RNIB - See differently



Screen Reading software

What is a screen reader?

A screen reader is a software application that helps those with sight loss to use a computer. Screen readers work closely with the computer’s Operating System (OS) to provide information about icons, menus, dialogue boxes, files and folders. A screen reader provides access to the entire OS that it works with, including many common applications. There are three ways that a screen reader can provide feedback to you:

Speech, via the computer's sound card

Braille, via a refreshable braille display

Both of the above, in conjunction with each other

This document is designed to provide information on the most popular screen reading software applications that are free to download, built into the operating system or that require a paid for licence.

Free software

NVDA (Non Visual Desktop Access)

NVDA is a free to download open source screen reader designed to run on the Windows operating system, which provides speech feedback of text that is either displayed or focused on the computer.

What is NVDA and who is it for?

This screen reader will enable you to use computers by reading the text via a sound card on the screen in a computerised voice. You can control what is read by moving the cursor to the relevant area of text with a mouse, the arrows or the tab key on a keyboard.

NVDA can also convert and output information via a Braille display. This software can be used at home, at work and in education establishments. Aside from the speech engine built into NVDA this screen reader can be run with eloquence or vocaliser voices depending on the preference of the user. Details of additional voices and add-on downloads can be acquired from

What does NVDA do and how does it do it?

NVDA converts the text that is displayed or focused on a computer and converts it to speech or Braille. NVDA speaks through your computer’s sound card, and works in most popular computer applications such as Internet Explorer, Windows Live Mail, Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and many third party applications on the computer.

NVDA has a multilingual speech engine which can recognise and read up to 43 different languages, which is being updated all the time.

Benefits of using NVDA

NVDA allows you to independently use the computer to perform different tasks. You can browse the web, send and receive emails, create documents, spreadsheets and presentations, use multimedia, communicate using various popular platforms and freely access work or study materials whenever required. The biggest benefit is that this screen reading software is free!

Demonstrations, downloads and licensing

As NVDA is free, there is no demonstration or licences available. NVDA can be downloaded and installed on a computer running Windows and used with no limitations right away. If you move from one computer to another frequently, a portable copy with all your settings and configurations can be created and placed on a USB memory stick which can be used on any Windows based computer.

The full program can be downloaded from

download/

Details of NVDA system requirements can be found at

about/nvda-features/

Windows Narrator

When you buy a Windows machine, it will come with a basic screen reader called Narrator which is designed to read text, describe some events and read aloud notifications whilst you use the computer.

Narrator is operated by using the keyboard. It will read items such as icons, menus and notification pop ups to alert you to different events to do with your computer. Although it is recommended that you use a specific screen reader for the best experience, Narrator is constantly being updated and developed constantly. It’s becoming compatible with the latest web browsers, email clients and office applications, which will make it act and perform like a full screen reader.

Narrator includes different languages and can be activated from the ease of access centre in Windows.

You can get further information on Narrator and how it can support you from

VoiceOver for Apple OS X

VoiceOver is an interactive screen reading tool which is already built into the Apple operating system (OS X) and is completely compatible with the various applications designed by Apple as well as third party developers.

What is VoiceOver and who is it for?

VoiceOver is designed for you if you use an Apple computer and your sight loss prevents you from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse or trackpad.

VoiceOver provides speech via a sound card which is preinstalled and braille output via a braille display. These can be used on applications developed by Apple themselves such as Pages, Numbers, Mail, Safari, KeyNote and many applications developed by third party developers. VoiceOver is unique because it’s not a standalone screen reader. It’s deeply integrated in OS X, so as developers update their apps to take advantage of the accessibility interfaces provided by Apple, their apps can start working with VoiceOver straightaway.

What does VoiceOver do and how does it do it?

VoiceOver is controlled exclusively by the keyboard or via gestures on a trackpad. VoiceOver speaks through the computer’s sound card, reading information and providing access to a wide range of information. Because VoiceOver is already included within the Apple operating system, there is no required installation. Set up is simple and available immediately from the set up screen, so you can configure your Apple computer just how you want it with complete independence.

The various keyboard commands and trackpad gestures allow you to navigate through the different items on the screen such as icons, buttons, headings, links, forms and edit fields. You are able to read content on web pages, emails and documents, make notes, enjoy social media, videos, audio and photos, produce presentations and carry out online banking or shopping.

VoiceOver uses keyboard short cuts and commands to perform different navigation techniques throughout the Mac OS environment and within various applications. A comprehensive list of the commonly used keyboard short cut commands can be found at voiceover/info/guide/

A trackpad can also be used for navigation within Mac OS. You can control VoiceOver using many of the same gestures that are used on iOS. You would touch the trackpad to hear a description of the item under your finger, drag to hear items continuously and flick to move to the next item. For a summary of the gestures used on a trackpad to control your Apple computer visit guides/voiceover-gestures-use-multi-touch-trackpad-mac-os-x

Features and Settings

With VoiceOver you can navigate through the computer and in various applications at a configuration of your choice, by choosing different settings within the VoiceOver rotor quickly and easily.

VoiceOver can be configured in all kinds of different ways to suit your needs and requirements depending on your situation. Settings include:

speed of the speech

feedback of letters, words or both

announcement of hints

volume settings

typing feedback

announcement of punctuation

choosing different language options

viewing links, headings, forms and other web page elements

choosing different voice profiles

choosing braille output.

In most screen reading software applications, you would have to go into the settings and change the values for specific applications. However with VoiceOver you can change the settings for a specific application directly within that application by using the VoiceOver rotor. Turning the rotor by rotating two fingers on the trackpad, as if you are turning an actual dial, gives you access to an array of commands without having to learn new gestures.

You can use the rotor to do things like browse a web page more quickly, or navigate a document to check spelling and grammar. When you are typing, the rotor can be turned to hear different settings like a word or character. You can then flick the trackpad to choose how to navigate text by word or character. Move through web pages with similar ease. The rotor lists common elements like headings, links and images, and lets you navigate just that element. The rotor can also be customised to include elements from a variety of options.

Benefits of using VoiceOver

VoiceOver enables you to independently use your Apple computer to perform different tasks just as a sighted user would be able to. A VoiceOver user can browse the web, send and receive emails, create documents, spread sheets, presentations, use multimedia and communicate using various popular platforms. You can freely access work or study materials whenever required.

VoiceOver is built into the Apple operating system which means it makes the computer completely accessible right out of the box and at no added cost to you!

Demonstrations, downloads and licensing

As VoiceOver is already included within an Apple computer system, there are no trial downloads, demonstrations or limitations that you need to be aware of. VoiceOver can be used immediately and independently when an Apple computer is taken out of the box.

Apple builds computers to house the preinstalled accessibility tools, their own applications and any third party software that you would want to use. This means that you need not worry about the hardware that your Apple computer includes.

The Apple Mac platform is just as accessible with a screen reader as a Windows based machine is. If you are transferring from a Mac to Windows or vice versa, there may be a learning curve involved as the two interfaces are different from each other. As a result, the keyboard commands used to navigate throughout the environment perform different tasks within applications.

Paid for software

JAWS for Windows

JAWS for Windows, more commonly referred to as just JAWS (Job Access with Speech or JFW), is made by Freedom Scientific. It replaces the need for a mouse or monitor display to operate the computer.

What is JAWS and who is it for?

JAWS is a screen reader running on multiple Windows operating systems, developed for those whose sight loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse. JAWS provides speech via a sound card, braille output through a braille display or both of the above outputs combined. These can be used for the most popular computer applications such as Internet Explorer, Windows Live Mail, Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and many third party applications on your computer. JAWS can also access applications that are not immediately accessible by using the inbuilt JAWS curser. JAWS is widely used at home, at work and in education.

What does JAWS do and how does it do it?

JAWS speaks through your computer’s sound card and outputs content in braille via a braille display, providing access to information. Set up is easy and with interactive talking installation so that sighted assistance is not required, you are able to get started right away.

JAWS includes two speech engines, a multilingual Eloquence speech synthesiser that can detect changes of languages on any document or webpage and a true to life human sounding voice called vocaliser.

The customisable braille output on a refreshable braille display can be used in addition to, or instead of, speech wherever required or preferred. JAWS can also be scripted by request with those applications that are not fully accessible.

JAWS has the ability to scan and read content from image and PDF documents using its built-in OCR feature, giving you access to materials that were previously inaccessible.

Features and Settings

JAWS can be configured in all kinds of different ways to suit your needs and requirements, depending on the situation. Settings include:

the speed of the speech

level of punctuation that is spoken

level of verbosity used

starting up JAWS either at the log on screen or once on the desktop

choosing different braille display output settings which can be done when JAWS starts for the first time or whenever required using the JAWS start up wizard.

Various settings can also be configured within JAWS via the setting centre.

JAWS uses keyboard short cuts adopted from Windows as well as its own commands to perform different navigation techniques throughout the Windows environment and within various applications. An up-to-date comprehensive list of the commonly used keyboard short cut commands can be found at



Benefits of using JAWS

JAWS enables you to independently use the computer to perform different tasks just as a sighted user would be able to. You can browse the web, send and receive emails, create documents, spread sheets and presentations, use multimedia, communicate using various popular platforms and freely access work or study materials whenever required.

Demonstrations, downloads and licensing

A fully functional demonstration version of JAWS which will run in 40 minute mode can be downloaded from

Downloads/JAWS

There are two different versions of JAWS that are determined at the purchasing stage. These are Home Use for use on personal computers primarily in the home and Professional for use on computers in employment, education, libraries and government establishments.

When downloading JAWS, you need to know if you are using a 32 bit or 64 bit computer as only the corresponding download will work. Information on the specification of your computer will be identified on the JAWS download page. Details of the JAWS system requirements can be found at

Downloads/JAWS/JAWS-System-Requirements

If you will be using multiple computers, you would benefit from having JAWS on a USB memory stick. This will allow you to install JAWS on multiple computers as a demonstration. When the memory stick is inserted, the demonstration is converted to a full licence. A licence can be acquired from our Online Shop.

Dolphin Screen Reader

Dolphin Screen Reader is a software package designed to run on the Windows platform, using the computer’s sound card to provide you with accurate, easy to understand speech feedback on what is either displayed or focused on the computer.

What is Dolphin screen reader and who is it for?

Dolphin screen reader is a software package which runs on the Windows operating system, developed for those whose sight loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse.

The Dolphin screen reader provides natural sounding voices via a sound card and braille output via a braille display. This can be used for the most popular computer applications such as Internet Explorer, Windows Live Mail, Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and many third party applications. You can easily discover what’s on screen using the keyboard with the Dolphin Cursor and Item Finder.

Dolphin screen reader is widely used at home, at work and in education.

What does Dolphin screen reader do and how does it do it?

Dolphin screen reader uses the computer sound card and a refreshable braille display to output information from the computer in speech and/or braille. The software features the high quality, human sounding Vocaliser Expressive text-to-speech synthesiser to read documents and apps out loud.

The voice preferences can be altered to suit you. Volume, speed verbosity and spelling speed can be finely tuned for all voices. You can configure Dolphin screen reader to create custom voices by adjusting pitch, roughness, breathiness, head size and gender. One voice can be used for all speaking or separate voices can be used to differentiate between edit areas, prompt dialogs, menus, Dolphin Cursor or reading entire documents.

The Dolphin screen reader software also has the ability to scan and read (OCR) any printed materials and inaccessible PDFs.

The full range of features, functions and adjustments, including keyboard short cut commands can be found at

product/features?pid=3

Features and Settings

Dolphin screen reader can be configured in all different ways to suit your needs and requirements, depending on the situation. Settings such as the speed of the speech, voice profiles, level of punctuation that is spoken, level of verbosity used, start up options and choosing different braille display output settings are available.

Dolphin screen reader uses keyboard short cuts adopted from Windows as well as its own commands to perform different navigation techniques throughout the Windows environment and within various applications. A comprehensive list of the commonly used keyboard short cut commands for different applications can be found at

Benefits of using Dolphin screen reader

Dolphin screen reader allows you to independently use the computer to perform different tasks just as a sighted user would be able to. You can browse the web, send and receive emails, create documents, spread sheets and presentations, use multimedia, communicate using various popular platforms and freely access work or study materials whenever required. If a scanner is connected to the computer, you can scan and read popular printed materials such as, letters, leaflets, menus, invoices and bills.

Demonstrations, downloads and licensing

A fully functioning version of Dolphin screen reader is available to download as a free 30 day trial to gage and understand the features and functions of the software with no obligation to buy. A trial with technical support can be downloaded from

product/try?id=3

Details of Dolphin screen reader can be found at



To buy a licence, visit our Online Shop.

Dolphin Guide

Dolphin Guide, referred to as just Guide in this document, is a program for you if you don’t have much computer experience or if you’re using a computer for the first time. Guide makes using a computer simple and easy.

What is Guide and who is it for?

If you have little to no computer experience and you want to read and manage your own email, use the internet, write documents and letters, listen to music and watch videos or read other printed materials, then Guide is for you!

Guide’s unique step-by-step menus are presented in high contrast colours selected by you with an easy to follow interface and easy to understand voice, which reads aloud the options every step of the way.

Guide uses numbers in order for it to be operated so if the number is known, you can press it to go to the option you want.

What does Guide do and how does it do it?

Guide uses the graphics and sound cards of the computer to give you an interface that is easy to see, read, navigate and listen to whilst also having an easy to understand voice output. You can zoom into the text and invert the colours to suit your personal preference. If you want, you can completely turn off the display on the computer and still use Guide by just listening to it.

Guide is controlled completely by number presses so once the home screen has been mastered, you have mastered the entire program. You can now easily perform all of the above tasks and much more completely independently.

Features and Settings

The speech of Guide can be configured so you can use either a male or female voice. You can also speed up or slow down the speech to suit you.

You can magnify the screen and zoom in for the detail, ensuring everything on the screen always remains crystal clear. A number of high contrast colour schemes can be chosen for the best experience and configuration.

Guide provides audible feedback for the day-to-day interactions that you may want, giving a quack sound if a spelling mistake is found, for example.

Guide can also be used with a touch screen desktop or laptop computer by using different gestures to perform various tasks such as stopping and starting speech, or magnifying the screen.

An extensive list of the Guide features and functions can be found at product/features?pid=5

Demonstrations, downloads and licensing

A fully functioning version of Dolphin Guide is available to download as a free 30 day trial to help you gage and understand the features and functions of the software with no obligation to buy.

A trial with technical support can be downloaded from

product/try?id=5

You can buy a licence from our Online Shop.

Details of Dolphin Guide system requirements can be found at



 

Further information

Technology for Life

For further information or details about specifications, choosing a screen reader, or if you have questions about what other assistive technology is out there to support you, contact our Technology for Life Team. Call 0303 123 9999 or email tfl@.uk

Online Shop

To purchase the licences mentioned in this factsheet, or items from our Online Shop, visit shop..uk

Helpline

Whether you want to know more about your eye condition, buy a product from our shop, join our library, find out about possible benefit entitlements, be put in touch with a trained counsellor, or make a general enquiry about living with sight loss, we’re only a call away.

Call 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@.uk. We are ready to answer your call Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm.

September 2017

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