This section tells you about the different ways you can make your computer talk

Already on your computer

Screen readers and talking browsers

Window's Narrator

To start Narrator:

1. Open the ' Start ' menu by clicking on the ' Start ' button or by pressing the Windows logo key (located between the Ctrl and Alt keys on most keyboards), alternatively press ' Ctrl ' + ' Esc ' .
2. Click on ' All Programs ' or alternatively press ' P ' on the keyboard until All Programs is highlighted and then press ' Enter ' .
3. Click on ' Accessories ' or press ' A ' on the keyboard until ' Accessories ' is highlighted and then press ' Enter ' .
4. Click on ' Accessibility ' or if you are using the keyboard, it will already be highlighted so just press ' Enter '.
5. Click on ' Narrator ' or press' N ' until ' Narrator' is highlighted and then press ' Enter '.
6. The ' Microsoft Narrator ' window will then appear and ' Narrator ' immediately starts talking and reads out the instructions on how to use this feature.
7. After clicking on the ' OK ' button or pressing ' Enter ' , another window appears which has various options which you can select by clicking on the checkbox or tabbing to the checkbox and pressing the ' Spacebar ' . You can also adjust the voice settings from here by clicking on the ' Voice ' button or pressing ' V ' on the keyboard.

Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies - contact your local IT support for further help.

Jaws and IBM's Home Page Reader

There are specialist browsers that can combine hi-visibility features with speech output to cater for those with little or no vision.

One such program is IBM's Home Page Reader. It presents all web pages in an uncluttered text-only view and speaks out all text, links and picture tooltips.

IBM's Homepage Reader

It allows text to be made much larger than is possible in standard browsers, and uses colour as well as size to indicate different screen elements.

Screen reading software

Windows' Narrator is a limited speech output program and not a complete solution, for example, for those with no useful vision.

For a blind computer user to have effective access to MS Word, Internet Explorer and all the many other programs they may want to use a full screen-reader. Examples include Jaws and Window-eyes.

JAWS screen-reading software

These packages can be quite expensive but offer a lot of features such as reliable speech output which is essential for effective access for a blind user.