List of screen readers

Last updated

This is a comparison of some screen reader programs.

Contents

Current screen readers

Screen readerCreatorSupported platformsLicenseNotes
BRLTTYThe BRLTTY Team Unix-like, Windows console, DOS, AndroidFree and open source (GPL2)Available to download; part of most Linux distributions
ChromeVox Google ChromeOS or, with a speech processor, Linux, Mac, WindowsFreeChromeVox is a screen reader for Chrome and ChromeOS. The ChromeVox Classic Chrome extension is in maintenance-only mode. The ChromeVox website has more information on the transition to the version bundled with ChromeOS.
Emacspeak T. V. RamanEmacs (on Unix-like systems)Free and open sourceTurns Emacs into a "complete audio desktop".
iZoomIssistWindowsCommercialScreen magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. Includes support for Mozilla Firefox.
JAWS Freedom Scientific Windows and DOSCommercial for Windows; freeware for DOSIncludes support for MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF.
Microsoft Narrator MicrosoftWindowsFree, CommercialBundled with recent versions of Windows, this basic screen reader makes use of MSAA.
Microsurf Microsurf All that run Chrome browserFreeMicrosurf is a screen reader for Chrome
NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) NonVisual Desktop Access projectWindowsFree and open source (GPL2)Programmed and scriptable in Python. Supports Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Word, Excel and Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird. Supports web content using JavaScript. Supports Java Access Bridge. IAccessible2 is supported.
Orca GNOME Unix-likeFree and open source ( LGPL 2.1)The development of Orca was started by Sun Microsystems as part of the GNOME project with contributions from many community members, but since Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010, Orca turned into a completely community-driven project. It supports AT-SPI, so it works with the GNOME desktop, Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird, OpenOffice/LibreOffice and GTK+, KDE/Qt and Java Swing/SWT applications. Though it is developed by the GNOME project, it is the most popular screen reader for Unix like systems with graphical environments other than GNOME, like KDE or Unity.
PC-TalkerKochi System DevelopmentWindowsCommercialJapanese screen reader. Supports MSAA and Flash. [1]
PCVozEzHermaticWindowsCommercialAvailable to buy or download trial. Supports MSAA.
ScreenReader (formerly Supernova)Dolphin Computer AccessWindowsCommercialIncludes a screen magnifier and output to Braille devices. 30 day free trial available for download. Supports MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF.
Simply TalkerEcoNet InternationalWindowsCommercialTrial download available.
TalkBack [2] Google Android 1.6+Open SourceUse with SoundBack and kickback
TalkButton [3] Upward Spiral SoftwareMacCommercialTalkButton works together with Microsoft Word to create an extensive text-to-speech environment. Features include highlighting of spoken text and keyboard echo. Trial version available.
Text to Speech [4] SpeakComputers.comWindowsFreeware
  • A free program that converts written text into spoken words or even written text into MP3 files.
  • Seven programs: Text to speech: Reader, Web browser, Mini Clipboard reader, Image Presentation, Appointment Reminder, Speaking Clock, Parental Controls
Thunder ScreenReaderSensory SoftwareWindowsFreewareLast update 2015. [5] Supports MSAA.
VoiceOver Apple Inc.Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, iPods, and Apple TVFree, CommercialFree and included with any Apple product. No installation or setup required. Available in over 30 language voices, which are also included for free. See Apple Accessibility [6] for more information.
VoiceView Amazon Fire OS Free, CommercialIncluded with Amazon Fire tablets [7]
WebAnywhere University of WashingtonWebFree and Open Source (new BSD)Does not require any software installation to run so can be used at any public terminal that has sound available. Works on any platform.
WinZoomClarityWindowsCommercialScreen reader with magnifier. USB version does not require any installation and can be used on any public computer.
Screen Access for AllNational Association for the Blind, New DelhiWindowsOpen sourceLast update: 2004
ZoomText Freedom Scientific, formerly Ai SquaredWindowsCommercialIncludes a screen magnifier. Trial download available.
Screen readerCreatorSupported platformsLicenseNotes

Discontinued and/or obsoleted screen readers

Screen readerCreatorSupported platformsLicenseNotes
95ReaderSSCTWindowsCommercialJapanese screen reader; latest version (ver. 6.0, release date unknown) has specific support for Internet Explorer 6 and Macromedia Flash 6, [8] so seems obsolete and its availability seems unlikely to change.
ASAP (Automatic Screen Access Program) [9] MicroTalkDOSCommercial
ASAW (Automatic Screen Access for Windows) [10] MicroTalkWindowsCommercial
BlindowsBAUM Retec (formerly Audiodata)WindowsCommercialSubstituted by COBRA
COBRABAUM RetecWindowsCommercialSupports Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) and the Java Access Bridge.
DRACULA familyEurobrailleWindowsCommercial
Enable Reader Professional Speech SystemEnable Talking SoftwareDOSUncertain
Enhanced PC Talking ProgramComputer ConversationsDOSUncertain
Gnopernicus GNOME Unix-like Free and open source (LGPL 2)It was developed by BAUM Engineering, a partner company of Baum Retec AG. Used to be bundled with GNOME, but it was replaced by Orca in GNOME 2.16. Included a screen magnifier. It supported AT-SPI.
HALDolphin Computer AccessWindows, DOSCommercialWindows version was superseded by Supernova (later renamed to ScreenReader)
HT ReaderHT VisualWindowsCommercialIncluded support for MSAA and PDF. Disappeared from the price list of HT Visual, [11] absolutely no other sign of it being available
Leitor de TelasMC / CPqD WindowsFreeBrazilian Portuguese screen reader. MSAA support. Latest info about it is from December 2007 [12]
Linux Screen Reader (LSR) GNOME Unix-like Free and open source (New BSD License)It was an alternative screen reader to Orca led by IBM started in 2006. However, it was ceased in 2007 when IBM focused their resources in other projects. [13] It supported AT-SPI.
LookOUTChoice TechnologyWindowsCommercialWas also available integrated with a screen magnifier. Last mention of it is from 2003. [14]
Mercator/UltraSonixGeorgia Institute of TechnologyX Window System/LinuxEducational, Non-commercialMore information at Georgia Tech's College of Computing Past Projects and "An Architecture for Transforming Graphical Interfaces" (1994) by W. Keith Edwards and Elizabeth D. Mynatt.
Metalmouth Evaluera Ltd.All that run Chrome browserFree and open source (Apache 2.0)No announcement about discontinuation. Last updated in 2014 [15] and not available in the Chrome Web Store anymore.
Model T ReaderDolphin Computer AccessDOSFreeware
Pocket HalDolphin Computer Access Windows Mobile PDA and PDA PhonesCommercial
PROVOXKansys, Inc.DOSUncertain
Screen ReaderResearch Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped (RCEVH)BBC Micro and NEC portable
Screen Reader/2IBM OS/2 Commercial
Smart HalDolphin Computer Access Windows Mobile and WM SmartphoneCommercial
Soft Vert TeleSensory Systems DOSCommercial
SUSE-BlinuxNovell Linux Free and open source
System AccessSerotekWindowsCommercialTrial download available. Supports Microsoft Internet Explorer (including DHTML/Ajax and Flash), Outlook Express, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype, and Adobe Reader. No support for Java yet.
Talks & Zooms [16] Nuance CommunicationsSymbian OS Series 60 3rd and 5th Ed and Simbian^3CommercialPresentation and free Trial Version to be found on the site. The discontinuation of Simbian OS in 2013 made this obsolete.
TeleTender TeleTender.org All Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, Windows, Android etc..FreeTeleTender is a voice communication platform for sight impaired people, embedded with a cloud based screen reader. Users can interact with any web pages on the internet by issuing voice commands over the phone. To use it, just dial one of its access numbers.
TinytalkOMS DevelopmentDOS and perhaps WindowsSHARE WARE
VirgoBAUM Retec AGWindowsCommercialSubstituted by COBRA.
Window BridgeSyntha-voice Computers (now out of business)WindowsCommercial
Window-Eyes GW Micro (merged with AI Squared in 2014, [17] acquired by VFO Group, later Vispero, in 2016 [18] )WindowsCommercialAs of 2017, no longer available for sale.
WinVisionArtic TechnologiesWindowsCommercialNot officially discontinued, but there has been no further release since 1997.
Screen readerCreatorSupported platformsLicenseNotes

Software aids for people with reading difficulties

References

  1. Bob Regan, Best Practices for Accessible Flash Design (PDF) Archived 2007-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
  2. TalkBack: An Open Source Screenreader For Android
  3. Talkbutton.net
  4. Speakcomputers.com
  5. King, Alasdair. "End of the Thunder Screenreader – Alasdair King's WebbIE Blog" . Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  6. Apple Accessibility
  7. Régo, Nelson (14 January 2018). "Guide to Setting Up VoiceView Screen Reader for Fire Tablet" . Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  8. 95Reader ver 6.0 product information page (in Japanese)
  9. Wael Zakareya
  10. Kenneth Frasse, GUI Access: A Comparison of Screen-Readers (Part I) Archived 2007-06-03 at the Wayback Machine , Access Review (Summer 1997)
  11. HT Visual price list (in Czech)
  12. Leitor de telas has become freely downloadable from the homepage of the Ministry for Communication of Brasil (in Portuguese)
  13. "Status of IBM a11y" . Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  14. Lookout screen reader information page
  15. "Commit history of Metalmouth" . Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  16. Talks & Zooms product homepage
  17. "Ai Squared And GW Micro Merge Forces" . Retrieved Apr 16, 2019.
  18. "Breaking: VFO Group, owners of Freedom Scientific and Optelec, Acquires AI Squared" . Retrieved Apr 16, 2019.
  19. ClickHear
  20. ClickHear Mobile
  21. Clipspeak.codeplex.com
  22. ReadHear
  23. Ross, Ian (1 May 2004). "Software developer builds on artificial intelligence". Northern Ontario Business. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  24. Sodels.com