curriculum/challenges/english/blocks/lecture-importance-of-accessibility-and-good-html-structure/672a5310d7e46b8a34d48dfd.md
Screen readers are assistive technology programs that help blind and visually impaired people use computers and mobile devices.
Screen readers are not just tools for the blind and visually impaired to access computers and mobile devices.
They empower these individuals to access education, work opportunities, and social media. This ensures digital inclusion and enhances their ability to participate fully in society.
There's a common misconception that screen readers are text-to-speech devices.
However, text-to-speech is just one of the features of a screen reader. Some screen readers even render the text to braille output instead of speech.
Apart from text-to-speech and braille output, other notable features of screen readers are navigation aids and web browsing assistance.
Screen reader programs are also not only made for the blind and visually impaired. Dyslexic individuals and people with cognitive disabilities also use screen readers. All the popular operating systems out there have screen readers built into them.
macOS and iOS both have VoiceOver built-in. You can turn it on on your computer by pressing CMD + F5. You can access it on iPhones through Settings.
Windows computers have Narrator built-in. You can turn it on by pressing WIN + CTRL + ENTER. NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) and Job Access With Speech (JAWS) are also available for Windows computers. NVDA is free and open-source, while JAWS is paid.
Linux has Orca for the desktop environment and Speakup for the Linux terminal.
Android phones have TalkBack built-in. You can turn it on by accessing Settings > Special Function > Accessibility > Talkback.
Some Android devices also have Ella and Select to Speak built in.
One major challenge for screen reader users is that many software developers don't design their products with screen-reader friendliness and accessibility in mind.
Even though accessibility is a broad topic, every developer needs to learn how to make their web software accessible for the blind and visually impaired, as well as other groups of people with disabilities.
This demonstrates empathy and a commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all users can benefit from their work.
Which of the following is the screen reader built into macOS and iOS devices?
Ella
Think of the screen reader software Apple made and maintain.
Speakup
Think of the screen reader software Apple made and maintain.
VoiceBox
Think of the screen reader software Apple made and maintain.
VoiceOver
4
Which of the following are screen readers not made for?
The blind
Look out for those with disability not related to vision.
Visually impaired people
Look out for those with disability not related to vision.
The deaf
Dyslexic people
Look out for those with disability not related to vision
3
Which of these is not a feature of screen readers?
Speech-to-text
Text-to-speech
Think about what would not be useful to navigate a webpage without sight
Braille output
Think about what would not be useful to navigate a webpage without sight
Web browsing support
Think about what would not be useful to navigate a webpage without sight
1