The use of screen readers is an essential skill for blind people in our modern world, but many people losing vision can be overwhelmed by the prospect of taking this on alone. There are even more still who don’t realize that much of the text they struggle to read on their computer, tablet or phone screens can be read aloud, allowing them to complete tasks with speed and ease. The Missoula chapter of the National Federation of the Blind would be happy to tutor anyone on the use of this essential piece of assistive technology free of charge.

Here are a few of the most commonly used screen readers.

Voice-Over for Mac/iOS

The Apple ecosystem is closed, meaning that no third-party screen readers are available. Luckly, both Mac computers and iOS devices, like iPhones and iPads have the robust Voice-Over screen reader built in. We would be happy to train anyone, from kids to aging adults, to use Voice-Over on their iPhone. We can also provide resources for those wishing to learn the intricacies of Voice-Over for the Mac computers or the differences between using it on an iPhone or iPad.

NVDA/JAWS

Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) and Job Access With Speech are both fully functional screen readers for the Windows operating systems. NVDA is a free and open source alternative to the subscription-based JAWS, but many believe they perform comperably. Our chapter has several strong proponents for NVDA, and have extensive experience in its use. If you’d like training in NVDA or more information how to get a subscription to JAWS, we’d be happy to connect.

TalkBack

TalkBack is the screen reader that comes natively with any Android device, like Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel phones. It functions similarly to Voice-Over on iOS, but has a few important differences in its operation. Again, we would be happy to train anyone with a TalkBack equipped device to use it efficiently, as well as provide some pointers on optimizing an Android phone or tablet for low-vision use.

ChromeVox

ChromeVox is the screen reader built-in on all ChromeBook devices. It’s unique and functions similarly to a cross between VoiceOver and NVDA/JAWS. While our membership doesn’t have extensive experience with this screen-reader, we’d be happy to help you get up and running.

Please send us an email at missoulachapter@nfbmt.org if you’d like to schedule a time to get some hands-on training with your device’s screen reader or magnifier. We can’t wait to help you gain more digital independence!