How does a blind person maintain their life? What is their perception of the world like? How do blind individuals use their phones and computers?
These are likely questions that many people wonder about. For example, how does a message we send reach a visually impaired person? How do visually impaired individuals engage in messaging?
Don't worry; in this article, we will discuss screen reader programs that provide answers to these questions. By the end, we'll have a better understanding of these questions and be more conscious and informed about visual impairment.
The way a visually impaired person perceives life is primarily through sound. Their focus is on auditory cues, making them more sensitive to sounds than sighted individuals. With the advancement of technology and applications, the world has become more compatible with the way blind individuals perceive life. In other words, a "sound-focused world" has started to be created. Screen reader applications for technological devices enable visually impaired individuals to use their devices with voice commands for both input and output. Now, let's ask some more questions to clarify our understanding.
What is a screen reader program? How do screen reader programs work?
Screen readers provide auditory feedback to visually impaired users about activities happening on the screen. For example, if there's a text document open on the screen with the word "example" written, the screen reader will audibly announce "example." Visually impaired users give various commands to the screen reader through the keyboard, allowing them to perform tasks more efficiently. While screen readers have their specific commands, visually impaired users can also perform many actions with universal keyboard shortcuts. For instance, navigating to the "Run" window on a computer can be done with the universal command of pressing the "Windows Key" and "R." Screen readers operate using the focus-method, meaning that the user hears what is currently under the cursor or focus. To move the cursor or focus around the screen, users can use keyboard arrow keys, the tab key, and other navigation keys.
Are the same screen readers used on all platforms, or do they vary based on different brands and devices?
Let's start with smartphones!
Based on the number of users, we can divide the phones into two according to their operating systems: IOS (iPhone) and Android. On the iPhone, the screen reader program is called "VoiceOver," while on Android, it's "TalkBack. Both screen readers offer numerous accessibility features specific to their respective operating systems.
On computers, JAWS and NVDA are widely used screen reader programs. These programs continually adapt to new technologies and updates. Computers, produced by Apple, come integrated with the VoiceOver screen reader.
Finally, let's talk about the convenience this technology provides to the visually impaired.
Before the development of screen readers, blind users couldn't use computers or had to rely on others for assistance. With screen readers, they gained independence and efficiency in using computers and smartphones. Shortcuts provided by screen readers allow users to perform tasks more easily and quickly. Furthermore, the development and integration of screen readers have made various aspects of life accessible to blind users, including online shopping, internet banking, educational materials, transportation, and social media platforms. Thanks to these accessible freedom technologies, blind individuals can use technology freely and be a part of life, just like everyone else.
Author: Beyza Koyuncular - Kadir Ahıska / BlindLook Team
