The NV Access phone-based support will provide training on how to use the screen reader, including its advanced features. This support for the NVDA screen reader will further increase access to the internet for people who are blind or vision impaired and require assistive technology to use the internet.
The makers of NVDA report on the release and highlight some of the key new features, including automatic speech language switching when reading documents with appropriate language information; support for 64 bit Java Runtime Environments; reporting of text formatting in browse mode in Mozilla applications and better handling of crashes and freezes.
The improvements hinge on increased support for screen readers and the introduction of new keyboard shortcuts to assist blind users. For instance, when using spreadsheets, screen reader users will now hear the cell’s location and hear feedback when outside the main content area. The Calendar application now supports the JAWS, VoiceOver and ChromeVox screen readers and allows keyboard shortcuts for navigation between functions.
