NVDA

NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free and open source screen reader for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Providing feedback via synthetic speech and Braille, it enables blind or vision impaired people to access computers running Windows for no more cost than a sighted person. Major features include support for over 35 languages and the ability to run entirely from a USB drive with no installation. NVDA is developed by NV Access, with contributions from the community.

About NVDA

General Features

Providing feedback via synthetic speech and Braille, NVDA allows blind and vision impaired people to access and interact with the Windows operating system and many third party applications.
Major highlights include:

• Support for popular applications including web browsers, email clients, internet chat programs and office suites
• Built in speech synthesizer supporting over 43 languages
• Reporting of textual formatting where available such as font name and size, style and spelling errors
• Automatic announcement of text under the mouse and optional audible indication of the mouse position
• Support for many refreshable braille displays
• Ability to run entirely from a USB stick or other portable media without the need for installation
• Easy to use talking installer
• Translated into many languages
• Support for modern Windows Operating Systems including both 32 and 64 bit variants
• Ability to run on Windows logon and other secure screens
• Support for common accessibility interfaces such as Microsoft Active Accessibility, Java Access Bridge, IAccessible2 and UI Automation
• support for Windows Command Prompt and console applications

It is important that people anywhere in the world, no matter what language they speak, get equal access to technology. Besides English, NVDA has been translated into 36 languages including: Afrikaans, Albanian, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Galician, Georgian, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Thai, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.

I chose to research NVDA because I am a Caregiver and my client is legally blind. He actually gave me the idea to research this because I am around him and see him use this program to operate his computer. I think it is wonderful that these types of programs are available because it makes those that can't see be able to still feel like a normal person. With this program, he was able to attend Columbia State a few years back and receive his Associate's Degree.

My resources for this blog are http://www.nvda-project.org/wiki/About and http://www.nvda-project.org/