This week, the highlight is on screen readers.  This assistive technology converts on-screen text into spoken words or braille and also allows users to navigate the content. Instead of us telling you about it, we compiled a list of useful resources for screen reader users. Check them out. 

Resources:

The best way to understand how screen readers work is to watch it in action. 

• See how Marc Sutton, a blind person, uses a screen reader to navigate content:

Have you never used a screen reader before?  This week is your chance to try one!

• As a Mac user, you can try Voiceover. The following link includes instructions about how to use Voiceover as well as the link to access the Voiceover app: Using VoiceOver to Evaluate Web Accessibility (WebAim)

• If you're a Windows user, try NVDA. The following link includes instructions about how to use NVDA as well as the link to access it: Using NVDA to Evaluate Web Accessibility (WebAim)  (Note that NVDA works best with Chrome and Firefox.)

• For Windows, you can also try JAWS. Find out more about it here: Using JAWS to Evaluate Web Accessibility (WEBAIM guide)

It’s generally advised that you test your learning content with a screen reader, and even better if you could test with someone with a lived experience of a disability who is an expert at using the software. According to Susi Miller, having an experienced tester could help avoid what she calls ”'screen reader rabbit holes” where the screen reader flags up issues caused by for example incompatibility with certain browsers but in fact, would not affect the learning experience.

Discussion questions:

Get Involved: Come to the LCA Spotlight LinkedIn group and join the conversation.

• How was your experience using a screen reader for the first time?

• Besides people with visual impairment, in which other contexts/situations can people benefit from using a screen reader?

• What do you take into account in developing your content to be screen reader-friendly? What would you like to improve?

When you post in the community, use the hashtag #LCASpotlightScreenReader