Difference between revisions of "Audacity for blind users"
From Audacity Wiki
DavidBailes (talk | contribs) m (Moved the documentation section above the tips section.) |
Galeandrews (talk | contribs) (Added ednote to review relevance of Blind Tips to 2.0.x.) |
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| − | {{Intro|This page contains information for blind or visually impaired users of Audacity | + | {{Intro|This page contains information for blind or visually impaired users of Audacity. |We strongly recommend the visually impaired to use the [http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download current release of Audacity] and keep it updated. The latest version will always have the best screen reader and keyboard accessibility.}} |
__TOC__ | __TOC__ | ||
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==Current Audacity release== | ==Current Audacity release== | ||
| − | The Audacity developers have | + | The Audacity developers have significantly improved screen reader and keyboard accessibility in the last few years. You can always get the latest 2.0.x version of Audacity from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ . |
| + | |||
| + | A very important feature of current Audacity is the ability to fully [http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/audacity_selection.html#keyboard manipulate the selection using the keyboard]. | ||
Screen reader access works very well on Windows and Mac OS X but still needs further development on Linux. Please read the [http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/accessibility.html Accessibility] page in the [http://manual.audacityteam.org/o Manual] for full information about Audacity's keyboard and screen reader accessibility. | Screen reader access works very well on Windows and Mac OS X but still needs further development on Linux. Please read the [http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/accessibility.html Accessibility] page in the [http://manual.audacityteam.org/o Manual] for full information about Audacity's keyboard and screen reader accessibility. | ||
| − | Please read the "Screen Readers" section [[#screen|below]] for links to free screen readers. | + | Please read the "Free Screen Readers" section [[#screen|below]] for links to free screen readers. |
<div id="docs"></div> | <div id="docs"></div> | ||
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*[http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Audacity-2.0.5-Guide.html A Guide to using Audacity 2.0.5] with the commercial JAWS screen reader for Windows, by David Bailes. It includes tips for navigating Audacity 2.0.5 without the mouse which should be helpful to users on all operating systems. | *[http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Audacity-2.0.5-Guide.html A Guide to using Audacity 2.0.5] with the commercial JAWS screen reader for Windows, by David Bailes. It includes tips for navigating Audacity 2.0.5 without the mouse which should be helpful to users on all operating systems. | ||
| − | ==Tips for legacy 1.2.x | + | ==Tips for blind users == |
| + | |||
| + | Some of this content may only be relevant to legacy 1.2 versions of Audacity. | ||
| + | {{ednote|'''Gale 15Feb14:''' [[ToDo-2]] David B. has suggested the below links are looked at to see if they are still relevant to 2.0.x. [[Navigating Effects]] is definitely relevant to 2.0.x.}} | ||
* [[BlindKeyboardShortcuts|Keyboard Shortcuts]] | * [[BlindKeyboardShortcuts|Keyboard Shortcuts]] | ||
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* [[BlindPreferences|Preferences]] | * [[BlindPreferences|Preferences]] | ||
* [[BlindTips|Other tips]] | * [[BlindTips|Other tips]] | ||
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<div id="screen"></div> | <div id="screen"></div> | ||
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== Free Screen Readers == | == Free Screen Readers == | ||
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* [http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/ VoiceOver] built-in screen reader for '''OS X'''. Audacity 2.0.1 onwards works well with VoiceOver. Audacity versions before 2.0.1 had no explicit support for VoiceOver and very little of the Audacity interface will be read. | * [http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/ VoiceOver] built-in screen reader for '''OS X'''. Audacity 2.0.1 onwards works well with VoiceOver. Audacity versions before 2.0.1 had no explicit support for VoiceOver and very little of the Audacity interface will be read. | ||
* [http://live.gnome.org/Orca Orca] for '''Linux/Unix'''. As of GNOME 2.16, Orca is a part of the GNOME platform, so is already provided by default on a number of operating system distributions, including Open Solaris, Fedora and Ubuntu. It does not work with the KDE environment. Orca works quite well with the current Audacity, including reading most of the toolbar controls. | * [http://live.gnome.org/Orca Orca] for '''Linux/Unix'''. As of GNOME 2.16, Orca is a part of the GNOME platform, so is already provided by default on a number of operating system distributions, including Open Solaris, Fedora and Ubuntu. It does not work with the KDE environment. Orca works quite well with the current Audacity, including reading most of the toolbar controls. | ||
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{{CategoryTips}}[[Category:For Blind Users]] | {{CategoryTips}}[[Category:For Blind Users]] | ||
Revision as of 02:31, 15 February 2014
This page contains information for blind or visually impaired users of Audacity.
|
Contents
Current Audacity release
The Audacity developers have significantly improved screen reader and keyboard accessibility in the last few years. You can always get the latest 2.0.x version of Audacity from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ .
A very important feature of current Audacity is the ability to fully manipulate the selection using the keyboard.
Screen reader access works very well on Windows and Mac OS X but still needs further development on Linux. Please read the Accessibility page in the Manual for full information about Audacity's keyboard and screen reader accessibility.
Please read the "Free Screen Readers" section below for links to free screen readers.
Documentation and mailing lists
Further help is at hand if you need it.
- There is an Audacity4blind mailing list for "blind people helping each other use Audacity". The list archive is at http://www.freelists.org/archive/audacity4blind/ and you can subscribe at http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/lsg2.cgi/l=audacity4blind. The subscription is a somewhat complex three-stage process:
- Enter the e-mail address you want to subscribe with at http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/lsg2.cgi/l=audacity4blind, leaving the password field blank
- Wait for an e-mail that contains an activation link, then click that link
- In the web page that you come to, click the "Subscribe" button under the "Available Commands" list on the right.
- A Guide to using Audacity 2.0.5 with the commercial JAWS screen reader for Windows, by David Bailes. It includes tips for navigating Audacity 2.0.5 without the mouse which should be helpful to users on all operating systems.
Tips for blind users
Some of this content may only be relevant to legacy 1.2 versions of Audacity.
Gale 15Feb14: ToDo-2 David B. has suggested the below links are looked at to see if they are still relevant to 2.0.x. Navigating Effects is definitely relevant to 2.0.x.
Free Screen Readers
- NVDA for Windows. This works well with current Audacity versions and also with legacy 1.2 versions.
- VoiceOver built-in screen reader for OS X. Audacity 2.0.1 onwards works well with VoiceOver. Audacity versions before 2.0.1 had no explicit support for VoiceOver and very little of the Audacity interface will be read.
- Orca for Linux/Unix. As of GNOME 2.16, Orca is a part of the GNOME platform, so is already provided by default on a number of operating system distributions, including Open Solaris, Fedora and Ubuntu. It does not work with the KDE environment. Orca works quite well with the current Audacity, including reading most of the toolbar controls.
