ReadSpeaker® vs. Screen Readers: How Are They Different?
While ReadSpeaker® may seem similar to a screen reader, it actually has several key differences. Here's how to choose the right one for your needs.
What is a screen reader?
Screen readers convert text or Braille on a computer screen into spoken words that the user can listen to while working. Screen readers, as the name suggests, typically read everything on the screen, including browser tabs, button text, and other elements on the page. This level of assistance can be invaluable for blind or visually impaired users, as it allows them to independently navigate computer interfaces and use the full features of their devices without needing help from anyone else.
What is ReadSpeaker® ?
ReadSpeaker® text-to-speech tools also convert written text into speech, but they do so with additional customization options that make the experience smoother for people who aren't completely blind. While a blind person might need every single item on the screen to be read aloud, someone with a hint of visual impairment, dyslexia, or ADHD probably doesn't need it. They are able to see the screen, but for one reason or another, whether due to dyslexia, ADHD, another learning challenge, or a preference for a different learning style, they prefer audio assistance when absorbing digital content ReadSpeaker® addresses this middle ground by offering users a way to receive audio assistance where and when they need it. With a simple click on selected text, users can hear high-quality voices reading the text aloud within a web browser, a document, a learning management system (LMS), or on their phones.
The choice of tool depends on the users.
ReadSpeaker® users range from individuals who want a little help understanding the content of their documents and web browsers, to schools, government organizations, and large corporations who need to ensure all of their online content is accessible to employees who may have vision problems, dyslexia, or other problems deciphering text on screens. In contrast, screen reader users usually suffer from blindness or severe vision problems.
If your use cases are different, you can use both.
ReadSpeaker's TTS program can be used as a standalone solution or as a complement to a screen reader. While it may seem redundant on the surface to offer both at the same time, doing so can help you ensure that a wide variety of users can understand and enjoy your content. Let's say you run a school district and you're trying to ensure that all of your educational content is accessible via TTS within your school's LMS. You may have students who fall anywhere in the diagram above, and perhaps some students who have multiple disabilities. If so, you may want to make both forms of assistive technology available to your students to ensure every aspect is covered. On the other hand, maybe you run a business and don't have any visually impaired employees, or if you do, they already receive special services or have their preferred TTS solution. In that case, your goal might be to provide all users with a seamless work experience, regardless of their abilities. In that case, ReadSpeaker® is a great solution to give your employees the ability to use voice assistance when reading web pages and documents.
Both can be used online or offline.
There are some screen readers that work online in the cloud, but in most cases you will find screen readers already built into your operating system or screen reading services that you can purchase, download, and install. Once the software is set up, screen readers will, by definition, read everything that is on the screen. This means you could be browsing the web, scrolling through downloaded files, working on a document offline, or using a proprietary LMS within a school system, and your screen reader will make sure you hear the text on every page, button, and file that you open. ReadSpeaker® can also work online or offline, as long as you choose the right integrations for the situation. This is because some people don't want to hear everything said out loud. In fact, that type of distraction can make ADHD and similar disorders even more difficult to manage. Instead, we provide a set of tools that will work whenever and wherever you want, and nowhere. Try webReader for web pages, docReader for documents, and TextAid for almost everything else, including your phone!
