How does a screen reader work?
A screen reader is a software program that allows a blind person to read text on the screen and identify some graphics like buttons on a toolbar or icons on the Desktop. A person hears the information from a speech synthesiser or the computer’s sound card. A screen reader also allows a person to control the computer using the keyboard rather than the mouse. Many of the keyboard commands that a blind person uses are the same keyboard commands a sighted person can use on their PC. For example, open your File menu by pressing Alt-F. To close the File menu, press the Alt key again. A blind person also uses special keyboard commands that were created by the screen reader. For example, most screen readers offer a keystroke to read the information in the title bar or in the status bar. Some people use a refreshable Braille display rather than listening to the information. A Braille display is not like a computer screen. Usually, it is placed near or under the keyboard.
