Reading & Computers

Computer environments offer flexible reading options for blind students. Information on the computer screen -- software programs, Internet webpages, files from personal note takers or other sources -- can be read aloud with Screen Reader software. Refreshable Braille peripheral devices actively produce Braille translation of what appears on the screen.

Screen Readers

Screen reader software (sometimes called a "screen review" or "text-to-speech" program) works with the sound card to provide synthesized speech output to read what is presented on any screen when using the computer.

Most screen reader software allows the user to:

• Change the volume, pitch, and speed of the voice, as well as to stop the speech output,

• Set keyboard echo when typing to speak letters, words or both,

• Read and re-read information on the screen by character, word, line, screen, entire document, and sometimes by sentence and paragraph,

• Hear the current screen focus such as a drop down menu or dialog box,

• Control the amount of punctuation spoken,

• Add words to a phonetic dictionary to correct mispronunciations, and

• Connect a refreshable Braille device.

How do screen readers work?

Using a Screen reader with Web Pages

Talking Web Browsers

These programs interpret web pages by converting them directly into speech, without the need for a screen-reader. pwWebSpeak and IBM Home Page Reader are speech-based Internet Browsers designed for users who wish to access the Internet in a non-visual or combined auditory and visual ways. The speech tells you the name of hyperlinks and recognizes labeled images, paragraphs, section-headings, tables and forms. This is important because these visual constructs are very confusing for a screen-reader trying to make sense of a complex layout. Magnified displays of the webpage information is also available.

Both are available from Soundlinks. Home Page is also available at Amazon.com

Refreshable Braille Devices

Refreshable Braille allows the blind and the deaf-blind to read information that appears on the computer monitor. Refreshable Braille devices use moveable small pins that raise and lower as needed to form Braille characters. After a line of Braille is read, the user can press the advance bar above the display area to "refresh" the Braille in order to read additional lines. These computer display units instantly translate screen data into 6-dot or 8-dot refreshable Braille for those using many popular software screen readers, such as JAWS® for Windows®. These displays usually come in 20, 40, 65 or 80 Braille cells.

Examples

The Power Braille (Freedom Scientific)
Power Braille devices offer instant cursor routing and ergonomic controls; they come in 40, 65 and 80-cell models to accommodate individual needs of students

Braille Window (Humanware )
This refreshable Braille device that connects to a computer to display in Braille what is on the monitor. It includes 85 cells for more efficient reading.