Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Screen Reader Instead of Braille

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Hand while reading Braille
A hand while reading Braille

Assistive technology in this modern time really helps the blind to perform his or her task everyday. For example, when checking his or her email, writing a document or simply in using social networks, a screen reader certainly makes it easier for the blind to accomplish things like these. However, let’s not forget that in the past, blind people once used Braille in school. But those who had the chance to use this system in their lives know there are some differences between a screen reader and Braille. Below I list some of the differences and if you have your own opinion or if you want to add something in the list, I encourage you to leave your comment.

What is a Screen Reader?

Play to hear a sample of a screen reader

A screen reader is a computer program that enables a blind computer user to know what’s on the screen through speech. But to make it clear,it can only read text but not images. In other words, there’s no way for it to describe an image at least (not yet possible). Using the keyboard, he navigates using arrow keys and and a screen reader interprets what’s being shown on the screen. And if he wants to interact with a specific icon or a link for example, he will press enter. Or if a blind is typing, a screen reader announces every character; and if he for instance heard that he typed a wrong character, he would press backspace to erase it. This is just one example of the benefits that blind computer users get from a screen reader.

Advantages, Benefits and Different Uses of a Screen Reader

Disadvantages of a Screen Reader

  • Because visually impaired people only listen to a screen reader reading the text displayed on the screen, they don’t usually have the chance to know the correct spelling of a certain word especially when it’s not that common like medical terms etc. Sure they can make a screen reader to read character by character after they hear a word that they don’t know the spelling but I find it very time consuming.
  • Screen readers use a computer sounding voice and some people find this very boring. Some companies are doing their best to create speech synthesizers that can mimic how human read a sentence; like the proper intonation, but so far I would say that even we see some big improvements for the past years, they are still far from achieving their goals.

A screen reader is definitely a wonderful piece of software for blind Filipinos, but nobody can deny the fact that Braille is still alive. I think Braille is going to stay, no matter how many advantages there are in a screen reader.

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Joey G.

Joey is a blind blogger based in the Philippines. He knows HTML, CSS, PHP and WordPress. He loves to blog, that's why he created this website. He wants to help his community. At the same time, he also wants to improve his writing skills.

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Georgina

    Thank you for this very informative entry on on screen readers. I am currently training to be a nurse and needed something like this for a report on communicational technology. Thank you so much!

  2. Robert Mendoza

    Due to demand of the vastly changing technology screen reader helps a lot specially for the non-sighted individuals. I, myself been using screen reader for 5 years. I could able to navigate entirely my machine with ease. Nowadays, we have nvda – NonVisual desktop access an open source program so which means it is free of charge and by means of help of the international grants and donors this tool is continously developing. I used it as my primary screen reader instead of jaws which is kinda expensive so to speak, I grab the chance to get and boarded to try this. Suprisingly, witnessed how they develop until the Windows 10 come into space for great help in terms of accessibility. I was never born blind but due to my persistant of desire of passion in computing I am able to used again computer last of 2014. Plus, the fact I don’t use braille but if I will have a chance definitely wants to learn it as well because braille is very helpful even though the fast phasing of the technology.

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