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A Screen Reader software application reads aloud information displayed on a computer monitor screen. The screen reader reads aloud text within a document, and it also reads aloud information within dialog boxes and error messages. Screen Readers also read aloud and menu selections, graphical icons on the desktop. Recent upgrades are much better reading aloud information on the World Wide Web.
Screen Magnification software enlarges the viewing area of a computer monitor display. Magnification levels are measured in power levels. Such has 2x (2 power), and can go as high a level as 16x magnification.
There are software applications that have features that include screen magnification, screen reader, and text reader.
Finally, there are applications that use a flatbed scanner and software called OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for inputing printed (hard copy) information into the computr to be read aloud and/or magnified using the above mentioned software applications.
NOTE: Text Reader applications (text-to-speech) should not be confused with screen readers. Text readers primarily read aloud text as it is keyboarded, and reads aloud text within documents such as e-mails, word processing documents, and other electronic text format. These type of software applications are more likely to be used by people with learning disabilities, people with poor reading abilities, and ESL (English as Second Language).
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