The screen reader ‘NVDA’ is becoming more popular as a free and open-source tool. Now, it offers even more features when connected to Dot Pad. Let's hear from Da-Seul Park, who has tried it out.
Da-Seul, who has low vision and can read both print and braille, uses magnification and screen readers. She is an accessibility tester for 'Linkage Lab,'.
With her dual monitor setup, Da-Seul simultaneously reads enlarged text and Dot Pad.
Hey, Da-Seul, can you introduce yourself? :-)
It's Da-Seul. Due to my low vision, I primarily use magnification, but I rely on screen readers for long texts or new websites and apps. I also use various assistive tech tools, depending on my needs.
What was it like using Dot Pad for the first time?
I had only heard about Dot Pad before, but using it for the first time was amazing. Unlike traditional braille devices, Dot Pad's 300-cell display lets you read long texts or books in one go, and the 20-cell display is perfect for short texts. It was easy to read, and the braille cells were well-protected. The larger cell spacing made information clear and user-friendly, even for those new to braille.
Here's how I used Dot Pad!
I've been thinking a lot about how to make the most of my Dot Pad. I used it to read documents and check my work for typos and context. You know how tricky it can be to catch typos when you have low vision, right? Usually, I rely on a screen reader, but going through each word or character can take forever, and I still miss stuff sometimes.
But with NVDA and Dot Pad together, my work got much easier and faster. I could proofread and understand everything quickly, which really boosted my efficiency. I even started using it for studying and browsing. Instead of just listening, reading with Dot Pad helped me focus better and learn faster. It's so convenient that I can see myself using it for many things.
I also checked charts with Dot Pad connected to NVDA. It was so cool to see chart shapes on the 300-cell display, and it was really useful. When I transferred the graphs I usually see during accessibility testing to Excel and reviewed them with my fully blind colleagues, it felt like a new experience. Plus, displaying test content on the 300-cell display while writing meant no more switching windows all the time, which was a huge time-saver and made everything more accurate.
When I was testing stock-related sites for accessibility, I thought it would be awesome to check stock rise/fall graphs with NVDA-Dot Pad.
Using NVDA Screen Reader to Read News Articles on Dot Pad and Running Two Programs with Dot Pad Using Dual Monitor Function
Why NVDA-Dot Pad is Awesome!
The best thing about using NVDA-Dot Pad for work was how much it reduced my error rate and helped me clearly understand and recognize the content. Sometimes, I wonder, “What was I thinking when I wrote this?” However, I can check and write more accurately with Dot Pad and make corrections easily. The 300-cell display lets me see a lot of content simultaneously, making everything faster and super convenient.
Looking Forward to the Future of NVDA-Dot Pad
One small improvement could be temporarily clearing all the dots while it’s connected. Security is a big deal since my work involves using a device that prints what the screen reader reads. Even if I turned off Dot Pad to leave my desk, the printed content stayed visible, which was a bit of a worry. It would be great if the cell content were reset when powered off. Security is crucial in any company; someone could see the content if I left it unattended.
Despite that, Dot Pad is the most convenient device I've used for reading braille and other applications. The connection with NVDA provided diverse experiences. I hope NVDA will eventually render graphical user interfaces like icons tactilely, enabling fully blind testers to judge how to construct alternative text for images. It might not be feasible now, but it could be possible with significant advancements.
Go Dot Pad!!