NVDA - Screen Reader for Windows Basics

If you're on a Windows machine and would like to get started with screen readers, NVDA is a great option. In this video, we'll cover the basics of navigating a page with NVDA, and share some useful keyboard shortcuts to make you more efficient. 

Download:
To download NVDA go to https://www.nvaccess.org/download/

Suggested Settings:

Go to the NVDA menu (Insert + N) Preferences, Settings, change the following then select OK:

• Speech and adjust the Voice, Rate, Pitch, Volume.
• Keyboard, select NVDA Key Modifier of Caps Lock and Insert
• Mouse, select Enable Mouse Tracking, and select Text Unit Resolution of Paragraph

Mouse Over to Read:
You can hover your mouse cursor over a text item to have the entire item read aloud and then move your cursor to another location

Key Commands

User Guide:
Download the NVDA Screen Reader for Windows Getting Started Guide - Job Aid (PDF) which lists the most common keyboard commands.

Respondus Lockdown Browser
If you would like to use NVDA together with an assignment or quiz that requires you to use a Lockdown Browser, you must first start NVDA prior to launching the Lockdown Browser.

Tip: After starting NVDA change the speech mode to off by pressing Insert/Caps Lock + S until you are ready to have it read aloud and then change the speech mode to talk (press Insert/Caps Lock + S twice to switch to beeps and then to talk mode).


Video Tutorials:
Additional topical video tutorials are available by going to Learn NVDA: A Free Screen Reader for Windows

Assistance:
Contact the Access Center for help or more information.
accesscenter@waubonsee.edu