ChromeVox offers one of the less abrasive voice options but is limited to use on the Chrome platform. My students encountered navigation issues and sometimes silence when using Narrator to navigate the deeper levels of a Windows operating system (control panel applets, etc.).ĬhromeVox – a freely available screen reader bundled with a Chrome laptop with the Chrome operating system can also be installed as an extension on the Chrome browser. Microsoft Narrator – Bundled with recent versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Narrator is useful in a pinch but offers limited functionality, particularly with browsers and web apps. JAWS is memory intensive and can freeze the computer because of its demands on a computer’s RAM. JAWS is only available as paid software, either as an enterprise package or single use licenses ($90 a year, roughly $900 as a one-time purchase).

JAWS does have a learning curve and is designed for a Windows PC platform. Of all the 5 screenreaders reviewed here, JAWS has the most configurable options. JAWS – is the world’s most popular screen reader.

There are certainly others, including for Linux platforms, but the following screen readers seem to be the most common and user friendly in terms of installation and use on the most commonly use operating systems.

The screen readers listed here are assumed for use with a k-12 student and/or his/her guardian with little technical experience. In event a person visiting this site has little idea what a screen reader is (and I have fielded those questions as well), a screen reader is simply a software application that uses audio with a computer voice to announce items on a computer screen for blind and visually impaired (BVI) persons. There are several others, but in my experience in a BVI academic environment, these 5 are the most common and are easily obtainable. Since I have recently fielded several inquiries from parents and/or students about which screenreader to obtain/use, this review explores 5 of the most common screen readers and their benefits and disadvantages.

Best accessibility screen reader chrome