Emacspeak is a speech interface that allows visually impaired users to interact independently and efficiently with the computer.
Emacspeak speech-enables local and remote information via a consistent and well-integrated user interface. The software is not technically a screen reader. A traditional screen reader speaks the content of the screen, leaving it to the user to interpret the visual layout. Emacspeak, on the other hand, treats speech as a first-class output modality; it speaks the information in a manner that is easy to comprehend when listening.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Core speech system that provides speech and audio services to the rest of the Emacspeak desktop
- Application-specific extensions provide context-specific spoken feedback using these services.
- Speech extensions for several popular Emacs subsystems and editing modes.
- Implements a special minor mode, known as “voice lock mode” which uses distinct speech characteristics to provide aural highlighting of specific textual constructs, such as comments in program code.
- Pronunciation dictionaries.
- Generate “auditory icons” — short sound cues which alert the user to significant events, for example the opening or deletion of a file, the completion of an action, the arrival of an electronic mail message or the creation of a completion buffer.
Website: emacspeak.sourceforge.net
Support: Manual, GitHub Code Repository
Developer: T. V. Raman
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
Related Software
| Screen-readers | |
|---|---|
| Orca Screen Reader | Screen-reader which provides access to applications and toolkits |
| Liblouis | Braille translator, back-translator and formatter |
| Speakup | Kernel-based speech synthesizer driver suite |
| BRLTTY | Provides access to the console using a refreshable braille display |
| Emacspeak | Emacs extension that provides spoken output |
| Odilia | Rust-based screen reader |
| Fenrir | Fast, flexible and efficient speech access for Linux text consoles |
| TDSR | Lightweight speech access for navigating Linux virtual consoles |
| SBW | Text editor with support for braille input |
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