NVDA's a great free screen reader with the ability to add plugins or extra customisation and accessability.
Useful Features:
- has plugins that allow customisation to the program, extending functionality and acessability
- has a customisable "progrtam start" file, but has to be set-up manually, and needs ot be a set audio format
- allows creation of a portable copy of the program to run via a USB thumbdrive. pretty handy when you have to use someone else's computer
NOTE: I've had some issues with the arrow keys not passing through when I have the screen reader on.
List of good plugins:
- Applicaiton Dictionary (Link: https://github.com/ruifontes/applicationDictionary-)
- Beep keyboard
Download Link: https://www.nvaccess.org/download/
Obsidian's a good note-taking app with a lot of customisation via plugins. it also has paid a "sync" feature to sync the notes between devices
Use Case: I use Obsidian not just as my note-taking app, but as my shopping list as well. I write out my shopping list on my PC then use Obsidian on my Andrid Tablet which has a simplified UI with large text to easily view my shopping list. Please keep in mind that cross-platform syncing is only available via a paid subscription of the program. Sometimes when I'm out shopping, I've noticed that it's handy to have a link to the prodcut that I'm looking to purchase, so I use the 'embed link' feature on some selected text to shorten links, and make my shopping list more bearable to view. when I tap on the link twice, it opens the link in my tablet's browser, which makes it easier for other people to help me find what I'm looking for specifically while I'm out.
List of good plugins:
- Emoji Shortcodes
- Hider
- Iconize
- Janitor
Download Link: https://obsidian.md/download
ShareX is program that's primarily used for taking screenshots. it can also be used to extract text via OCR on a keypress.
Useful Features:
- OCR a region or whole screen via a button
- QR code scanner
- allowing screenshots to be sent to differnet
Use Cases:
- press a hotkey to OCR an entire screen or region and send to a text file
- press a hotkey to screenshot an entire screen or or multiple screens/monitors then send to an email address
- press a hotkey to take a screenshot of an entire screen then print out
Download Link: https://getsharex.com/downloads
Display fusion is a Program that adds extended customisation to windows.
Useful Features:
- allows auto-close of windows eg. for popups
- allows auto minimisation of windows eg. for program popups
- allows windows to automatically open to a specific screen/display for set programs
Windows Powertoys is a multi-use windows program that can be used for window management and keeping your PC powered on via a taskbar option menu without having to change your windows power settings. I believe this is built into windows 11 by default now
Wii Balance Walker is a program that's used for linking a Nintendo Wii Fit Board to a PC via Bluetooth. The board's movements can be used to simulate a mouse of a set of keybinds.
Useful Features: supports analouge inputs
Use Case: can be used as a wireless "controller" to control things such as screen readers by setting up hotkeys to movements.
List of Movements:
Other: I would imagine that the wii fit board's analogue input could be used in some games for moving the character's head around to pin-point audio of enemies. I personally don't use it for this, but I would guess that it's worth looking into for games that lack accesibility out of the box, but it would take time to learn how to use it fluently, and would probably require a sighted person to help set up.
NOTE: setup's a pain in the butt to do, even for sighted users.
Download Link: https://github.com/lshachar/Wiibalancewalker/releases
Autohotkey is a program that's used to add hotkeys easily to windows via simple scripting.
Features:
- easy scripting
- scripting allows for advanced customisation
Other: another alternative program is called 'Lua macros'
Intercept and Interception are two programs used in conjuction to intercept key presses from different keyboard, allowing you to fully rebind a keyboard HID device. Typically all keyboards in windows are treated the same eg. the hotkeys remaped to one keyboard is also remapped to all keyboards.
Using this program may be handy when you're in a pinch, so that you can use spare keyboard for hotkeys. You might be able to use this technique for macropads that you buy from Aliexpress as well, but I'm yet to test that personally. A much better system would be to purchase a HID device designed to be remapped via a program eg. an Elgato Stream Deck.
Features:
- intercepts individual keyboards to change the inputs to be hotkeys.
NOTE: it can be a pain to setup, so I'd recommend subjecting a sighted person to the pain on your behalf to set it up.
SharpKeys is a program used to remap windows keys via a simple GUI.
From what I understand, the program edits the registry to remap a key, which means that the program doesn't need to run in the background, and should have no compatibility issues with other hotkey programs.
Features:
- can be used to easily remap windows keys (but not a combination of keybinds)
- a text editor with plugins. NOTE: I recommend you have a sighted person set it up for you.
Ninite is a website/service that allows downloading multiple windows programs in one executable file via a GUI.
Usage: used to download multiple windows programs in one executable. The website has a list of commonly used windows programs for sighted users, but also has NVDA Access and ShareX.
NOTE: it may be easier for a sighted person to set up the installation on your behalf.
Website Link: https://ninite.com/
- can be used to create TTS audio files for free
- can be used in combination with Tasker on android for audio cues
Brave Browser is a chromium-based browser that removes a lot of google chrome's pop-ups. The first time setup can be a pain, as the program will add useless features, but once those features are setup, it won't pester you again.
Features:
- has a simpler google chrome user interface
- won't pester you to login to google
- has a sync capability
- has a password manager
Download Link: https://brave.com/download/
PocketTube's a browser extension that enables further customisation of youtube's features.
an app for android that allows further customisation of a phone.
Use Case:
- can be used to set physical mic on/off buttons depending on phone
- can set audio cues eg:
- phone charging
- phone 'Low Power (Stamina Mode)'
- bluetooth connected
- bluetooth disconnected
Nova Launcher is an android launcher that allows customisation of a phone's launcher/home screen
Use Case:
- can be used to keep consistance of homescreen layout between devices
Below is a List of Windows programs that I've found to scale incorrectly or get cut-off on my screen (1920x1080 Screen) with windows Text size larger than default:
- Logitech Ghub (Link: https://www.logitechg.com/en-au/innovation/g-hub.html)
- Discord (Link: https://discord.com/)
- Spotify (Link: https://open.spotify.com/)
- Steam (Link: https://store.steampowered.com/)
- LogiOptions Plus (Link: https://www.logitech.com/en-au/setup/ergosetup/logi-options.html)
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Duxbury Braille Translator (Link: https://www.duxburysystems.com/dbt_main.asp?f3=) can be used to translate .BRF files into PDF's, making them printable for normal printers. from there, a sighted person can input the printed text to a hand brailler and slate. I'm partially sighted, and I've only touched this program a little, so I'm uncertain of consistancy or accuracy of the translated braille.
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Track IR - can be used for headtracking in games. paid service service/program. Opentrack's commonly used in it's place
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Opentrack - an open source program that can be used for headtracking in games. there's different methods of head tracking available in the program. one of the methods is by using a webcam, which while it can be inaccurate, it's an easy way to get into a game and get some headtracking. I use it for 3d games with direcitonal audio so that I can pin-point sound.