Screen Reader

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 Assistive technology is a piece of technology that has been created to serve a specific purpose. 

In this post we will be discussing screen readers, these help people who are blind or have low vision to know what is displayed on the screen of their device. 

All screen readers are built slightly differently but serve the same purpose. 


There are 2 main types of screen readers. Ones that are built into devices and those that are built into external software. 

Built in screen readers include: VoiceOver on Apple, Talkback on Samsung, Narrator on Windows and ChromeVox on Google. External software that have screen readers include: Jaws, ZoomText (created by Freedom Scientific), and SuperNova (made by Dolphin Computer Access). 

Now, screen readers on external software usually come paired with magnification tools as this means that only one licence is required even if vision loss progresses. The licences on external screen reader software do expire so need renewing every couple of years. 


The first screen reader to be developed was the IBM Screen Reader in 1986 which was developed by Jim Thatcher. He did not trademark (™) this as it was developed specifically to aid IBM employees. Originally Jim Thatcher created the screen reader to read text-based DOS operating system but he later adapted it for use on graphical interfaces such as Windows 95 and IBM OS/2. 


The first mobile device to come with a built-in screen reader was the iPhone 3GS, which was released in June 2009. Before this screen readers were primarily available as separate software for computers or on specialised devices. Although screen readers such as Jaws and Narrator has been around for some time, the introduction of VoiceOver to Apple devices paved the way for other tech companies to introduce built-in screen readers on their devices. 



How to turn on screen readers 

Built in screen readers 

To access a built in screen reader on your device, you will need to… 

  1. Navigate to settings
  2. Find the accessibility menu 
  3. Navigate to the ‘vision’ section within the accessibility menu
  4. Select the name of the screen reader associated with the device that you are using 
  5. Toggle the switch for the screen reader

On some devices there is the option  of a shortcut for accessing the screen reader but this varies depending what device you are using. 


External screen readers 

To access an external screen reader on your device, you will need to… 

  1. Purchase a licence for the software you wish to use 
  2. Download the software onto a device that can run the software 
  3. Use the licence code that can be found in either emails or on a card for the software that you purchased
  4. Set up the software the way that you want it 

Some external softwares have the option to disable the voice and use magnification for the people whose vision fluctuates day to day. 


5 interesting facts about screen readers 

  1. Screen readers don’t actually read the text visually from the screen. It reads the coding and pulls the information out manually. 
  2. Screen readers can be used in braille too. Some users pair them with regrettable braille displays. This converts the information that would would otherwise be spoken into text, like subtitles. This is especially helpful for people who are both blind and deaf. 
  3. Poorly coded websites can lock out users completely. Things like missing labels or form fields, unlabelled buttons or mouse-only navigation can result in screen reader users not being able to complete basic tasks like submitting a form or clicking a menu. 
  4. Some people who use screen readers still have vision. Screen readers aren’t just for people who are totally blind. Many low vision users or people with processing issues also benefit from the auditory feedback. Most screen readers don’t actually listen at a ‘normal’ speed, they usually listen at around 300-500 wpm. It sounds fast forwarded to most people but rained ears can follow it easily. 
  5. Screen readers are used for more than just reading websites. They also help users: Read and write emails, Use social media, Play games and Access documents, spreadsheets, and PDFs. Basically, they’re a full-access toolkit, not just a text-to-speech reader.

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