In this edition of CBT, Brandon Cross shows new users of the NVDA screen reader how to navigate the basic elements of a web page. He describes the different ways one can move around, and demonstrates the feedback users can expect.
Search Results for: nvda
An Introduction To NVDA: Installing Add-ons
NVDA is a free alternative to screen readers like Jaws and Window-Eyes One of its features- in fact, the one I’ll be covering today- is extensibility. So, how is NVDA extensible? Through add-ons, which are packaged zip files with an .nvda extension that contain the necessary files to add or modify the functionality of NVDA. So, let’s discuss how to download and install add-ons, as well as how to manage them afterward.
90 Days with NVDA
Introduction
As a visually impaired Windows user, there’s quite a few options out there when it comes to screen reading software for you to choose from… JAWS, Window-Eyes and System Access might be the best known of the commercial screen readers on the market, while in the open-source space there’s one screen reader most visually impaired users have heard of… NVDA, or Non-Visual Desktop Access. While JAWS and it’s brethren are carefully designed, well tested and well supported by their respective creators, they also generally are a bit expensive, especially when factoring in the software maintenance agreements that keep these screen readers up to date. On the other hand, NVDA is a high-quality, open-source and most importantly, free screen reader that I’ve used exclusively for the last 90 days and would highly recommend to Windows users looking for an alternative to the commercial screen readers.
Installing NVDA
When it comes to installation, NVDA is quite straightforward to install, with an installation wizard that walks you through the process with speech, even if no other screen reader is installed on your system. Basically it’s agreeing to the license, clicking a few buttons and clicking Finish when it’s done. Dead simple… and you’re back to your normal routine.
Using NVDA
The experience with NVDA is a bit different than the commercial screen readers, as there’s no special display driver required to make things accessible. NVDA uses the built-in accessibility frameworks in Windows to provide the information it needs to provide spoken feedback of what’s on screen at the moment. What this means is that in some cases, applications that may not have been very accessible under the commercial screen readers might become accessible under NVDA. It’s not always perfect, but I’ve had some applications that I thought were inaccessible using a commercial screen reader become useful to various degrees under NVDA. Your mileage may vary, so don’t be afraid to test out the accessibility of your favorite application.
So, what works well with NVDA? Here’s a short list of applications I use that work quite well, and that you might find useful:
Google Chrome
Mozilla FireFox
Mozilla Thunderbird
Skype
Audacity
PuTTY
WinSCP
There’s more than just these applications, but these are applications I use, and have found to be quite accessible. Unfortunately, not all applications will work with NVDA, but it’s not due to something with NVDA itself, but the fact that whomever develops the inaccessible application didn’t use any of the accessibility frameworks that Windows or NVDA supports, thereby making the application difficult to use by the visually impaired. This isn’t a problem exclusive to NVDA, but it’s common enough to preclude visually impaired Windows users from using some Windows applications.
NVDA and Plug-Ins
Extensibility is a great thing when it comes to screen readers, and NVDA has a modular plug-in system that adds additional functionality to your NVDA installation. Yes, the commercial screen readers are extensible as well, but it’s a bit less intuitive to add extra functionality to them. With NVDA, it’s simple as downloading a prepackaged add-on, double click, and NVDA handles the rest, even offering to restart so the plug-ins you installed are ready to use. There’s everything from add-ons to enhance your favorite applications to speech synths for better sounding spoken feedback and beyond. It’s up to you which plug-ins you want installed, so go ahead and experiment… NVDA also offers an easy way to remove those pesky plug-ins that you don’t need anymore.
Conclusion
If I had to end this article in one sentence, it would be this: NVDA is a high-quality, free screen reader for the Windows platform worth installing. To expand on that, NV Access has done a quite good job with NVDA, and I strongly encourage you to try it out. participate in the community to make it better and donate if you can afford to do so. Happy accessible computing!
Penn State researchers develop new tool for blind or partially sighted computer programmers
The tool, called Grid Editor, serves as a modification to traditional code editors that programmers use to add lines of code when updating features and functions in software. Prior work has focused on making different parts of the coding process more accessible for blind and partially sighted users, such as reading or navigating code. Grid Editor is the first to place emphasis on code editing — an important step in making continuous updates to software, in which programmers edit and update existing code that was previously written by other programmers.
Carroll Center for the Blind Publishes New Guide to Zoom Meetings for Screen Reader Users
Getting Started With Zoom Meetings: A Guide for JAWS, NVDA, and iPhone VoiceOver Users is the first-ever, step-by-step text-based guide to Zoom Video Communications for screen reader users.
Thaumistry Text Adventure Game Now Accessible for Blind and Visually Impaired Players
The critically acclaimed text adventure Thaumistry: In Charm’s Way is now fully accessible for blind and visually impaired gamers.
Demystifying the codecs of Bluetooth, to get the wireless sound you want: a primer
It’s the holiday season, the time where most revolutionize their tech atmosphere with new devices sporting fresh batteries and some of the latest advancements to be had. Maybe you finally got that Android or Apple accessory, that shiny one you have held out for to have all year long. If it was a Bluetooth headphone of some kind, then you have come to the right article to read.
New Accessibility Software Available to University
The University of Arkansas is committed to making services accessible to every member of the campus community and maximizing the success of students with diverse abilities by providing campus wide access to new software applications such as Read&Write, EquatIO, NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) and Fusion. These powerful tools are now available to all students, faculty and staff at no individual charge.
grocer Makes Sure its Digital Platforms Are Fully Accessible to Blind Consumers
Peapod, the Chicago-based ecommerce grocer’s mobile app and website now comply with regulations under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), adopted into law in 1990 to ensure equal opportunities for all people with disabilities, in an effort to better serve customers with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed on May 11 that the retailer has fulfilled its commitment to making its consumer interfaces accessible to all consumers.
For assistance with the process, Peapod enlisted My Blind Spot, a company that helps organizations integrate inclusive digital design into their culture, processes and technical infrastructures.
April showers bring updates from the Redmond towers! Reviewing the Windows 10 April update
Introduction
With another year, comes another update. Having re-written this section of the review multiple times now feels just the same as the world felt when the April update slipped it’s April 10th release schedule date. Oh, that faithful Patch Tuesday, now come and gone. Nobody really knew what caused the update to slip a full 20 days, but it was most likely for the right reasons. Twice when installing the so called released build, 17133, my humble Lenovo Ultrabook machine randomly rebooted the update from the beginning – prompting me to retry each time. Something didn’t feel quite right.
You must be logged in to post a comment.