Tools - AccessibleWare

TOOLS : VISION

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Resources for Specific Visual Impairments

Blindness Resource Center
A list of resources on the blind, including sources on Web access. An alternate large font page is provided.

Colorfield
Shows images filtered using the Colorfield™ Insight plug-in to simulate various types of colorblindness.Safe Web Colours for Colour-Deficient

Vision
Discusses colorblindness and provides color palettes that simulate various forms of colorblindness.

Vischeck
Vischeck's color vision model allows you to simulate how the world looks to people with various sorts of color deficiency.

VISION:

Visually Impaired

Screen Magnification software enlarges the viewing area of a computer monitor display. Magnification levels are measured in power levels. Such has 2x (2 power), and can go as high a level as 16x magnification.

Screen Magnification for Low Vision

BIGGY
by RJ Cooper & Associates
Finally, BIG, ultra-visible cursors for all programs. Large selection, even 'lefties'. Many are even animated PLUS, other SIGNIFICANT cursor enhancements also. Biggy also lets you choose big & bold replacements for cursors, like the I-beam. A great all-around utility that works within any software!

MAGic
by Freedom ScientificTM
A screen magnification program, it contains high and true color support (up to 32-bit) for enhanced smoothing of characters. The only magnification software to work with the powerful program for blind-- JAWS for Windows screen-reading software.

Supernova
by Dolphin Computer Access
Combines magnification, speech and Braille output in one program. This is to benefit individuals and establishments with a range of visually impaired requirements. Fully integrated magnification, speech and Braille

ZoomText Xtra Level 2
by AI-Squared
Integrated Magnification and Screen Reading
ZoomText Xtra Level 2 features synchronized magnification and screen reading that's powerful and easy to use. Designed for the low-vision user, Level 2 speaks all on-screen text, echoes typing and automatically reads multi-page documents. Level 2 also includes two free speech synthesizers that work with any Windows sound card.

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Blind

There are software applications that have features that include screen magnification, screen reader, and text reader.

Finally, there are applications that use a flatbed scanner and software called OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for inputing printed (hard copy) information into the computr to be read aloud and/or magnified using the above mentioned software applications.

NOTE: Text Reader applications (text-to-speech) should not be confused with screen readers. Text readers primarily read aloud text as it is keyboarded, and reads aloud text within documents such as e-mails, word processing documents, and other electronic text format. These type of software applications are more likely to be used by people with learning disabilities, people with poor reading abilities, and ESL (English as Second Language).

A Screen Reader software application reads aloud information displayed on a computer monitor screen. The screen reader reads aloud text within a document, and it also reads aloud information within dialog boxes and error messages. Screen Readers also read aloud and menu selections, graphical icons on the desktop. Recent upgrades are much better reading aloud information on the World Wide Web.

Text Readers

iSpeak Personal Text Reader, from Fonix, reads text with a natural, human sounding voice using inflection, intonation, and pauses, to facilitate listening comprehension. This is not only a useful product, it is also a lot of fun. It injects “personality” into your PC with voices that let you control speed, pitch, and volume. iSpeak allows you to quickly and easily transform text into clear, natural sounding audio files. With just a few clicks, you can conveniently scan e-mail, review Websites and listen to lengthy documents - all while working on other tasks, like browsing the Web, cooking dinner or writing a letter. You can even save text files as portable MP3s and then listen to them on a plane, in the car or anywhere else you want to be. iSpeak is also ideal for those who are learning English as a second language or for children who are just learning to read. Simply highlight the desired text and then hit play to hear how it’s read, or set iSpeak to pronounce specific words as they’re typed in. The uses for iSpeak are many.

ReadPlease shatters the myth that computers must sound robotic and monotonous. Just imagine having web pages and e-mail read aloud to you. Anyone serious about using the Internet would agree that there is a great deal of reading from the computer's screen. ReadPlease users find they can relax while ReadPlease does the hard work. Many ReadPlease users are finding less eye stain and muscle strain. Just one of the surprising uses of ReadPlease is for proofreading work. ReadPlease is environmentally friendly since many users who used to print web pages to read, are simply "listening" to the pages.

Text-Reader Dictionary
An add-on to the Internet Explorer. It converts the browser into:
Tool for reading. The program improves readability of the text by changing fonts, page layouts, and smooth scrolling.Speaking dictionary. You can see the explanation of a word in the pop-up hint, and hear and read the pronunciation of the word. You can make a choice among lots of dictionaries (English, German, French, Italian etc.).Vocabulary drills. A couple of very efficient tests will help you remember new words in the shortest possible time.
You can read text files and web-pages on and off-line.

Screen Readers for Blind

AbleData
Database Resource of Assistive Technologies for the Blind

Fast Browser
Talking browser that adds voice-synthesizing software to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (Windows only) — creating spoken-word Web pages.

Hal Screen Reader
by Dolphin Computer Access.
Hal allows blind users to hear rather than see what is happening on their computer by converting the on screen display to speech. Gives access to software, including Microsoft Office 2000 and Internet Explorer 5.0. Braille output is also available if you have a Braille display. Braille navigation independent of speech and magnification

Homepage Reader from IBM
Home Page Reader (HPR) provides an interface for computer users who are blind or visually impaired to navigate and manipulate Web page elements and uses IBM's ViaVoice Outloud text-to-speech synthesizer for speaking.

JAWS (Job Access With Speech)
by Freedom ScientificTM
This is a powerful screen reader program for people who are blind. It uses an integrated voice synthesizer and your computer's sound card to output the content of your computer screen to speakers. JAWS supports web browsers fot internet access, e-mail programs, word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, web development tools, database management software, and much more.

JOUSE
Home Page Reader (HPR) provides an interface for computer users who are blind or visually impaired to navigate and manipulate Web page elements and uses IBM's ViaVoice Outloud text-to-speech synthesizer for speaking.

KeyRead (Junior ScreenReader)
by RJ Cooper & Associates
A simple, but powerful, screenreader, that is tailored for blind persons that may be new to using a computer. Works entirely by the standard keyboard navigation controls, the arrow keys! Also... Echoes each keystroke, Selective reading of screen, Selective reading of menus. KeyRead works with all software: word processors, web browsers, and even other types of application.

outSPOKEN Ensemble
by ALVA Access Group, Inc.
Screen reader software with braille and/or speech output. Speaks and shows on a braille display Message boxes, warning dialogs and tooltip text are automatically spoken system wide. Web pages that include frames can be navigated with outSPOKEN's intuitive command set.

Supernova
by Dolphin Computer Access
Combines magnification, speech and Braille output in one program. This is to benefit individuals and establishments with a range of visually impaired requirements. Fully integrated magnification, speech and Braille

WeMedia Browser
Talking browser designed to help people with low vision and some learning disabilities use the Internet more easily.

Window Eyes
It is a speech synthesizer that works with the Windows operating system to access popular software applications and the Internet

ZoomText Xtra Level 2
by AI-Squared
Integrated Magnification and Screen Reading
ZoomText Xtra Level 2 features synchronized magnification and screen reading that's powerful and easy to use. Designed for the low-vision user, Level 2 speaks all on- screen text, echoes typing and automatically reads multi-page documents. Level 2 also includes two free speech synthesizers that work with any Windows sound card.

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