Screen Reader Resources

Screen readers allow you to interact with your webpage in the same way as a blind user. Using a screen reader to test requires some training. These resources can help you learn this needed skill.

Quick Guides (Deque):

• Screen Reader Keyboard Shortcuts & Gestures: These single-page guides make handy “cheat sheets” for all screen readers, especially when you’re learning to use these tools. Print them first, then you can read them instead of listening to them.

JAWS

• JAWS: (Windows, Cost) You can download a demo version of JAWS and test it for 40 minutes at a time, but you need to buy a license to use it without rebooting regularly.
  • Download JAWS (run as a 40-minute demo) or Purchase JAWS
  • WebAIM: Using JAWS to Evaluate Web Accessibility
  • Jaws Documentation (Freedom Scientific): Incudes the JAWS keystrokes and help files (this information is also available as part of the JAWS software).
  • Getting started with JAWS (Freedom Scientific): A series of “how to” training for JAWS; available as DAISY, audio, or HTML files.
  • Surf’s Up! Surfing the Internet with JAWS (Freedom Scientific)
  • JAWS videos (Freedom Scientific): A series of “how to” videos for JAWS
  • Points of Access, Philip White: A series of videos on using JAWS.
• JAWS Inspect – (Windows, Cost) JAWS Inspect helps testers evaluate sites for screen reader compatibility. It is not a screen reader but “reads” a web page in much the same way that a screen reader would and then generates a written report of what the JAWS screen reader would have said. This tool can be extremely helpful for testers who are not used to listening to screen readers.

NVDA

• NVDA (Windows, Free): This free screen reader has less functionality than JAWS, but it is still an excellent screen reader.
  • NV Access | Download NVDA
  • NVDA User Guide (also available as part of the NVDA software)
  • WebAIM: Using NVDA to Evaluate Web Accessibility
  • NVDA Video Tutorials (American Foundation for the Blind)
  • Screen Reader Basics: NVDA — A11ycasts #09

Talkback and Voiceover

• Talkback (Android, Free): This screen reader comes with the Android operating system and can be turned on using settings.
• VoiceOver (iOS / MacOS, Free with Operating System): This screen reader comes with the iOS and MacOS operating systems and can be turned on using settings.