NVDA

NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) is a free “screen reader” which enables blind and vision impaired people to use computers. It reads the text on the screen in a computerised voice. You can control what is read to you by moving the cursor to the relevant area of text with a mouse or the arrows on your keyboard.

NVDA can also convert the text into braille if the computer user owns a device called a “braille display”.

NVDA provides the key to education and employment for many blind people. It also provides access to social networking, online shopping, banking and news.

NVDA works with Microsoft Windows. You can download it to your PC, or to a USB stick which you can use with any computer.

Normally screen readers are expensive, making them unaffordable for many blind people. NVDA is free. It’s been downloaded 70,000+ times, in 43 languages.

• SILL