Practical AT session 2
WP4-D4.2.
Reading through Screen Readers and Magnifiers
Prepared by: Shams Eldin Mohamed
Ahmed Hassan
Agenda
• Screen Readers
• How Screen Readers Read Content
• JAWS Screen Reader and other types
• Screen Magnification Systems
• Zoom Text 10.1 magnifier
Screen Readers
• A screen reader is an ICT application that attempts to
identify and interpret what is being displayed on the
computer screen. This interpretation is then represented
to the user with text--‐to--‐speech, sound icons, or a braille output.
• Screen readers are audio interfaces. Rather than displaying web
content visually for users in a "window" or screen on the monitor,
screen readers convert text into synthesized speech so that users can
listen to the content.
• http://webaim.org/articles/
How Screen Readers Read Content
1. Screen readers pause for periods, semi-colons, commas, question
marks, and explanation points.
2. Screen readers generally pause at the end of paragraphs.
3. Screen readers try to pronounce acronyms and nonsensical words if
they have sufficient vowels/consonants to be pronounceable ;
otherwise, they spell out the letters. For example, NASA is
pronounced as a word, whereas NSF is pronounced as "N. S.
F." The acronym URL is pronounced "earl," even though most
humans say "U. R. L." The acronym SQL is not pronounced
"sequel" by screen readers even though some humans
pronounce it that way; screen readers say "S. Q. L."
How Screen Readers Read Content
• Screen reader users can pause if they didn't understand
a word, and go back to listen to it; they can even have the
screen reader read words letter by letter.
• Screen readers read letters out loud as you type them, but say "star" or
"asterisk" for password fields.
• Screen readers announce the page title (the <title> element in the HTML
markup) when first loading a web page.
• Screen readers will read the alternative text of images, if alt text is present.
JAWS precedes the alternative text with the word "graphic." If the image is
a link, JAWS precedes the alternative text with "graphic link."
How Screen Readers Read Content
• Screen readers ignore images without alternative text and say
nothing, but users can set their preferences to read the file name.
• If the image without alternative text is a link, screen readers will
generally read the link destination (the href attribute in the HTML
markup) or may read the image file name.
• JAWS says "same page link" if the link destination is on the same page
as the link itself and "visited link" for links that have been previously
accessed.
• Screen readers in table navigation mode inform the user how many
rows and columns are in a data table.
How Screen Readers Read Content
• Users can navigate in any direction from cell to cell in table navigation
mode. If the table is marked up correctly, the screen reader will read
the column and/or row heading as the user enters each new cell.
• Screen readers inform users when they have entered into a form.
Users have the option to enter form navigation mode.
• Screen readers with appropriate language settings can switch
languages on the fly if a page or part of a page is marked as a
different language.
How Screen Readers Read Content
• Most screen readers pronounce words correctly in almost every instance,
but occasionally they misinterpret the difference between homographs
(words that are spelled the same but which have different meanings and/or
pronunciation). For example, the word read can be pronounced "reed" or
"red," depending on the context: "I must read the newspaper " vs. "I have
read the newspaper." A sentence such as "I read the newspaper every day"
is actually ambiguous to all readers—humans and screen readers alike. It
could mean that the writer reads the newspaper every day or that the
writer used to read the newspaper every day. Depending on what the
writer meant to say, the wordread in that sentence could be pronounced
either "reed" or "red." The word content is another example: "I feel content
" (meaning happy, with the emphasis on the second syllable [con-TENT])
vs. "Skip to main content" (meaning the subject matter, with the emphasis
on the first syllable [CON-tent]).
JAWS Screen Reader
• JAWS can be used for accessing Windows and most Windows
applications
• NumLock is off.
• the most basic function of a screen reader is to read the content on
the page.There are dozens of keyboard shortcuts that allow you to
read content by line, sentence, word, character, etc.
JAWS Screen Reader
•
•
•
•
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Insert + ↓: Say All
Page Up/Page Down: Increase/Decrease voice rate while using Say All
Ctrl: Stop Reading
Insert + ↑: Current line
Insert + ←/→:Previous/next word
↑: Prior line
↓: Next line
←/→:
• Previous/Next character
• Rewind/Fast Forward during Say All
• F5 / Shift + F5 - Page refresh / Hard page refresh. If you get lost, this is how you can start
over.
JAWS Screen Reader
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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The following Quick Keys will help you navigate common page elements.
H: Headings
R: Landmarks (in JAWS versions before 15, use ;)
Q: Main content (JAWS 15+ only)
F: Forms
T: Tables
L: Lists
I: Items in a list
1-6: Headings level 1-6
Shift + Quick Key: Navigate through element in reverse order (works with most
Quick Keys)
Screen Readers Types
Product Name
BRLTTY
Product Description
Distributor Contact
Screen reading program that allows a blind person using a refreshable braille display to access the Linux/Unix console
(when in text mode). Drives the braille display and provides complete screen review functionality. Incorporates some dave@mielke.cc
speech capability.
CakeTalking
Software that provides a set of customized configurations for the JAWS for Windows screen reader that allows blind
musicians to use both basic and advanced features of Cakewalk SONAR, a music editing and recording program.
Includes extensive tutorials in the form of Word documents written for the JAWS user.
COBRA 10
COBRA is a screen reading software program that provides access to information on a computer for people who are
blind or visually impaired. There are 3 versions of COBRA to choose from: COBRA Zoom, which provides large print
magnification and speech output, COBRA Braille, which provides speech output and support for more than 70 braille
displays, and COBRA Pro, which includes everything.
Dolphin Pen
USB memory device that allows users to run Dolphin screen reading and screen magnification software on any
computer. Plugs into a USB port and installs software on the machine. Software is uninstalled when Dolphin Pen is
removed.
Hal (Professional)
Provides screen access for visually impaired computer users through speech and braille. Configuration files, known as
map files, are available for many applications. Works with a number of different synthesizers.
Hal (Standard)
Provides screen access for visually impaired computer users through speech and braille. Configuration files, known as
map files, are available for many applications. Works with a number of different synthesizers.
JAWS (Job Access with
Speech) for Windows
(Professional)
NVDA (Nonvisual
Desktop Access)
Converts text and components of the Windows operating system into synthesized speech, allowing for access to
Order JAWS (Job Access with Speech)
Windows-based computer systems. Includes configuration files to maximize its function in a wide variety of Windows for Windows (Professional) from The
applications.
Chicago Lighthouse Store
developers@nvda-project.org web
An open-source Windows screen reader. Uses the eSpeak speech synthesizer and SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 synthesizers.
site: http://www.nvda-project.org
The BAUM USA sales department can
be reached on our toll-free number.
The most widely used screen readers
• JAWS from Freedom Scientific
• Window-Eyes from GW Micro
• Dolphin Supernova by Dolphin
• System Access from Serotek
• ZoomText Magnifier/Reader from AiSquared
• The opensource screen reader NVDA is gaining popularity.
Screen Magnification Systems
• A screen magnification system enlarges text
and graphics on a computer screen.
• It is loaded into the computer’s memory and functions similarly to a
magnifying glass moving over a page, following the cursor, and
magnifying the area around it.
• The Windows 98 and higher operating systems offer a screen
magnification program called Magnifier as part of the Windows
Accessibility options.
ZoomText 10.1
• ZoomText is the world's leading magnification and screen reading software for the visually impaired and
helps countless individuals across the globe stay employed and in touch with the world.
• ZoomText 10.1 contains the following new features
• Support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1
• Support for Microsoft Office 2013
• Support for Internet Explorer 10 and 11
• Improved Support for Videos and Games
• Support for Touch Screen Devices
• Additional Levels of Magnification
• Improved Tracking and Program Echo
• Smooth Mouse Pointers
• Color Enhancement Transition Effects
Thank You