After braille, no invention has enabled blind and visually impaired people to communicate as effectively as the assistive technologies that make computers and the Internet accessible. Digital technology has also given those that are blind ever-expanding opportunities for personal and professional growth.
To make such a highly visual environment accessible to those unable to see a computer monitor, assistive technology must do two things:
- Learn NVDA: A Free Screen Reader for Windows. The mission of the American Foundation for the Blind is to create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired. We mobilize leaders, advance understanding, and champion impactful policies and practices using research and data.
- Lunar - Lunar is the world's leading screen magnification program for visually impaired computer users. It has a number of advanced features to help you manage the enlarged screen more efficiently. It has a number of advanced features to help you manage the enlarged screen more efficiently.
- Enable users to read all onscreen content, whether emails, spreadsheet columns, application toolbars, or photo captions
- Provide a means to navigate one's keyboard and desktop, open and use programs, and browse the web
The two technologies that make this possible are screen access- and magnification software programs.
This is a quick overview of the Zoom magnification utility and the VoiceOver Screen Reading utility that are built into the Macintosh. This is the kind of thing that a user who has low vision.
Screen Access Software
Screen readers give voice to computers through applications that synthesize written words and keyboard commands into human-sounding speech of the sort you might hear on an automated phone and voicemail systems.
The most popular screen access program is JAWS for Windows, developed by Freedom Scientific, which supports all Microsoft and IBM Lotus Symphony applications.
JAWS reads aloud what's onscreen, beginning the with installation instructions, and provides key command equivalents to mouse functions so blind computer users can launch programs, navigate their desktop, read documents, and surf the web using just their keyboard.
Book Reader For Visually Impaired
For example, rather than double-clicking on the browser icon, a blind person might press in succession:
- 'Windows' key to reach the Start menu
- 'P' to access their program list
- 'I' for all applications beginning with 'I'
- 'Down arrow' to scroll through the list
- 'Enter' once they hear 'Internet Explorer.'
It sounds painstaking, but screen readers speed navigation by providing shortcuts and audible cues. For example, the arrow keys enable users to quickly cycle through desktop items or section headings on a website. Pressing Insert + F7 displays a list of all links on that page. On Google, or on any site with forms, JAWS sounds to indicate the cursor is in the search box or has advanced to the next text field.
In addition to converting text to speech, another crucial function JAWS and similar programs provide is output in braille. This function enables braille readers to view documents on refreshable braille displays or download them onto popular portable devices such as BrailleNote.
The main drawback with screen readers is the price. The American Foundation for the Blind notes that prices can range up to $1,200. One can, however, download free Windows accessibility software, or purchase an all-in-one PC accessibility solution such as CDesk.
Serotek offers System Access to Go, a free, web-resident version of its flagship screen reader. After creating an account, users can make any computer connected to the Internet accessible by simply logging in and pressing Enter.
Screen Magnification Software
Screen magnification programs enable visually impaired computer users to enlarge and/or clarify what's displayed on their monitor. In most programs, users can zoom in and out with a keyboard command or flick of the mouse wheel.
HumanWare's ZoomText Magnifier, one of the most popular products, magnifies screen contents from 1x to 36x while maintaining image integrity. Users can zoom in and out at any time with a turn of the mouse wheel.
ZoomText provides controls so users can adjust:
- Color, contrast, and brightness
- Letter thickness and spacing
- Size of the often-lost cursor and mouse pointer.
ZoomText users wishing to use two open applications at the same time can magnify portions of the screen by opening one of eight 'Zoom' windows. An enlarged viewing area can also be expanded onto two adjacent monitors.
Magnifying Readers For Visually Impaired
The degree of vision loss usually determines which solution a blind person uses. People with no or severely limited vision use screen readers. Those with sufficient vision to read print use magnification programs.
Apple Integrates Speech and Magnification
Computer Screens For Visually Impaired
Not long ago, all the assistive computer technology for the blind was PC-based. No longer.
Sony Reader For Mac
Apple has built both screen reading and magnification into its Mac OS X operating system used in the latest versions of its iPad, iPhone, and iPod. The screen reader is called VoiceOver; the magnification program is called Zoom.
VoiceOver 3 includes a standard set of hand gestures that can be used to navigate among different windows, menus, and applications. It can also integrate more than 40 popular braille displays via Bluetooth.
Zoom is activated using keyboard commands, onscreen buttons, and via mouse or trackpad and can magnify text, graphics, and motion video up to 40 times without loss of resolution.
The Need for Training
No matter which technology one chooses, a blind person should expect to buy a computer and screen reader and learn via some sort of training. The sheer number of commands within JAWS constitutes a new language. You could figure out a few things but likely wouldn't get as far as you would with some formal training.
Training sources include:
- Webinars on manufacturer sites and institutions such as the Hadley School for the Blind
- Training materials in accessible formats from companies such as Handy Tech North America in Columbia Heights, Minnesota
- Post-assessment programs through a vocational rehabilitation agency or hospital
- Phone tutorials and talk-throughs from experts such as Roger Cusson of Seeing Hands Enterprises, Lewiston, Maine
- Local continuing education courses and computer user groups.
Training and product prices vary. One should contact state agencies, including vocational rehabilitation, commissions for the blind, and special education departments to explore assistive technology funding options.
Screen readers are a form of assistive technology.
Current screen readers[edit]
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRLTTY | The BRLTTY Team | *nix, Windows console, DOS, Android | Free and open source (GPL2) | Available to download; part of most Linux distributions |
| ChromeVox | Chrome OS or, with a speech processor, Linux, Mac, Windows | Free | ChromeVox is a screen reader for Chrome and Chrome OS. | |
| COBRA | BAUM Retec | Windows | Commercial | Supports Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) and the Java Access Bridge. |
| Edbrowse | Karl Dahlke | *nix console | Free and open source | Makes a complete audio desktop, including web access with JavaScript support. |
| Emacspeak | T. V. Raman | Emacs (on *nix) | Free and open source | Turns Emacs into a 'complete audio desktop'. |
| iZoom | Issist | Windows | Commercial | Screen magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. Includes support for Mozilla Firefox. |
| JAWS | Freedom Scientific | Windows and DOS | Commercial for Windows; freeware for DOS | Includes support for MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF. |
| Lingspeak | Lingit | Windows | Commercial | A visual screen reader, which highlights the object and text being read. Supports MSAA, Java Access Bridge (OpenOffice), per line reading from Win32 classes 'Edit'(Notepad) and 'RichEdit'(Wordpad), MS Word. UIA and IAccessible2 is being worked on. One-month trial version available. |
| MAGic | Freedom Scientific | Windows | Commercial | Speech magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. It can be used together with JAWS. |
| Metalmouth | Evaluera Ltd. | All that run Chrome browser | Free and open source (Apache 2.0) | metalmouth is a simplified open source screen-reader application which can be used to read out any HTML5 web pages and interact with most HTML5 input controls. It also supports multi-tab navigation. |
| Microsoft Narrator | Microsoft | Windows | Commercial | Bundled with recent versions of Windows, this basic screen reader makes use of MSAA. |
| Microsurf | Microsurf | All that run Chrome browser | Free | Microsurf is a screen reader for Chrome |
| NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) | NonVisual Desktop Access project | Windows | Free and open source (GPL2) | Programmed and scriptable in Python. Supports Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Word, Excel and Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird. Supports web content using JavaScript. Supports Java Access Bridge. IAccessible2 is supported. |
| Orca | GNOME | *nix | Free and open source ( LGPL 2.1) | The development of Orca was started by Sun Microsystems as part of the GNOME project with contributions from many community members, but since Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010, Orca turned into a completely community-driven project. It supports AT-SPI, so it works with the GNOME desktop, Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird, OpenOffice/LibreOffice and GTK+, KDE/Qt and Java Swing/SWT applications. Though it is developed by the GNOME project, it is the most popular screen reader for Unix like systems with graphical environments other than GNOME, like KDE or Unity. |
| PC-Talker | Kochi System Development | Windows | Commercial | Japanese screen reader. Supports MSAA and Flash[1] |
| PCVoz | EzHermatic | Windows | Commercial | Available to buy or download trial. Supports MSAA. |
| ScreenReader (formerly Supernova) | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows | Commercial | Includes a screen magnifier and output to Braille devices. 30 day Free Trial available for download. Supports MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF. |
| Simply Talker | EcoNet International | Windows | Commercial | Trial download available. |
| SpeakEasy Media System | NDU | Windows | Commercial | Specialized suite of vocalized programs designed for ease of use |
| SUSE-Blinux | Novell | Linux | Free and open source | |
| System Access | Serotek | Windows | Commercial | Trial download available. Supports Microsoft Internet Explorer (including DHTML/Ajax and Flash), Outlook Express, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype, and Adobe Reader. No support for Java yet. |
| TalkBack[2] | Android 1.6+ | Open Source | Use with SoundBack and kickback | |
| TalkButton[3] | Upward Spiral Software | Mac | Commercial | TalkButton works together with Microsoft Word to create an extensive text-to-speech environment. Features include highlighting of spoken text and keyboard echo. Trial version available. |
| Text to Speech[4] | SpeakComputers.com | Windows | Freeware |
|
| Thunder ScreenReader | Sensory Software | Windows | Freeware | Last update 2015[5]. Supports MSAA. |
| Virtual Vision | MicroPower | Windows | Commercial | Brazilian screen reader. Supports MSAA. |
| VoiceOver | Apple Inc. | Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, and Apple TV | Free, Commercial | Free and included with any Apple product. No installation or setup required. Available in over 30 language voices, which are also included for free. See Apple Accessibility [6] for more information. |
| WebAnywhere | University of Washington | Web | Free and Open Source (new BSD) | Doesn't require any software installation to run so can be used at any public terminal that has sound available - works on any platform. |
| WinZoom | Clarity | Windows | Commercial | Screen reader with magnifier. USB version does not require any installation and can be used on any public computer. |
| Screen Access for All | National Association for the Blind, New Delhi | Windows | Open source | Last update: 2004 |
| ZoomText | Ai Squared | Windows | Commercial | Includes a screen magnifier. Trial download available. |
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
Unfinished Screenreader Projects[edit]
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screenful | Screenful Team | Windows | Open source | Concept is done. Due to problems finding skilled developers, the project is idling |
| The Longhorn Screen Reader Project | OSSRP Team | Windows Vista | Open source | Concept ideas have been made. Latest news said that the project had not succeeded. Whether or not they will continue or let it die is not known at the moment. |
| Apple Pie Project | Simnix Software | Windows Phone 7 & 8 | Open source https://web.archive.org/web/20100109011430/http://applepie.codeplex.com/ | To help blind and partially sighted people to use a Windows Phone. |
Discontinued and/or obsoleted screen readers[edit]
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95Reader | SSCT | Windows | Commercial | Japanese screen reader; latest version (ver. 6.0, release date unknown) has specific support for Internet Explorer 6 and Macromedia Flash 6 [7], so seems obsolete and its availability seems unlikel |
| ASAP (Automatic Screen Access Program)[8] | MicroTalk | Dos | Commercial | |
| ASAW (Automatic Screen Access for Windows)[9] | MicroTalk | Windows | Commercial | |
| Blindows | BAUM Retec (formerly Audiodata) | Windows | Commercial | Substituted by COBRA |
| DRACULA family | Eurobraille | Windows | Commercial | |
| Enable Reader Professional Speech System | Enable Talking Software | DOS | Uncertain | |
| Enhanced PC Talking Program | Computer Conversations | DOS | Uncertain | |
| Fire Vox | Charles L. Chen | All that ran Firefox browser up to version 3.6 | Free and open source | For browsing with Firefox only (plugin), is not compatible with Firefox 3.6 or newer, that made it obsolete long ago |
| Gnopernicus | GNOME | *nix | Free and open source (LGPL 2) | It was developed by BAUM Engineering, a partner company of Baum Retec AG. Used to be bundled with GNOME, but it was replaced by Orca in GNOME 2.16. Included a screen magnifier. It supported AT-SPI. |
| HAL | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows, DOS | Commercial | Windows version was superseded by Supernova (later renamed to ScreenReader) |
| HT Reader | HT Visual | Windows | Commercial | Included support for MSAA and PDF. Disappeared from the price list of HT Visual [10], absolutely no other sign of it being available |
| Leitor de Telas | MC / CPqD | Windows | Free | Brazilian Portuguese screen reader. MSAA support. Latest info about it is from December 2007 [11] |
| Linux Screen Reader (LSR) | GNOME | *nix | Free and open source (New BSD License) | It was an alternative screen reader to Orca led by IBM started in 2006. However, it was ceased in 2007 when IBM focused their resources in other projects.[12] It supported AT-SPI. |
| LookOUT | Choice Technology | Windows | Commercial | Was also available integrated with a screen magnifier. Last mention of it is from 2003. [13] |
| Mobile Speak | Code Factory | Symbian OS, Windows Mobile | Commercial | Full-fledged screen readers and Braille interfaces that let you access your mobile phone. One-month trial version available. The discontinuation of Simbian in 2013 and of Windows Mobile in 2010 made it obsolete. |
| Model T Reader | Dolphin Computer Access | DOS | Freeware | |
| Pocket Hal | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows Mobile PDA and PDA Phones | Commercial | |
| PROVOX | Kansys, Inc. | DOS | Uncertain | |
| Screen Reader | Research Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped (RCEVH) | BBC Micro and NEC portable | ||
| Screen Reader/2 | IBM | OS/2 | Commercial | |
| Smart Hal | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows Mobile and WM Smartphone | Commercial | |
| Soft Vert | TeleSensory Systems | DOS | Commercial | |
| Talks & Zooms [14] | Nuance Communications | Symbian OS Series 60 3rd and 5th Ed and Simbian^3 | Commercial | Presentation and free Trial Version to be found on the site. The discontinuation of Simbian OS in 2013 made this obsolete. |
| TeleTender | TeleTender.org | All Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, Windows, Android etc.. | Free | TeleTender is a voice communication platform for sight impaired people, embedded with a cloud based screen reader. Users can interact with any web pages on the internet by issuing voice commands over the phone. To use it, just dial one of its access numbers. |
| Tinytalk | OMS Development | DOS and perhaps Windows | Shareware | |
| Virgo | BAUM Retec AG | Windows | Commercial | Substituted by COBRA. |
| Window Bridge | Syntha-voice Computers (now out of business) | Windows | Commercial | |
| Window-Eyes | GW Micro (merged with AI Squared in 2014, [15] acquired by VFO Group, later Vispero, in 2016[16]) | Windows | Commercial | As of 2017, no longer available for sale. |
| WinVision | Artic Technologies | Windows | Commercial | Not officially discontinued, but there has been no further release since 1997. |
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
Software aids for people with reading difficulties[edit]
- Automatik Text Reader from Davide Baldini (Firefox extension)
- BrowseAloud from Texthelp Systems Inc
- Capture Assistant from Renovation Software
- ClaroRead from Claro Software
- Claro ScreenRuler Suite from Claro Software
- ClickHear[17] from gh LLC
- ClickHear Mobile[18] from gh LLC
- ClipSpeak[19] (last update: 2009) from Daniel Innala Ahlmark
- EasyTutor from Dolphin Computer Access
- EnVision: basic multi-featured Windows accessibility tool
- Kurzweil 1000 (for the visually impaired) and Kurzweil 3000-firefly (for those with reading or writing difficulty) from Kurzweil Educational Systems
- Penfriend from Penfriend Ltd
- Proloquo from AssistiveWare
- ReadHear[20] from gh LLC
- ReadSpeaker from ReadSpeaker Holding B.V.
- Read & Write from TextHelp Systems
- ReadPlease from ReadPlease Corporation [21]
- Read:OutLoud from Don Johnston, Inc.
- Screen Reader from SourceBinary.com (no longer available, latest trial version can be obtained from other download sites)
- SodelsCot[22] from Sodels Factory
- TextAloud from NextUp.com
- Ultra Hal TTS Reader from Zabaware, Inc.
- VoiceText from Neospeech, Inc.
- yRead from Spacejock Software
References[edit]
Nvda Screen Reader For Mac
- ^Bob Regan, Best Practices for Accessible Flash Design (PDF)Archived 2007-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^TalkBack: An Open Source Screenreader For Android
- ^Talkbutton.net
- ^Speakcomputers.com
- ^https://www.webbie.org.uk/blog/end-of-the-thunder-screenreader/
- ^Apple Accessibility
- ^95Reader ver 6.0 product information page (in Japanese)
- ^Wael Zakareya
- ^Kenneth Frasse, GUI Access: A Comparison of Screen-Readers (Part I), Access Review (Summer 1997)
- ^HT Visual price list (in Czech)
- ^Leitor de telas has become freely downloadable from the homepage of the Ministry for Communication of Brasil (in Portuguese)
- ^'Status of IBM a11y'. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^Lookout screen reader information page
- ^Talks & Zooms product homepage
- ^'Ai Squared And GW Micro Merge Forces'. Retrieved Apr 16, 2019.
- ^'Breaking: VFO Group, owners of Freedom Scientific and Optelec, Acquires AI Squared'. Retrieved Apr 16, 2019.
- ^ClickHear
- ^ClickHear Mobile
- ^Clipspeak.codeplex.com
- ^ReadHear
- ^Ross, Ian (1 May 2004). 'Software developer builds on artificial intelligence'. Northern Ontario Business. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018 – via Highbeam.Cite uses deprecated parameter
|dead-url=(help) - ^Sodels.com