Software Used by Blind and Deaf People to Access Websites
People who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, or are hard of hearing use different technologies to access websites. The following tools are useful to understand when evaluating website accessibility.
1. Software for Blind and Low-Vision Users
| Software | Platform | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| JAWS | Windows | Screen reader that reads web content aloud and supports Braille displays. |
| NVDA | Windows | Free, open-source screen reader. |
| VoiceOver | macOS, iPhone, iPad | Apple's built-in screen reader. |
| TalkBack | Android | Google's built-in screen reader. |
| Narrator | Windows | Microsoft's built-in screen reader. |
| Orca | Linux | Free screen reader for Linux desktops. |
| ChromeVox | ChromeOS | Screen reader for Chromebooks. |
| ZoomText | Windows | Screen magnification and visual assistance. |
| Fusion | Windows | Combines JAWS and ZoomText. |
| Windows Magnifier | Windows | Built-in screen magnification. |
| Accessibility Zoom | macOS, iOS | Built-in screen magnification. |
Screen readers depend on the semantic structure of a webpage, including headings, links, buttons, labels, and alternative text.
2. Software for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Users
| Software | Platform | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Live Caption | Chrome, Android | Automatically captions supported audio. |
| Windows Live Captions | Windows | Creates captions for audio played on the device. |
| Apple Live Captions | macOS, iPhone, iPad | Automatically generates captions for supported audio. |
| YouTube Captions | Web, mobile | Displays creator-provided or automatically generated video captions. |
| Web Captioner | Web | Provides real-time speech-to-text captions. |
| Ava | Web, mobile | Transcribes conversations into text. |
| Otter.ai | Web, mobile | Transcribes speech and meetings. |
| Google Live Transcribe | Android | Converts nearby speech into text. |
Many deaf users can read ordinary web content without special software. Common barriers include videos without accurate captions, audio without transcripts, and alerts conveyed only by sound.
3. Technology for Deafblind Users
| Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Refreshable Braille displays | Present digital text as tactile Braille. |
| NVDA with Braille support | Supports website navigation with compatible Braille devices. |
| JAWS with Braille support | Provides Braille access to website text and controls. |
| VoiceOver with Braille support | Supports compatible Braille displays on Apple devices. |
4. Recommended Website Accessibility Testing
- NVDA with Chrome or Firefox: Free Windows screen-reader testing.
- JAWS with Chrome: Additional Windows screen-reader compatibility.
- VoiceOver with Safari: Apple desktop and mobile accessibility.
- TalkBack with Chrome: Android accessibility.
- Keyboard-only navigation: Check that interactive controls work without a mouse.
- Captions and transcripts: Check audio and video accessibility, including caption accuracy.
Download the free NVDA screen reader from NV Access.
Important: Automated accessibility scans cannot fully determine whether a website works with assistive technologies. Manual testing is essential.