WHAT IS SCREEN READING SOFTWARE?

Screen reading software, also known as 'screen access' software, is required for the effective use of Braille displays and speech synthesizers. Braille displays and speech synthesizers give blind and partially sighted PC users instant access to information displayed on PC screens. Screen reading software gives the user control over which areas on the screen are to be displayed or spoken and makes use of artificial intelligence to decide what information is to be displayed or spoken automatically. It also gives the user control over the rate of speech, pitch, tone, volume, verbosity level, switching of languages and the ability to control how punctuation and uppercase characters are spoken.

All screen-reading programs, such as GW Micro Window-Eyes, Dolphin HAL and Dolphin Supernova now include at least one free speech synthesizer. The preferred default language can often be chosen at the time of ordering. Additional languages are sold separately and once installed will be added to the language selection list of your screen reading program. Some screen readers have the intelligence to automatically change languages when non- English text is encountered. Certain users however find this annoying and disable this feature.

A recent, unique development by Dolphin Computer Access is the introduction of what they call a "Pen". Essentially a small USB flash drive. Unlike other screen reading programs the software is run from the Pen and not installed on to the PC. As it measures only 7 cm x 2 cm the Dolphin Pen can be carry in a handbag or pocket. Consequently the Pen now permits users to carry their software with them and instantly run it on any "Dolphin Pen friendly" PC, as if it were their own home or personal office machine. The individual user's settings, which are saved on to the Pen, are automatically applied. As soon as the Dolphin Pen is removed, the software stops running and the PC is ready for another user. With screen reading software now running from a Pen, schools, universities, Internet cafés, offices and libraries will be less reluctant to permit people with a visual impairment to use their PCs. To make a PC "Dolphin Pen Friendly", all that is required is to install the Dolphin Interceptor, which includes the Microsoft DCM (Display Chain Manager). If a PC is not yet Dolphin Pen Friendly, the first time the Dolphin Pen is inserted into a PC the user needs to load the Dolphin Interceptor from the Pen. This requires some sighted assistance and administrator rights. Once this has been done the next time that a Pen is inserted, the Dolphin software will run automatically without further sighted assistance being required.

Freedom Scientific JAWS Professional, once the trend setter in the field of screen reading software, is now rapidly being superseded in Europe by Dolphin HAL due to HAL's 'Orpheus' extensive multilingual capability and the ability to run the program from a "Pen" drive. JAWS is now also beginning to lose ground in English speaking markets such as the US, Australia and South Africa to the likes of Window-Eyes and HAL. This is because these competing products are less expensive and now both offer 'JAWS emulation'. This means that one can upgrade to an alternative, less expensive yet more effective screen reader and continue to use JAWS commands until such time as one is ready to begin exploring the extra exciting features offered by these emerging products.

Braille displays are also known as 'Braille lines' or 'paperless' or 'refreshable' Braille displays. The term "refreshable" is derived from the fact that the Braille on the display constantly changes as one moves the cursor or mouse pointer around the PC screen. Each Braille cell comprises 8 pins made of metal or nylon. These pins are raised or lowered using piezo-electric technology. Although standard literary Braille only uses six dots, the 7th and 8th dot on Braille displays can be used to indicate the cell position of the PC cursor or for 8-dot characters used in maths, science and PC coding. The ALVA Satellite 544 Traveller is supported by GW Micro Window-Eyes, Dolphin HAL and Dolphin Supernova screen reading software and is ideally suited for the reading of non-English text as well as tabular text which is not easily interpreted with speech synthesis.

Together with a speech synthesizer or Braille display, screen reading software permits blind or partially sighted users to access applications such as Word- Perfect, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, MS Outlook or Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, project management and research tools, contact management software, presentation software, web development tools, software development tools, database management software and even sound editing suites. Neville Clarence Technologies (Pty) Ltd. is also able to custom configure screen reading software to provide effective access to third-party applications such as call-centre and PBX systems. This process is often referred to as 'scripting' or 'mapping'.

Screen reading software is usually copy-protected with a parallel or USB dongle (a small memory-stick), or a software key... a tiny hidden file saved on the user's PC hard drive. Most software key copy-protected packages need to be registered on-line, sometimes called Internet License Management (ILM). Installation and use is permitted before registration however the program will operate in a demonstration mode offering full access but for a limited period of time, usually 30 days or for an unlimited number of work sessions of 30 or 45 minutes duration. In order to begin a further work session it is necessary to shut down and restart the PC. Once registered, most publishers of screen reading software permit the free downloading of regular updates. Updates are usually released to fix problems, also known as 'bugs', which have been encountered by users after the release of the most recent upgrade. Upgrades introduce new features and enhancements to existing functions and are typically not free of charge. They can however usually be downloaded by registered users after payment by credit card. Screen reading software upgrades can be extremely large, up to 100 mb, and it is therefore recommended that one does not attempt to download them unless one has access to a broadband connection such as ADSL or 3G.

Screen reading software multiple-user site-licenses and free demo CDs are available.

(c)2006 Neville Clarence. This document may only be reproduced for non-profit purposes and only on condition the source is acknowledged. ??

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