Dolphin Easy Reader Helps Disadvantages Become Advantages

Technology, especially assistive technology, has assisted lots of people with disability get over their disadvantages as well as keeps track of the times. A screen reader is a good example of software that encourages independence, enhances productivity and changes lives of blind, visually impaired, illiterate or learning disabled men and women. Imagine a blind person using the Internet or get work done utilizing a laptop or computer. These are a few of the activities made possible by assistive technology.

Screen reading software attempts to identify and interpret what's being shown on a screen. The screen referred to here can be a pc monitor, a projector screen, etc. The interpreted results are presented to the user via audio (text-to-speech), sound icons or a Braille output system. For instance, with this software installed in your personal computer, blind users can press a key and have a currently open document, email or web site read to them.

Makers of operating systems and applications for the web, desktop computer and mobile devices have become more and more aware of the need to include things like support for persons with disability in their products. For example, all major operating systems these days ships with some type of screen reading ability or another. Including Microsoft Windows (Windows 2000 version or later), Apple (Mac OS X), Linux and GNOME. Open source versions are offered also.

The most popular screen readers are separate commercial items. The price ranges from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand dollars, depending on the number of features it provides and the amount of languages it supports. Screen reading software also differs within the operating system and web browser that they're compatible with. Some products include magnifiers, perfect for people with partial or minor sight impairments.

There are many and varied uses for monitor readers. Consider the case from the online shopper with color blindness, a media reporter with repetitive stress injury, a blind accountant, a retiree with aging-related problems, a teenager with deaf-blindness or perhaps a classroom student with dyslexia. These and much more are the kinds of consumers who benefit from screen reading items.

As late as a few decades ago, it might be hard to imagine a blind individual being employed as an accountant. These days, there are items that can interpret what is shown to the screen and generate a combination of speech output and refreshable Braille output. The speech output allows blind users to rapidly "scan" a document, as the refreshable Braille component enables them to check the precise wording of text.

There are many elements to think about when selecting a screen reader, for example platform, cost and personal preferences. It is important to get a product that works together with the operating system and web browser which the user has, unless the person would like to get new ones. Price goes without saying, using the added consideration that even upgrading may cost 100's of dollars.

Individual preferences, needs, or priorities are keys in ones choice of display reading product. For example, not all has a magnifier or the voice quality is better in some although not so good in others. In the long run, what matters may not be the supported platform or even the cost, but the ability from the software to meet the users needs.