screenreader

A screen reader is a user interface through which visually impaired or blind persons can work with the personal computer. Access for these groups of people is provided by acoustic information and a Braille line with Braille.

The screen reader, a screen reading software, interprets the complete screen content with all graphic and textual information. This includes menus, graphical windows, icons, selection boxes and input positions. By means of speech synthesis, the graphic and text information is converted into speech and output. In parallel, corresponding Braille terminals have a Braille line on which the information is output in Braille so that the visually impaired can scan it.

In order for the visually impaired to be able to navigate the various programs and web pages with the screen reader, screen readers must have an extensive command set and support the accessibility discussed in the WAI guidelines.