Accessible computing and free screen reader

I've been away for a while for a couple of reasons.  One is becuase in one of those moments where I forgot I can't see properly, I accidentally spilt a drink over my laptop.  The second is because my vision had taken a downturn and am now having to use a screen reader to help me use my computer.

Screen readers are programs that use sound and a synthetic voice to read out what the computer is displaying and what the user is typing in and inputting into the computer, navigating around the screen with keyboard commands, allowing blind and VI people access to computers in a non-visual way.

Screen readers can be very expensive.  The market leader, JAWS, is around £800.  But I've been using a free screen reader called NVDA (Non Visual Desktop Access).  It has most of the features of the main paid for programs with the advantage of also being able to use the mouse, reading out to you what is below the cursor.  NVDA is an "open sourse" program, meaning that the code the program is written in is in the public domain and anybody can add to it and change the programming, so new features are being adding all the time, as programmers develop it.  Currently it is only available for computers rinning the Windows operating system.

Another advantage with NVDA is that there is a version which can be downloaded onto a USB pen drive/memory stick which can then be plugged into any computer rinning Windows and make the screen reader available without having to install it on that computer.  It can also work with Braille input/output devices.

Click here to visit the NVDA page and download to your computer or memory stick.


Making your computer and the web available to the disabled:

As well as screen readers there are a number of features to help make computer more accesible for blind, visually impaired, deaf or people who have difficulty reading.  By changing the size of text, the colours and contast of pages, using voice or magnification, computers should not be out of bounds for blind users.

Newer versions of Windows, Mac and Linex operating systems have these featues built in and the BBC have an excellent guide to setting them up on their "My Web My Way" pages (click here).  I can't improve on the exhaustive content, so head over there if you're struggling with accessing things on your computer or just need things to help life a little easier.

Blind Football League

Congratulations to Worcester for winning the Blind Football League yesterdau.  A special mention must be given to the Hereford team who came second despite missing one of theit tournaments.

The GB Blind football squad can still be seen taking on ex-pro footballers on the Channel 4 programme  "That Paralympics Show", available on 4OD online by clicking here.