A screen reader is a form of assistive technology (AT)[1] that renders text and image content as speech or braille output. Screen readers are essential to people who are blind,[2] and are useful to people who are visually impaired,[2]illiterate, or have a learning disability.[3] Screen readers are software applications that attempt to convey what people with normal eyesight see on a display to their users via non-visual means, like text-to-speech,[4] sound icons,[5] or a Braille device.[2] They do this by applying a wide variety of techniques that include, for example, interacting with dedicated accessibility APIs, using various operating system features (like inter-process communication and querying user interface properties), and employing hooking techniques.[6]

Hal is a software screen reader that works by reading the screen interactively and communicating through a speech synthesiser or a refreshable Braille display. Hal talks as you type, announcing words or characters so you can check what you write. Read image labels, font styles, Windows menus and icons for easy navigation. 30 day Free Trial. Every Mac is built with assistive technologies to support people who are blind or have low vision. The VoiceOver screen reader describes exactly what’s happening on your screen. Hover Text lets you instantly magnify a selection of text. And Display Accommodations. Screen Recording Software for Mac is designed to capture all screen activities while you work on the Mac display. The best screen recording software should be able to capture videos in HD quality that is critical for coding tutorial and game demonstration videos. There are several paid and free Mac screen recording software available in.

Microsoft Windowsoperating systems have included the Microsoft Narrator screen reader since Windows 2000, though separate products such as the free and open source screen reader NVDA by NV Access and Freedom Scientific's commercially available JAWS screen reader and ZoomText screen magnifier are more popular for that operating system.[7]Apple Inc.'s macOS, iOS, and tvOS include VoiceOver as a built-in screen reader, while Google's Android provides the Talkback screen reader and its Chrome OS can use ChromeVox.[8] Similarly, Android-based devices from Amazon provide the VoiceView screen reader. There are also free and open source screen readers for Linux and Unix-like systems, such as Speakup and Orca.

Types[edit]

Command-line (text)[edit]

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In early operating systems, such as MS-DOS, which employed command-line interfaces (CLIs), the screen display consisted of charactersmapping directly to a screen buffer in memory and a cursor position. Input was by keyboard. All this information could therefore be obtained from the system either by hooking the flow of information around the system and reading the screen buffer or by using a standard hardware output socket[9] and communicating the results to the user.

In the 1980s, the Research Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped (RCEVH) at the University of Birmingham developed Screen Reader for the BBC Micro and NEC Portable.[10][11]

Graphical[edit]

Off-screen models[edit]

With the arrival of graphical user interfaces (GUIs), the situation became more complicated. A GUI has characters and graphics drawn on the screen at particular positions, and therefore there is no purely textual representation of the graphical contents of the display. Screen readers were therefore forced to employ new low-level techniques, gathering messages from the operating system and using these to build up an 'off-screen model', a representation of the display in which the required text content is stored.[12]

For example, the operating system might send messages to draw a command button and its caption. These messages are intercepted and used to construct the off-screen model. The user can switch between controls (such as buttons) available on the screen and the captions and control contents will be read aloud and/or shown on refreshable Braille display.

Screen readers can also communicate information on menus, controls, and other visual constructs to permit blind users to interact with these constructs. However, maintaining an off-screen model is a significant technical challenge; hooking the low-level messages and maintaining an accurate model are both difficult tasks.[citation needed]

Accessibility APIs[edit]

Operating system and application designers have attempted to address these problems by providing ways for screen readers to access the display contents without having to maintain an off-screen model. These involve the provision of alternative and accessible representations of what is being displayed on the screen accessed through an API. Existing APIs include:

  • Android Accessibility Framework[13]
  • Apple Accessibility API[14]
  • Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA)
  • Java Access Bridge[15]

Screen readers can query the operating system or application for what is currently being displayed and receive updates when the display changes. For example, a screen reader can be told that the current focus is on a button and the button caption to be communicated to the user. This approach is considerably easier for the developers of screen readers, but fails when applications do not comply with the accessibility API: for example, Microsoft Word does not comply with the MSAAAPI, so screen readers must still maintain an off-screen model for Word or find another way to access its contents.[citation needed] One approach is to use available operating system messages and application object models to supplement accessibility APIs.

Screen readers can be assumed to be able to access all display content that is not intrinsically inaccessible. Web browsers, word processors, icons and windows and email programs are just some of the applications used successfully by screen reader users. However, according to some users,[who?] using a screen reader is considerably more difficult than using a GUI, and many applications have specific problems resulting from the nature of the application (e.g. animations) or failure to comply with accessibility standards for the platform (e.g. Microsoft Word and Active Accessibility).[citation needed]

Self-voicing programs and applications[edit]

Some programs and applications have voicing technology built in alongside their primary functionality. These programs are termed self-voicing and can be a form of assistive technology if they are designed to remove the need to use a screen reader.[citation needed]

Cloud-based[edit]

Some telephone services allow users to interact with the internet remotely. For example, TeleTender can read web pages over the phone and does not require special programs or devices on the user side.[citation needed]

Web-based[edit]

A relatively new development in the field is web-based applications like Spoken-Web that act as web portals, managing content like news updates, weather, science and business articles for visually-impaired or blind computer users.[citation needed] Other examples are ReadSpeaker or BrowseAloud that add text-to-speech functionality to web content.[citation needed] The primary audience for such applications is those who have difficulty reading because of learning disabilities or language barriers.[citation needed] Although functionality remains limited compared to equivalent desktop applications, the major benefit is to increase the accessibility of said websites when viewed on public machines where users do not have permission to install custom software, giving people greater 'freedom to roam'.[citation needed]

With the development of smartphones, the ability to listen to written documents (textual web content, PDF documents, e-mails etc.) while driving or during a similar activity in the same way that listening to music, will benefit a much broader audience than visually-impaired people.[citation needed] The best-known examples are Siri for iOS, and Google Now and Iris for Android. With the release of the Galaxy S III, Samsung also introduced a similar intelligent personal assistant called S Voice. On the BlackBerry 10 operating system, their Z30 smartphone also features spoken interaction features, which are similar to the other mobile operating systems.[citation needed]

This functionality depends on the quality of the software but also on a logical structure of the text. Use of headings, punctuation, presence of alternate attributes for images, etc. is crucial for a good vocalization. Also a web site may have a nice look because of the use of appropriate two dimensional positioning with CSS but its standard linearization, for example, by suppressing any CSS and Javascript in the browser may not be comprehensible.[citation needed]

Customization[edit]

Most screen readers allow the user to select whether most punctuation is announced or silently ignored. Some screen readers can be tailored to a particular application through scripting. One advantage of scripting is that it allows customizations to be shared among users, increasing accessibility for all. JAWS enjoys an active script-sharing community, for example.[citation needed]

Verbosity[edit]

Verbosity is a feature of screen reading software that supports vision-impaired computer users. Speech verbosity controls enable users to choose how much speech feedback they wish to hear. Specifically, verbosity settings allow users to construct a mental model of web pages displayed on their computer screen. Based on verbosity settings, a screen-reading program informs users of certain formatting changes, such as when a frame or table begins and ends, where graphics have been inserted into the text, or when a list appears in the document.[citation needed]

Language[edit]

Some screen readers can read text in more than one language, provided that the language of the material is encoded in its metadata.[16]

Some screen reading programs[which?] also include language verbosity, which automatically detects verbosity settings related to speech output language. For example, if a user navigated to a website based in the United Kingdom, the text would be read with an English accent.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^'Types of Assistive Technology Products'. Microsoft Accessibility. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  2. ^ abc'Screen Readers Technology and Refreshable Braille Displays'. AFB. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  3. ^'Screen Readers and how they work with E-Learning'. Virginia.gov. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  4. ^'Hear text read aloud with Narrator'. Microsoft. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  5. ^Coyier, Chris (October 29, 2007). 'Accessibility Basics: How Does Your Page Look To A Screen Reader?'. CSS-Tricks. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  6. ^'What is a Screen Reader'. Nomensa. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  7. ^'Screen Reader User Survey #8'. WebAIM. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  8. ^'ChromeVox'. Google. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  9. ^'Talking Terminals. BYTE, September 1982'. Archived from the original on June 25, 2006. Retrieved September 7, 2006.
  10. ^Paul Blenkhorn, 'The RCEVH project on micro-computer systems and computer assisted learning', British Journal of Visual Impairment, 4/3, 101-103 (1986). Free HTML version at Visugate.
  11. ^'Access to personal computers using speech synthesis. RNIB New Beacon No.76, May 1992'.
  12. ^According to 'Making the GUI Talk' (by Richard Schwerdtfeger, BYTE December 1991, p. 118-128), the first screen reader to build an off-screen model was outSPOKEN.
  13. ^Implementing Accessibility on Android.
  14. ^Apple Accessibility API.
  15. ^'Oracle Technology Network for Java Developers – Oracle Technology Network – Oracle'.
  16. ^Chris Heilmann (March 13, 2008). 'Yahoo! search results now with natural language support'. Yahoo! Developer Network Blog. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2015.

External links[edit]

Look up screen reader in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  • Fangs screen reader emulator – an open-source Mozilla Firefox extension that simulates how a web page would look in JAWS
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Screen_reader&oldid=960038829'

If you’re creating an instructional video, then using a screen recording software will definitely make things easier. Moreover, recording and sharing of videos have become more common and popular than you think. You must have seen hundreds of videos with step by step guides on YouTube for troubleshooting a device. Surprisingly, most Youtubers use screen recorder apps to accomplish the task.

Here we have discussed much best screen recorder for Mac. So, let’s check out them.

Best Mac Screen Recorder 2020

1. Capto

Capto is another one of the best screen recording software for Mac that is developed by Global Delight Technologies Pvt. Ltd. It is all-in-one software that not only allows you to capture your computer screen but also allows to record your screen, edit it and share at the press of a button.

The app provides a broad range of pictures and video editing tools as well as an easily navigable folder-based organizer for your screen captures. Moreover, you can also share your videos and screenshots on popular platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Evernote and Dropbox.

2. Monosnap

Monosnap is the easiest way to capture screenshots, share files, record video and gifs. The app allows you to capture your screen in any direction whether it is a circle, rectangle, square or full screen during the recording. You can highlight vital details with pen, text, arrows, and different shapes and crop the area for a pixel perfect image with 8x magnifier. The best part about this software is, it allows you to hide your private and personal information with the blur tool.

You can use Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Dropbox, and Monosnap’s web sharing space to share your screen recording with your friends and family in one click.

Also Read: 5 Best Duplicate Photo Cleaner Tools for Mac

3. ScreenFlow

ScreenFlow is one of the best screen recorder software for Mac. It has a user-friendly easy to edit interface that allows you to creatively edit your video, text, music, animations, and transitions for a professional-looking screencast. The app allows you to record your computer screen while capturing a video camera, iOS device, microphone, multi-channel audio device and computer audio.

ScreenFlow is a professional level screen recording software that not only helps you to combine your screen recorded content, keynote & PowerPoint presentations but also helps you to add in animations, images, text, a soundtrack in the video. You can also create picture-in-picture video with your screen recording and a video camera in no time.

4. Camtasia 3

Camtasia 3 is the best all-in-one video editor and screen recorder software which makes amazing videos and screen recordings in no time. The app allows you to record a video of your screen or bring in your own video footage. It helps you to build your videos quickly with multiple tracks for image, video, text, and audio. Best part of this software is, you don’t need a separate audio program when recording a narration for your video.

Also Read: 10 Best Backup Software For Mac In 2017

You can not only record a video on your computer screen but also bring the video in your own footage. You can also design and edit animated text, images and icons to give a crisp, polished look to your video without being a professional video editor. Camtasia 3 software allows you to share your videos to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, Apple devices, your website, blog, and many more.

5. Snagit

Snagit is one of the best screen recording software for Mac and is used for screen capture and recording. It allows you to take a screenshot or capture a video of what you see on your computer screen and resize the captured area right down to the pixel. Snagit provides annotation varieties like arrows, speech bubbles, so that you can to easily customize your capture.

It is an excellent tool for business that helps to capture a website, record an online meeting, or send someone feedback in an email. In other words, it simply brings clarity to the information. Snagit is a professional and time-saving tool at many levels.

The app allows to take a full-page screenshot in different ways such as horizontal, vertical, or entire scrolling area with just a click. It helps you to quickly get rid of any unwanted sections from your screen recordings.

6. Jing

Jing is a screen capture software that allows you to capture any parts of your screen and save that area as a static image or even a video. In fact, it allows you to add text and draw further attention to the area you want to highlight. Like other programs, this program also allows you to share the image or video with friends and family. However, you’ll have to be logged in to screencast.com to make it work.

Thanks to its mind-blowing interface, that makes you feel like you’re working on a web application instead of a real program. The built-in feature allows you to edit the captured images and videos in your style. In short, Jing is really easy to use a program and just as good as Snagit but it is free.

7. Screen Record Studio

Screen Record Studio is a professional screen record software for Mac. Like other software, this software also allows you to easily record your computer audio, video and game. You can record single window or customize your screen for recording. The app allows you to use system build-in microphone or audio input device.

Also Read: How to Manage Your Music Library: Pro Tips

The app has an amazing feature that allows you to add text and logos on the recording. You can compress and trim recorded video on this software. Screen Record Studio allows you to share your screen recording with your friends, family, and colleagues.

8. Snapz Pro X

Screen Reading Software For Mac Windows 10

Snapz Pro X is a simple and easy software that allows you record anything on the computer screen. This tool is designed in such a way that you can capture your whole screen or any part of your screen. The app shows you exactly how your captured image will look like before you save it. This app has “Live Preview” features that allow you to change drop shadow, scaling, cropping and many other things.

9. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is one of the best screen recording software for Mac which is also an open source software for video recording and lives streaming. It captures real time video/audio capturing and mixing, with unlimited scenes you can switch between seamlessly via custom transitions. OBS Studio provides hundreds of filters to give a professional look to your recording.

Screen Reading Software For Mac Download

The software provides powerful and easy to use configuration option that helps to find add new videos, duplicate existing ones, and adjust their properties effortlessly. You can also use light or dark themes as per your preferences.

10. LightShot

LightShot software is available for both Windows and Mac. The app helps you to select the area on your desktop to take a screenshot. The software also helps you to search for similar images and edit your captured images anytime. LightShot also allows you to share your screen captures and recording via Facebook and Twitter with your Macintosh. You can add effects in recording with the software before uploading it the Facebook or Twitter.

Mac Screens App

Also Read: 10 Best Video Converter Software for Mac

Screen Reading Software For The Blind

These are 10 best screen recording software for Mac to record your favorite videos and games in no time. Do not forget to let us know which one is your favorite in the comment section below.

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