
Once the user is done reading that line, they can push a button to go to the next line. The appropriate pins pop up to form Braille characters for that line of text, and the user can read it. When they work together, the screen reader sends a line of text to the refreshable Braille display. Screen readers act as an interface between a user and a computer’s operating systems and applications. It is a software program that allows blind web users to “read” the content of a page with either a speech synthesizer or braille display. It works by pushing small pins up into a line of holes to form Braille characters.Ī screen reader is a type of assistive technology. When it comes to web content, deaf-blind users may use a refreshable Braille display in combination with a screen reader to operate a computer and interact with web content.Ī refreshable Braille display is a piece of physical software that attaches to the bottom of a keyboard or laptop. People who are deaf-blind will often rely on touch for communication and understanding different kinds of content.

Assistive Technology for People Who Are Deafblind Braille Displays Generally, someone who is deaf-blind has concomitant hearing and vision loss, which cause severe communication and developmental issues.įor content creators and developers, it is essential to understand how people who are deaf-blind use the web, and how we can create web content that they can easily perceive and understand. It is estimated that around 0.2% of the world’s population is completely deaf-blind, and another 2% live with “milder forms” of deaf-blindness.
