diff --git a/js/browser/initialize-globals.js b/js/browser/initialize-globals.js
index 9c1810fc..1f7684d9 100644
--- a/js/browser/initialize-globals.js
+++ b/js/browser/initialize-globals.js
@@ -733,6 +733,19 @@
       defaultValue: !!packageSimFeatures.supportsVoicing
     },
 
+    /**
+     * Controls whether Tier 1 Voicing is enabled. This is a subset of the Voicing feature, the Voicing toolbar,
+     * name responses, and hint responses are all avialable. Context and Object responses are disabled and cannot
+     * be enabled from the Preferences dialog.
+     *
+     * This feature is enabled by default when supportsTier1Voicing is true in package.json. The query parameter will always
+     * override the package.json entry.
+     */
+    supportsTier1Voicing: {
+      type: 'boolean',
+      defaultValue: !!packageSimFeatures.supportsTier1Voicing
+    },
+
     /**
      * Switches the Vello rendering of Text to use Swash (with embedded fonts), instead of Canvas.
      *
@@ -966,6 +979,11 @@
         window.phet.chipper.queryParameters.fuzzBoard
       );
 
+    window.phet.chipper.supportsAnyVoicing = () => {
+      return window.phet.chipper.queryParameters.supportsVoicing ||
+             window.phet.chipper.queryParameters.supportsTier1Voicing;
+    };
+
     // Add a log function that displays messages to the console. Examples:
     // phet.log && phet.log( 'You win!' );
     // phet.log && phet.log( 'You lose', { color: 'red' } );
@@ -1261,6 +1279,7 @@
     const simFeaturesSchema = {
       supportsInteractiveDescription: { type: 'boolean' },
       supportsVoicing: { type: 'boolean' },
+      supportsTier1Voicing: { type: 'boolean' },
       supportsInteractiveHighlights: { type: 'boolean' },
       supportsDescriptionPlugin: { type: 'boolean' },
       supportsSound: { type: 'boolean' },