There are a number of different software packages available which range in price from free to several hundred pounds. Information about the free options is available from the Free assistive technology pages. On this page we'll give information about software that you have to pay for.
The more expensive products tend to have more features and technical support if things stop working. Free and low cost software may be more limited in what it does and more complicated to use.
This information is intended as an introduction to the subject. It's not intended to be a complete list of all products and services available, nor should it be taken that the products and services mentioned are recommended or endorsed by RNIB.
Need help with terminology? Read our glossary of technology terms.
Magnification software for Windows
For information about free options like Windows Magnifier, Lightning Express, Desktop Zoom and Mac OS X Zoom, see the Free assistive technology pages.
Magnifying Glass Pro
This is the paid-for version of the free Magnifying Glass utility. Additional features include a high contrast mode, the ability to track the cursor when typing, and a variety of visual effects and enhancements. A trial version is available from workers collection and full version is priced from $24.95 (US dollars).
ZoomText Express
ZoomText Express provides magnification up to 2 times and enhancement of screen colours (inverse colours or apply a tint to white areas), mouse pointer and text cursor. You can use it in full screen, or as a large or small lens. Priced at £69.95 (download version) or £79.95 (CD version) from a variety of UK suppliers, a trial version of ZoomText Express is also available.
ZoomText Express is the replacement product for ZoomWare.
SuperNova Magnifier (formerly Lunar)
SuperNova Magnifier can magnify from 1.2 to 60 times and incorporates a large variety of views (eg full screen, magnifying lens) and colour schemes.
It also has advanced features including True Font text smoothing, multi-monitor support, Windows logon magnification and separate adjustment of horizontal and vertical magnification.
There are two reading modes, line view and Doc Reader, and the ability to "hook" areas permanently onto the screen.
A trial version of SuperNova Magnifier is available, and prices start at £275.
ZoomText Magnifier
ZoomText Magnifier magnifies the screen from 1.1 to 36 times. It incorporates many features including xFont font smoothing, mouse and cursor enhancement and location and special colour setting options. It also includes Finders for desktop applications and text within windows, documents and web pages. It can also be linked to a high-definition webcam to act as a simple video magnifier.
Priced from £375 from various suppliers, and a trial version of ZoomText is available to download.
MAGic
MAGic shares many of the features of SuperNova Magnifier and ZoomText, although its font smoothing is more basic. From the makers of JAWS screen reader, it has many of the same reading commands. MAGic comes in two versions, Standard works with Home versions of Windows, and Professional works with all versions of Windows.
It is available from Sight and Sound from £175, and a trial version of MAGic can be downloaded from the manufacturer.
Screen reading (speech output) software for Windows
For information about free options like Mac OS X VoiceOver, NVDA, System Access to Go and Thunder, see the Free assistive technology pages.
Paid for screen readers have a number of features in common. They all support a variety of synthesizers and braille displays, and all have a navigation mode for moving around web pages with single key commands (like "H" for next heading), together with an editing mode for typing information into editable areas.
They all offer a number of verbosity and typing echo options, variable voice speeds, and a keyboard familiarisation mode where you can press keys without them activating, as well as a command for reading from the current location to the end of a document or web page. They all have ways to feed back information about capital letters or formatting, and settings that can be set per application and invoked automatically.
System Access
System Access is a cheap and cheerful screen reader that is available either as an installed application or on a USB memory drive which can be run without installation on the target computer. It is intended for use with the most popular applications like Microsoft Word and Outlook, Internet Explorer, Adobe Reader and Skype, but doesn't attempt to provide access to everything, and has no support for braille displays.
There is no trial or demo available, but it can be purchased for £270 from Computer Room Services.
SuperNova Reader (formerly Hal)
SuperNova Reader comes with a number of Orpheus, Eloquence, RealSpeak and Vocalizer voices, and a Welsh version of Orpheus is also available. It includes highlighting options for the mouse pointer, cursor and focus, and this extends to reading web pages. Dolphin scripts can be used to improve the accessibility of applications.
Dolphin Computer Access, the manufacturers of SuperNova, maintain a list of accredited trainers for all their products worldwide.
SuperNova Reader starts at £575, and a trial version of SuperNova Reader is available.
Window-Eyes
Window-Eyes prides itself on being robust and stable, and works with a wide range of applications, including Firefox and Thunderbird. The interface can be switched between Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced modes; the Beginner mode hides many of the advanced options and is therefore great for people who might find the large number of options overwhelming.
Window-Eyes also has fewer dialogues, each of which has more options, so there are relativley few keystrokes to remember. It has a scripting facility, although this is relatively new compared to SuperNova and JAWS.
Window-Eyes costs £595 excluding VAT from Computer Room Services or Force Ten
JAWS
JAWS claims to be "the world's most versatile, best-selling screen reading software". It offers support for a wide variety of applications together with good downloadable training material in MP3 and DAISY formats. Among its huge variety of options are a virtual ribbon for Microsoft Office 2010, so that it can be navigated in a similar way to the menu structure most users are more familiar with.
It also includes a DAISY reader which is limited to reading its own training material, but which can be turned into a full DAISY reader on further payment. JAWS has an extensive scripting language for improving the accessibility of difficult applications, and the "convenient OCR" feature can be used to access non-textual screen information like DVD menus (though not CAPTCHAs).
A JAWS trial is available for download, and it costs from £659 excluding VAT from a number of UK suppliers including RNIB and Sight and Sound.
Combined speech and magnification software for Windows
iZoom Screen Magnifier/Reader
Magnification ranges from 1.5 up to 50 times with a choice of either full screen and lens modes. It has a full range of enhanced colour modes where you can choose from over 12 text and background colours. It features ClearPoint font smoothing which helps to maintain clear text quality regardless of zoom level.
You can carry your iZoom Screen Magnifier and Reader on a portable thumb drive and use it on any Windows compatible PC without installation. It is available from Pamtrad with prices starting at £250. A free trial version of iZoom is also available to download.
SuperNova Reader Magnifier (formerly LunarPlus)
SuperNova Reader Magnifier has all the features of SuperNova Magnifier (see above), and includes speech output for extra support. It comes with a variety of Orpheus, Eloquence, RealSpeak and Vocalizer voices, and a Welsh version of Orpheus is available.
A trial version of SuperNova Reader Magnifier is available, and prices start at £375.
Dolphin Guide
Dolphin Guide is an all-in-one computer package that has been specifically designed to be easy to use and easy to learn. It presents a simplified interface to commonly-performed functions such as writing letters, sending and receiving emails and web browsing. It also includes features such as a calendar, address book and personal account system.
Dolphin Guide HandsFree is a version of the software that runs with Dragon Naturally Speaking (which has to be bought separately, as does a microphone).
Available from Dolphin Computer Access, from whom a trial can be downloaded. Prices start at £495.
ZoomText Magnifier Reader
This combines ZoomText Magnifier with a powerful set of reading tools. ZoomText reads your documents, web pages and email right through your computer speakers. ZoomText magnifies the screen from 1.25 to 36 times.
It incorporates many features including font smoothing, mouse and cursor enhancement and location and special colour settings options and a document reader. The most recent version has a background reading feature so you can do things like take notes while ZoomText is reading to you.
ZoomText is priced from £495 from a number of UK suppliers, and a free trial version of Zoomtext Magnifier Reader is available to download.
SuperNova Access Suite (formerly SuperNova)
SuperNova is a full screen reader offering magnification, speech and braille support, giving people with visual impairment the freedom to access Windows in the way that suits them best. It is ideal for both individual users, who experience varying or deteriorating eye conditions during a working day, or for institutional settings, such as in school or work, that need to provide solutions for visually impaired groups with a range of sight difficulties. A free trial of Supernova Access Suite is available, and prices start from £815.
Software for Mac OS X
There is very far less assistive technology software available for Mac OS X than for Windows, partly because far fewer people use Mac computers and partly because the built-in accessibility meets more people's needs. Two products that do exist are:
Visio Voice
Visio Voice builds on the existing accessibility built into the Mac OS X by adding additional voices, a document reader that can highlight words as they are spoken, and large cursors. Some of its other features, such as multilingual voices and a lens zoom mode, are available in Mac OS X Lion but not earlier versions.
More information and a trial of Visio Voice are available. The full version costs 249 euros.