.
2026-03-26
- The Best Way to Mark Up PDFs Without Installing Anything
Draw on a PDF in your browser, add text boxes, and download a copy carrying your marks. What the Helperbird PDF Reader includes, and what it leaves out.
2026-04-04
- How to Draw on PDFs — Pen, Shapes, Arrows and More
Helperbird now lets you draw directly on any PDF. Freehand pen, rectangles, ovals, lines, and arrows with full color and stroke control.
2026-04-04
- Accessibility Profiles — One Click Setup
Discover Helperbird's new Accessibility Profiles feature. One click to enable dyslexia, ADHD, low vision, and more accessibility tools instantly.
2026-04-14
- World Book Day — Reading Should Be for Everyone
Celebrate World Book Day with us. Discover how Helperbird makes reading accessible for people with dyslexia and reading challenges.
2026-04-23
- Section 504 vs Section 508 — What Is the Difference?
Section 504 and Section 508 sound similar but cover very different things. Learn the difference between these two parts of the Rehabilitation Act and how they...
2026-04-30
- Mental Health and Your Screen — Tips for Digital Wellbeing
Mental Health Awareness Month: Discover how digital wellbeing impacts your mental health and practical tips using Helperbird to reduce screen fatigue and...
2026-05-01
- Thank You, Teachers — How Educators Use Helperbird
Discover how teachers are using Helperbird to support students with diverse learning needs in the classroom. From Chromebooks to Google Docs integration,...
2026-05-05
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2026 — 11 Years of Building for Everyone
Reflecting on 10+ years of Helperbird, the journey from a college project to a tool trusted by 1M+ users. What accessibility really means and why we're just...
2026-05-21
- Best Free Study Tools for Students with ADHD in 2026
A practical roundup of the best free study tools for students with ADHD, including focus aids, text-to-speech, reading guides, and tools to break dense reading...
2026-06-03
- Best Free Tools for Low Vision Browsing in 2026
A practical roundup of the best free tools for low vision browsing, including magnification, larger fonts, high contrast, a bigger cursor, dark mode, and...
2026-06-03
- 10 Free Ways to Make Reading Online Easier in 2026
Reading on the web doesn't have to be a strain. Here are 10 free, practical ways to make any website easier to read, from dyslexia-friendly fonts to overlays,...
2026-06-03
- How to Get Any Website or PDF Read Aloud to You (Free Text-to-Speech Guide)
A simple, step-by-step guide to having any website, PDF, or image read aloud to you for free. Learn how text-to-speech works, who it helps, and how to set it up...
2026-06-03
- How to Reduce Visual Stress When Reading on Screens
A clear guide to reducing visual stress when reading on screens, using free colored overlays, tinted backgrounds, softer contrast, and reading aids you can...
2026-06-03
- How to Use Voice Typing on Any Website - A Complete Guide
Learn how to use voice typing on any website for free. A step-by-step guide to dictating emails, essays, notes, and forms in your browser, with tips for...
2026-06-03
- Are You Ready for WCAG 2.1 AA? A Plain-English Guide to ADA Title II
1 Level AA and the ADA Title II web accessibility rule for public schools and government bodies, with the real compliance deadlines and practical tips to get...
2026-06-04
- Assistive Technology Should Be Free — World Day for Assistive Technology
On World Day for Assistive Technology, we're talking about why free tools matter. The AT gap is real. Helperbird's 40+ free tools are our answer.
2026-06-04
- Best Free Writing Support Tools in Your Browser for 2026
A practical roundup of the best free writing support tools you can use in any browser, including word prediction, spell check, a grammar checker, voice typing,...
2026-06-04
- How to Extract Text From Images and Scanned PDFs for Free
A step-by-step guide to extracting text from any image, photo, or scanned PDF using free OCR in your browser, so you can copy, edit, search, and have it read...
2026-06-04
- Best Free Accessibility Tools for Seniors Browsing the Web in 2026
A practical roundup of the best free accessibility tools for seniors, including larger text, zoom, a bigger cursor, read-aloud, high contrast, and simpler pages...
2026-06-08
- How to Translate and Read Any Website in Another Language: A Step-by-Step Guide
A step-by-step guide to translating any website into your own language and having it read aloud, with tips for English language learners, multilingual families,...
2026-06-08
- Helperbird Was Proud to Sponsor the 2026 CESA 7 Paraprofessional Summit
Helperbird was one of two sponsors of the 2026 CESA 7 Paraprofessional Summit in northeastern Wisconsin.
2026-08-18
- Introducing Helperbird Academy
Helperbird Academy is free, hands-on training. Work the tools on a real page, watch the page notice, and print a certificate. Nothing leaves your browser.
2026-08-30
- What's new in Helperbird 2026.9.6: a closer look
A tour of Helperbird 2026.9.6: easier PDF search and zoom, a simpler Dictionary, refreshed Reading Mode, thoughtful profiles, and Apple managed settings.
2026-09-06
- How Virtual Learning College Uses Helperbird
Virtual Learning College teaches students who cannot attend mainstream school. How they use Helperbird to remove barriers for neurodivergent learners.
2026-09-08