Making Chemistry More Accessible
ChemIllusion is building accessibility tools for chemistry that read structures, reduce visual overload, support keyboard-friendly workflows, and give students multiple ways to work with molecules.
Chemistry is visual. That is one of the things that makes it beautiful, but it is also one of the things that can make it hard to access.
A molecule on a page is not just a picture. It carries atom identity, bond order, stereochemistry, charges, functional groups, and often a lot of implied knowledge. A student who cannot easily see the image or use a mouse should not be locked out of the chemistry.
That is the goal behind the accessibility work we are building into ChemIllusion: make molecular information easier to perceive, navigate, describe, and edit.
ChemIllusion already treats molecules as editable chemical objects rather than static images. That matters because accessibility cannot stop at “alt text for a picture.” The system needs to understand what is in the structure, what the user is trying to do, and what alternative path would let them do the same chemistry. That same molecule-first design is used across the Generator, Drawing Tools, the generator Speak Molecule and ChemLingo tools, and the learning tools in Learn.
The accessibility problem in chemistry is not one problem
When people talk about accessibility, the conversation often jumps straight to screen readers. That is important, but chemistry learning involves many different barriers:
A blind or low-vision student may need a molecule read aloud.
A student with limited motor control may need keyboard, voice, or form-based editing instead of drag-and-drop drawing.
A student with ADHD, dyslexia, or concussion symptoms may need fewer icons on screen at once.
A teacher may need a way to create accessible molecule descriptions without manually writing every atom, bond, and stereochemical relationship from scratch — and the level of detail needs to be tunable. A lesson on IUPAC nomenclature that reads out the IUPAC name of the molecule is not a useful lesson.
So our goal is not one “accessibility mode.” The goal is a chemistry workspace that can adapt.
Canvas structure reading
One of the most important pieces is Canvas structure reading.
For the lessons we are building into the LessonHub on the ChemIllusion canvas, the system needs to be able to describe it in words: what atoms are present, how they are connected, what functional groups appear, what charges or stereochemical features matter, and how it relates to nearby arrows, labels, or other molecules. Try the demo below.
Sample molecule: (E)-pent-2-enoic acid
Two ways the same on-canvas structure can be read aloud — previews also available in Speak Molecule on the Generator.
The canvas has one molecule with 7 atoms in a branched structure. Atoms 1 through 7: carbon, single bond, carbon, single bond, carbon, E double bond, carbon, single bond, carbon, branch point to single bond oxygen and double bond oxygen.
(E)-pent-2-enoic acid
Choose how the canvas reads structures — atom-by-atom on hover, plain language, or IUPAC names — then try a sample before you draw. Open Generator with Speak Molecule →
Open the same controls on the Generator with Speak Molecule to try Canvas structure reading on your own structures.
Turn on Speak Molecule in Advanced Settings, then drag the speaker onto any structure on the canvas.
This is different from generic image alt text. A normal image tag might say “a chemical diagram.” That is not enough. A useful chemistry description should explain the structure in a way that supports learning and decision-making.
For example, a structure readout should be able to describe the IUPAC name when suitable and other times describe the molecule in natural language like this:
This molecule contains a six-membered aromatic ring with a carboxylic acid substituent at one position and a hydroxyl group ortho to it.
That kind of description helps screen reader users, but it also helps many sighted students who are still learning how to parse molecular drawings.
Reducing icon overload
Chemistry software often assumes that more buttons means more power. For experts, dense toolbars can be efficient. For new users, they can be overwhelming.
ChemIllusion does not show every possible tool with equal weight to every user. We have an interface where icon density can adjust to the user’s self-reported skill level:
Beginner mode shows fewer tools, larger targets, clearer labels, and guided next steps.
Intermediate mode adds more chemistry drawing tools as the user becomes comfortable.
Advanced mode gives experienced users faster access to dense controls and expert workflows.
This is partly accessibility and partly good design. Cognitive overload is a real barrier for all learners. Ketcher toolbar icons can also be enlarged from Advanced Settings when you need larger tap targets.
Default toolbar icon size
Enlarged icons (125% in Advanced Settings)
Adjust Ketcher icon size under Canvas tools without changing your skill level — useful for motor difficulties or small screens.
Equivalent ways to do the same chemistry
A chemical drawing editor is powerful, but drawing is not the only way to express chemistry. ChemIllusion supports multiple equivalent paths on the Generator:
You can draw a molecule directly.
You can add a molecule by name or SMILES.
You can ask the chem assistant to create or edit a molecule.
You can use the fragment editor to change substituents, charges, labels, or bonds without redrawing the whole molecule.
You can navigate a textual tree of atoms and bonds.
You can select from menus rather than relying only on freehand editing.
This matters because “accessible” does not always mean making the existing visual workflow slightly easier. Sometimes it means offering a different workflow that reaches the same chemical result.
For example, a student who cannot easily use a mouse should still be able to build a molecule, change a substituent, inspect the atoms, and submit an answer. A visually impaired student should be able to understand what is on the canvas before deciding what to do next. For why chemistry-native handling beats generic chat for structures, see Why ChemIllusion is more reliable than direct chat for chemistry.
From legacy handouts to accessible interactive tutorials
Teachers should not have to rebuild every worksheet, exam question, or slide deck by hand just to make it accessible. ChemIllusion is building tools that turn existing teaching and assessment materials into modern, interactive tutorials — with structure readouts, keyboard-friendly steps, and chemistry-aware descriptions drafted from the same data used to render each molecule.
The upcoming Teacher Dashboard will help instructors upload or import legacy PDFs, problem sets, and lab handouts, then convert them into guided canvas lessons students can hear, navigate, and edit. ChemIllusion drafts molecule and figure descriptions automatically; the teacher approves, edits, or simplifies them before publishing.
That human review step still matters. Accessibility text should be accurate, but it should also match the learning goal. Sometimes the right description should name every functional group. Sometimes it should avoid giving away the answer. For generated images and graphical abstracts, ChemIllusion can prompt for descriptions at creation time, reuse existing prompt text when possible, and ask for extra description only when needed. Related reading: Copyright, Generative AI, and Scientific Visuals, The models powering ChemIllusion, and sharing work through the Gallery.
Accessibility also helps sighted users
A structure readout is not only for screen reader users. A clear textual description can help a beginner check whether they drew the intended molecule. It can help a teacher inspect student work faster. It can help someone using a small screen. It can help students who are anxious about skeletal structures confirm that they are reading the drawing correctly.
The same is true for reduced icon density, keyboard controls, transcripts, captions, and larger interaction targets. These features make the product better for everyone.
That is the standard we want: accessibility features that do not feel like a separate accommodation, but like a better chemistry interface.
Animation tools, audio, captions, and chemistry context
ChemIllusion’s animation tools are also part of this accessibility direction. Open the molecule animation tool on the Generator to build structure, reaction, or mechanism animations. A structure, reaction, or mechanism animation should not only be something a user watches. It should also be something they can hear, pause, replay, and understand through text.
As we build chemistry video features, the goal is to pair visual motion with options for useful audio narration, transcripts, and captions so students can follow what is changing on the canvas: which bond is forming, which group is leaving, what structure is being highlighted, or how a chemical name is pronounced. This supports blind and low-vision users, deaf and hard-of-hearing users, and students who simply learn better when molecular changes are explained in more than one way.
Chat voice input can start with browser or system transcription when it is available. When a user opts in, Gemini Flash Live can provide live transcription for chat and route spoken chemistry requests into the assistant — useful for hands-free work during teaching, lab preparation, or accessibility-focused workflows.
Microphone input prefers browser or system transcription, with Gemini Flash Live available when you choose it.
The bigger goal
ChemIllusion is not trying to make chemistry less visual. Chemistry should stay visual, structural, and spatial.
The goal is to make those structures available in more than one way. A molecule should be drawable, readable, editable, searchable, spoken, described, and checked. A student should be able to move between those forms depending on what they need. A teacher should be able to create accessible chemistry materials without rebuilding everything by hand.
That is what accessibility means for chemistry-native software: a molecular workspace that understands enough chemistry to help more people participate.
ChemIllusion is being built with ACR/VPAT readiness, WCAG-aligned workflows, privacy-conscious LTI integration, and chemistry-specific accessibility features from the start.
Animation features dropping soon
Molecule and reaction animations are getting a major accessibility upgrade. Upcoming releases will add narration and audio options, synchronized captions, and chemistry-aware readouts so students can follow bond changes, leaving groups, and stereochemistry by ear as well as by eye. Try the current molecule animation tool on the Generator to preview structure, reaction, and mechanism animations — audio controls and richer export options are on the way.
Braille export from Share
On the Generator canvas, open Share to create a link or QR code for collaborators. The Share dialog also includes Download BRF, which exports a text-only, draft Grade-1 UEB braille-ready file describing your canvas — object labels, molecules, arrows, and layout narration — without molecule images, protein images, or tactile graphics.
You can include an optional plain-text copy for sighted reviewers. Leave that option unchecked to download a single .brf file suitable for direct embosser use. As with other ChemIllusion accessibility exports, BRF output is draft material and should be reviewed by a qualified braille transcriber or accessibility specialist before classroom use.
Ketcher keyboard shortcuts
The embedded Ketcher editor on the Generator and Drawing Tools canvas supports keyboard-first drawing and editing. Use Cmd on macOS or Ctrl on Windows and Linux for the shortcuts below.
Edit: Undo/redo/copy/paste/select — Cmd/Ctrl+Z, Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z, Cmd/Ctrl+C, Cmd/Ctrl+V, Cmd/Ctrl+A
Structure: Clean up — Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+L; calculate CIP — Cmd/Ctrl+P
Tools: Esc cycles selection modes; Delete/Backspace erases; +/− set charge; Alt+R/H/V rotate or flip
Bond tools: 1 cycles single/wedge/dash; 2 cycles double/cis/trans; 3 triple; 4 aromatic; 0 any bond
Atom tools: c, n, o, s, p, f, h; Shift+C for Cl, Shift+S for Si, Shift+N for Na, Shift+B for B, and similar Shift combinations for other elements
Properties: / opens atom or bond properties
Templates: t cycles through ring templates; Shift+T opens the structure library