BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Screen Reader: Screen Reader
is software
application reads aloud information displayed on a computer monitor screen. The
screen reader reads aloud text within a document, and it also reads aloud
information within dialog boxes and error messages. Screen Readers also read
aloud and menu selections, graphical icons on the desktop. Recent upgrades are
much better reading aloud information on the World Wide Web.
Screen Magnification: Screen Magnifier is
software enlarges the viewing area of a computer monitor display. Magnification
levels are measured in power levels. Such has 2x (2 power), and can go as high a
level as 16x magnification.
There are software applications that have features that include screen
magnification, screen reader, and text reader.
Finally, there are applications that use a flatbed scanner and software called
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for inputting printed (hard copy) information
into the computer to be read aloud and/or magnified using the above mentioned
software applications.
NOTE: Text Reader applications (text-to-speech) should not
be confused with screen readers. Text readers primarily read aloud text as it is
keyboarded, and reads aloud text within documents such as e-mails, word
processing documents, and other electronic text format. These type of software
applications are more likely to be used by people with learning disabilities,
people with poor reading abilities, and ESL (English as Second Language).