The importance of screen readers

The importance of screen readers

Currently, Thailand according to information from the Department of Promotion and Development of the Quality of Life of Persons with Disabilities. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security found that at present there are more than 200,000 people with visual impairments in Thailand, divided into 191,020 people with visual disabilities, or 9.20% of all disabled people. and blindness (not being able to see at all) numbered 17,000 people. And in this modern era, there is a technology that helps facilitate the disabled. One of those is a screen reader.

A screen reader is a software that helps people who are visually or visually impaired use a computer without relying on their vision. Screen readers read text, icons, and symbols on the screen to the user. or display information on a braille display. Screen readers allow users to easily access the computer's content, menus, and settings.

Screen readers are important in making technology accessible to those who cannot see or have low vision. without needing help from others Screen readers enable users to perform activities such as browsing the web, sending email, writing documents, studying, and working independently.

Some screen readers also have special features, such as color correction, to help users with low vision adjust the colors on the screen to their liking. They are using Immersive Reader To help users listen to messages that appear on the web conveniently. and they are using grammar tools To help users to check for grammar-related errors correctly.

Commonly used screen readers

The narrator is the screen reader included with Windows 10 and Windows 11. It works with Microsoft 365 apps and supports Windows apps.

-JAWS is a screen reader available for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11. It is compatible with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Office, Adobe Reader, Skype, Zoom, and supported Windows apps

-NVDA is a screen reader available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11. It can be used with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Office, and Adobe. Reader, Skype, Zoom, VLC Media Player, Foxit Reader, Acrobat Reader, and other supported Windows apps