This downloadable and complete screen reader can be used even outside your browser, thus making it one of the quickest ways of getting a screen reader up and running on your system. This free and open source screen reader has a synthetic voice that reads whatever the cursor hovers over, and can be used directly from a USB stick, making it ideal for students. NVDA has been designed by a blind software engineering graduate, James Teh, for use with Windows computers. The following is a list of free screen readers that one can download: Luckily for them, there are several screen reading software that are completely free. Many people could not afford the expensive price tag associated with some of the more sophisticated screen readers. Free Software Makes ‘Universal’ Access a Reality But while screen-reading software can be affordable, such hardware is usually very expensive. Such screen readers make use of crystals that can expand when exposed to particular voltage levels (thanks to a phenomenon known as the Piezo Effect), allowing visually impaired users to use their fingers to read the text that is displayed on screen. Whilst most screen readers work by having a synthetic voice that reads text aloud, others can also communicate data via a refreshable braille display. While the most basic screen readers will not help blind users navigate a computer, those with additional features can give people with visual impairment much more independence.

Simply put, a screen reader transmits whatever text is displayed on the computer screen into a form that a visually impaired user can process (usually tactile, auditory or a combination of both). Essential Software: A Screen ReaderĪ screen reader is an essential piece of software for a blind or visually impaired person. Now a range of software is available that can help to make using a computer an easier, more enjoyable and more productive experience for blind or visually impaired users.įor in-depth insights on accessibility, we recommend the online course on Accessibility at the Interaction Design Foundation. Just close your eyes and you will instantly experience that even processing text is impossible – or impossible without additional software at least.

It is not difficult for a sighted person to imagine how being blind or visually impaired could make using a computer difficult.

Windows accessibility screen reader