See our easy walkthrough video of activating captions via your iPhone (IOS 17, 22 & 23)

Accessibility is often thought about in practical terms—captions, hearing devices, and speech tools. But some accessibility technology is also deeply personal.

Apple’s Personal Voice feature allows users to create a synthesised version of their own voice, helping people communicate in ways that still sound familiar to family, friends, and loved ones. Used alongside Live Speech, typed responses can be spoken aloud during conversations, FaceTime calls, and everyday interactions. The feature was specifically developed to support people who may lose the ability to speak due to disability, illness, or degenerative conditions.

“Because accessibility is not only about being able to communicate. It is also about being recognised.”

While the technology itself is impressive, the bigger shift may be what it represents. Accessibility is increasingly becoming part of mainstream technology design rather than something separate or specialised.

For the one in five Australians living with deafness, hearing loss, or associated communication conditions, communication is rarely supported by one single tool alone. It is built through layers of accessibility working together across everyday life and digital environments.

As technology continues to evolve, features like Personal Voice highlight how inclusion can become more embedded into the products people already use every day.

Because accessibility is not only about being able to communicate.

It is also about being recognised.

Explore More

Upcoming Events

Mar 03
Turning Awareness Into Action

Online Webinar

View All Events