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Screen reader software for use by blind users has been around for quite a while. Programs like JAWS for Windows convert graphics and text on a screen to audible speech. They offer some keyboard shortcuts, reducing the need for a mouse.

They have helped blind people use a computer when previously they could not, but these programs have limitations. They can be expensive. They have to be installed on any computer the person wants to use. If you are at your friend's house or the library and you want to search the Web or check your e-mail, you can't easily do that. Additionally, most screen readers don't tell the user where a mouse pointer is on the screen.

What if a person could sit down at any computer in the world and within a few seconds be able to search the Internet without having to install new software first? This would be revolutionary! Well, let the revolution begin. IBM, in conjunction with Washington University, has just released WebAnywhere.

WebAnywhere is not platform specific. Use a PC or Mac. It doesn't care. Internet Explorer? Mozilla? AOL? This utility is friendly to them all. Want to surf while shopping at a store? Pull out your phone and log onto WebAnywhere. The Web site will run on most smartphones.

Log on as you would any other site. A "welcome" page pops up and is read aloud. Use this page as a launching pad, just as you might use AOL. WebAnywhere provides you with an address bar to type URLs or keywords. Each new page will be spoken, with links or other elements presented top to bottom and left to right. It's as simple as that! Don't want to waste time on a particular link or page? Skip around using the customizable shortcut keys. Text typed by the user is also spoken aloud. Page changes due to that input aren't a problem. It easily reads the new content.

These days users of speech-enabled programs, such as screen readers, are used to hearing pleasant voices. One potential problem with WebAnywhere is that it uses the robotic-sounding voice that was standard fare years ago. Sometimes that voice can be slow and difficult to understand. While some Web  sites provide users with more pleasant-sounding voiceovers, usually it's difficult to access the feature, and only a limited percentage of the content is accessible in this manner.

As with other screen readers, WebAnywhere can be beneficial to people with dyslexia or learning disabilities. Because they read the text on the screen, users can avoid problems associated with word confusion.

Finally, Web developers can also benefit from WebAnywhere. If a developer is trying to create a new Web site or Web-based application with accessibility features, having a readily-available screen-reading program can help him understand where users might have difficulties.

Don't believe me? Check out the WebAim simulation to see how difficult it can be for a blind user to access your Website using a screen reader. Developers might include code that directs their application to interact with a "Talklet" server. Each page would be read, but users could not interact with or manipulate it.