Best Mac OS X Screen Reader: Apple VoiceOver Also available on iOS, VoiceOver is Apple’s free screen-reading solution made for Mac OS X, and it’s probably one of the best on this list. In addition to having very deep, OS-level integration, VoiceOver also has features like braille support and functions tailored specifically to Mac hardware like a “Rotor” function mapped to the touchpad and gestures. Remember that VoiceOver for IOS and VoiceOver for the Mac are somewhat different, though in many cases, similar concepts apply. Here, the focus is on VoiceOver for the Mac. To learn more about testing mobile sites and applications with VoiceOver for IOS (as well as TalkBack for Android), please visit the Mobile page on the SOAP site.
Monday, February 26th, 2018| Author: Last week, we started our foray into the Mac’s Accessibility features with an overview of the services available, and a look at the General category, which provides quick access to many of the Accessibility features. If you would like to review Part One of this series, you can find it at:. In Part Two, we’re going to look at the Vision category, including: • VoiceOver: The Mac’s built-in screen reader. • Zoom: The ability to enlarge or shrink the view on the Mac’s display. • Display: Options to enhance the display for easier viewing. • Speech: Using the Mac’s speech options to read alerts, speak text, and modify characteristics of the voice used in the VoiceOver application. VoiceOver VoiceOver is the Mac’s screen reader app, though it does quite a bit more than just telling you what’s happening on the screen. It provides voice descriptions of each onscreen item, suggestions about how to use them, supports 35 languages and braille display, and offers a wide range of voice options, including the ability to control your Mac with just a keyboard. (Once VoiceOver is enabled, the caption panel will be displayed.) VoiceOver is often thought of as an app that’s included with the Mac OS, but actually it’s a core service of the operating system. This to provide simplified navigation with their products. To configure and use VoiceOver: Launch System Preferences by clicking on its Dock icon, or by selecting System Preferences from the Apple Menu. Where Do I Get Voiceover Screen Reader For Macbook ProIn the System Preferences window that opens, select the Accessibility preference pane., you can say “Hey Siri, open the Accessibility preference pane” as an alternative. In the Accessibility preference pane, select VoiceOver from the sidebar. The VoiceOver options will be displayed in the configuration pane. To enable Voiceover, place a checkmark in the Enable VoiceOver box, or use the command + F5 keyboard combination. You can also use Siri by speaking, “Hey Siri, turn on VoiceOver.” VoiceOver can also be turned on using the Accessibility Shortcut panel. See Part One of this series,, for details. Once VoiceOver is enabled, a caption panel will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen. Within the panel, the text that VoiceOver speaks will be displayed. VoiceOver will speak and display descriptions of each element on the screen as you interact with them. Besides speaking a description, the VoiceOver caption panel will provide hints and instructions for how to interact with the various elements you encounter. VoiceOver provides a large number of ways to interact, including an extensive collection of keyboard shortcuts, gestures, and other input methods. A complete list of all the ways to interact are a bit beyond the scope of this overview, however, VoiceOver has a built-in training system that takes the user through the process of using the Mac via VoiceOver commands. To launch the VoiceOver training, return to the Accessibility preference pane. Make sure VoiceOver is selected in the left-hand pane, then click the Open VoiceOver Training button. The training instructions will be displayed. You can move through the training pages using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Use the Escape key to end the training. Apple also has a that I highly recommend. Where Do I Get Voiceover Screen Reader For MacbookThe guide is also available in an, and an is available to order. The Getting Started Guide covers working with text, navigation, VoiceOver basics, working with tables, navigating the Internet, and much, much more. VoiceOver tip: Control + Option is the default set of VoiceOver keyboard modifiers, and is referenced in most VoiceOver keyboard commands. If you’re using or later, the caps lock key also works as the VoiceOver modifier. It lets you press a single key, and when VoiceOver is enabled, the caps lock key doesn’t function as a normal caps lock anyway. (The VoiceOver Utility allows you to customize VoiceOver to meet your needs.) The last component of VoiceOver we will cover is the VoiceOver utility, which provides a way to customize VoiceOver to work the way you would like it to. You can customize the following: • Verbosity: Specify the verbosity level for speech, braille, text, announcements, and hints. • Speech: Select the voice, rate, pitch, and volume, as well as how certain text is pronounced. • Navigation: Customize how VoiceOver works with cursors, groups, redundant items, and more.
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