Writing content for Screen reader users

An Introduction to Screen Readers

1.    What is a Screen Reader?

A Screen Reader is a piece of assistive technology. It works by reading the code of an app/web page out loud to a user who finds it difficult to read because of a permanent, temporary or situational impairment.

2.    Who uses Screen Readers?

·       People with low vision or sight loss

The primary demographic of Screen Readers is those with low vision and sight loss. People with these impairments can often see something. The Screen Reader allows them access to digital content more easily. 

·       Not everyone who uses a Screen Reader is blind or has a visual impairment.

People with dyslexia and mobility impairments will often use Screen Readers, too. 

3.    How do Screen Readers work? 

·       Screen Readers read from left to right and top to bottom

A Screen Reader's 'expected behaviour' is to read from left to right and top to bottom. It is essential to know this. Sometimes, designers require the Screen Reader to do something different, such as reading in a different order or grouping content.

·       Screen Readers read what is on the screen exactly.

A document or webpage fails inclusive design principles if it does not describe meaningful images, videos, illustrations, and graphs in words or as alt text, as this prevents screen readers from accessing the same information available to non-impaired groups.

·      Screen readers cannot understand the context of the content they read.

Screen Reader users who often find themselves with a negative balance, continuously spending beyond their means, face a critical issue with communicating their financial status. The Screen Reader fails to interpret '-5.00' correctly as it reads but disregards the minus symbol. As a result, this user remains uninformed about their financial position, not realising when they have dipped into an overdraft situation.

4.    Screen Reader Software

Different operating systems use different Screen Reader software:

·      JAWS and NVDA work with Desktop

·       Voiceover with iPhone and Talkback with Android

·       According to the latest WebAIM survey (2024), Screen Reader users' primary software is JAWS (40.5%), then NVDA (37.7%), followed by Voiceover

·       iOS is the most popular mobile operating system (70.7%) vs Android (27.6%)

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