Blind People Can Use Windows 8?

Not only that computer users can have the ability to see just who enthusiastically welcomed the presence of Windows 8. Visually impaired computer users who wanted to try it.

Release of Windows 8 as Microsoft's latest OS of course raises a big question mark for computer users who are blind. "What will the operating system can be operated easily without vision? '. It is important to answer, because like it or not, blind people must adapt to the operating system.

Thank goodness! Microsoft now pay more attention to the needs of users with special needs, one of them with visual impairments. Applications are available in the auxiliary Windows 8 is no longer made sober as in previous OS versions, but it is more functional in helping the visually impaired to operate a computer.

Screen reader itself is an application that converts text into speech output or display, so that the blind can see the information that appears on the screen.

Narrator

Narrator is the default Windows screen reader that has existed since Windows XP. However, once Narrator only made as needed. Function was just reading the menu or simple text on Windows.

Well, Microsoft has improved the ability of Narrator. Now it can also be used to navigate the Windows 8 interface. The most significant is a new feature that enables browsing used to use Microsoft's default browser.

For the blind who want to taste Windows 8 RT planted on a tablet device, Narrator had been able to read the object touched with finger.

To turn Narrator, users can simply press some shortcut keys. On the sign in screen, press WIN + U. On the desktop, press WIN + ENTER. Meanwhile, to enable the Narrator in the tablet, press WIN + Volume up (increase the volume).

Well, of course many new shortcuts that need to be learned before operating Narrator blind. If the Narrator is active, press Caps Lock + F1 to bring up the help menu. This menu contains a complete tutorial how to use the Narrator. To turn off Narrator, press Caps Lock + ESC.

Screen Reader Third Party

However, the ability Narrator is much better, but still not able to accommodate all the needs of the visually impaired. Well, if you want to explore Windows 8 with better, use some screen readers below.

- NVDA (www.nvda-project.org)
NVDA (Non-visual desktop access) is a free screen reader that supports Windows 8. Although free, but his ability to handle the visual elements of Windows 8 is quite good. NVDA itself is the only screen reader currently supports touch screen operation.

Indeed NVDA supporting new Windows 8 beta (version 2012-3), but the author has tried it and can be used in computing basic activities, such as navigating, copying files, and so forth.

- Jaws for Windows (www.freedomscientific.com)
This is a commercial screen readers used by the visually impaired most popular. Jaws itself currently is the only screen reader that already support Windows 8, which has release the full version (v14.0.918).

Because of the commercial, Jaws of course superior in terms of facilities and functions. This screen readers can easily handle display boxes typical of Windows 8 start screen.

So blind people can browse the contents of a box, and if moved to another box, will sound to indicate that the user has moved to another box. This makes the blind do not get confused because the visual elements of Windows 8 is so complex.

Apart from that, there are other features that are quite unique, like a flexible web (configurations to eliminate unnecessary objects while browsing), convinient OCR (convert PDF to image or text), and others.