Proofreading often felt frustrating—until I realized the funny and sometimes awkward mistakes I was making. From typing “Bests regards” in an email to missing a comma that completely changed a sentence’s meaning, editing and proofreading are not just tasks—they are vital skills that can save you from embarrassing situations.
For blind and visually impaired individuals like me, proofreading presents unique challenges. However, NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) has made the process accessible and efficient. Its features enable me to create polished, accurate documents with confidence. In this guide, I’ll share practical tips and strategies for mastering editing and proofreading with NVDA, whether you’re reviewing emails, reports, or collaborative projects. Let’s explore how NVDA can simplify these tasks.
For blind and visually impaired individuals like me, proofreading comes with its own unique challenges. Fortunately, with NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access), these challenges can be tackled effectively, enabling you to achieve polished, accurate documents. In this guide, I’ll share practical tips and strategies for mastering editing and proofreading with NVDA, whether you’re reviewing emails, reports, or collaborative documents. Let’s dive into these challenges and how NVDA can help overcome them.
Challenges in Proofreading for Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals
Why NVDA Is My Go-To for Proofreading
Proofreading as a blind or visually impaired person comes with its fair share of challenges. But screen reader like NVDA make it not only possible but much easier. Here’s how NVDA with its text-to-speech proofreading features helps me tackle some common hurdles:
1. Finding Typos and Grammar Mistakes: Without being able to visually scan text, spotting typos or missing commas can feel like a guessing game. NVDA takes the guesswork out by reading text aloud or spelling out words, helping me catch errors with ease.
2. Understanding Formatting: Styles like bold, italics, or headings don’t stand out when you can’t see them. NVDA announces these details, making sure I don’t miss important formatting.
3. Working with Complex Documents: Reviewing files with tables, charts, or multiple sections can feel overwhelming. NVDA simplifies this by reading table headers, describing content, and helping me move through sections efficiently.
4. Collaborating on Edits: Managing comments, track changes, or suggestions can be tricky without the right tools. NVDA lets me jump between edits, read feedback, and address suggestions without losing track of anything.
5. Checking Punctuation: Punctuation might seem small, but it’s critical for clarity. NVDA’s settings let me focus on commas, periods, and other details to ensure everything reads smoothly.
6. Handling Non-Accessible Files: Not all PDFs or older documents are screen reader-friendly, which can make proofreading frustrating. NVDA works well with properly formatted PDFs, but for untagged or tricky files, tools like Adobe Acrobat can help. By adding tags or converting the document into a more accessible format, without much hassle.
Getting Started: Setting Up NVDA for Proofreading
Before you jump into proofreading, it’s worth taking a few minutes to set up NVDA in a way that works best for you. Here’s how I do it:
Adjust the Speech Rate: Go to Preferences > Voice Settings and pick a speed you’re comfortable with. If you’re new to NVDA, start slow and increase it gradually as you get used to the voice.
Turn on Punctuation Detection: In Verbosity Settings, choose “most” or “all” so you don’t miss those important commas, periods, or other punctuation.
Enable Braille Support: If you use a Braille display, turn it on under Preferences > Braille Settings. This adds a tactile way to double-check your work.
Remap the Modifier Key: I like to switch the NVDA modifier key from Insert to Caps Lock—it’s much easier to use, especially if you’re on a laptop.
Essential Commands for Proofreading with NVDA
Proofreading with NVDA becomes much easier when you know the right shortcuts. These commands can help you work faster and more accurately. Note: NVDA refers to the key you’ve chosen during setup (either Insert or Caps Lock). If you’ve mapped Caps Lock as your NVDA key, use it instead of Insert in the commands below.
Basic Navigation
Read the Current Line: Press NVDA + Up Arrow to hear the line you’re on.
Move Line by Line: Use the Up Arrow to go to the previous line or the Down Arrow to move to the next one.
Read the Current Word: Press NVDA + Numpad 5. If you’re on a laptop, use Caps Lock + K.
Press the same command twice to hear the word spelled out.
• Read the Entire Document: Press NVDA + A to start reading from your current position.
Navigating Sentences, Paragraphs, and Headings
Move by Sentence: Press Alt + Down Arrow for the next sentence or Alt + Up Arrow for the previous one.
Move by Paragraph: Use Ctrl + Down Arrow to jump to the next paragraph or Ctrl + Up Arrow to go back.
List Headings: Press NVDA + F7 to view all headings in the document.
Jump by Headings: Use H to navigate forward through headings or Shift + H to go back.
Formatting and Punctuation
Check Formatting: Press NVDA + F to hear details like bold, italics, or heading levels. If you’re using a laptop, press Caps Lock + F.
Adjust Punctuation Levels: Press NVDA + P to switch between none, some, most, or all punctuation being announced.
Toggle Formatting Announcements: Use NVDA + V to quickly enable or disable formatting details.
Check Font and Color: Press NVDA + Shift + F to hear details like font size, type, or color.
Editing and Selecting Text
Move Word by Word: Use Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow to navigate one word at a time.
Select Text: Hold Shift while using the arrow keys to highlight text. Add Ctrl for selecting word by word.
Cut, Copy, and Paste: Use Ctrl + X, Ctrl + C, and Ctrl + V to edit text.
Working with Tables
Move Between Cells: Use Ctrl + Alt + Right/Left Arrow to navigate cells in a row.
Move Between Rows: Use Ctrl + Alt + Down/Up Arrow to move up or down in a table.
Jump to Table Headers: Press Ctrl + Alt + Home to navigate to the first cell and hear its header.
Toggle Header Announcements: Use NVDA + Shift + C to enable or disable row and column headers.
Collaborating on Edits
Review Changes in Microsoft Word:
• Jump to the next change with Alt + R, then H, or go back with Alt + R, then G.
Accept a change with Alt + R, then A, or reject it with Alt + R, then J.
Navigate Comments in Google Docs: Use Ctrl + Alt + M to move through comments.
Enable or Disable Track Changes in Word: Press Ctrl + Shift + E to toggle track changes on or off.
Spell Checking
Open Spell Check: Press F7 to access the spell check dialog.
Review Suggestions: Use the Arrow Keys to move through suggestions, and press Enter to choose one.
Advanced NVDA Features
Repeat Last Spoken Text: Press NVDA + Up Arrow to hear the last line or action repeated.
Speech Viewer: Open the speech viewer by pressing NVDA + N, going to Tools, and selecting Speech Viewer. This provides a visual transcript of what NVDA reads aloud.
Element List: Press NVDA + F7 to access a list of headings, links, and other interactive elements.
Search and Navigation
Find Specific Text: Press Ctrl + F to locate a word or phrase.
Move Between Search Results: Use Enter to jump to the next result or Shift + Enter to go back.
Other Handy Commands
Announce Your Location: Press NVDA + Delete to hear your current position in the document or table.
Read the Status Bar: Use NVDA + End. On a laptop, press Caps Lock + End.
• Stop Speech Quickly: Press Ctrl at any time to silence NVDA.
How I Proofread with Microsoft Word and NVDA
Microsoft Word has always been my go-to tool for proofreading. It’s universally used, highly accessible, and, most importantly, supports screen readers like NVDA. Together, they create a seamless experience that makes handling edits, comments, and formatting straightforward. One feature I rely on the most is Track Changes, which helps me stay organized and on top of every edit.
Using Track Changes
For those who may not be familiar, Track Changes is a feature in Word that highlights every addition, deletion, and modification made to a document. It’s incredibly useful for collaborative projects or when you need to review your own work. Here’s how I use it:
Turn on Track Changes: Press Alt + R, then T, and NVDA will announce that Track Changes is enabled. From this point on, every edit is tracked for easy review.
Navigate Changes: Press Alt + Shift + N to jump to the next change or Alt + Shift + P to move back to the previous one.
Accept or Reject Changes:
•To accept a change, press Alt + R, then A.
• To reject it, press Alt + R, then R.
Track Changes makes proofreading organized and efficient, especially when dealing with multiple edits or feedback.
Working with Comments
Comments in Word are another essential tool, particularly for collaborative projects. NVDA makes navigating and managing comments simple.
• Access Comments: Press Alt + R, then C, and NVDA will read the comment aloud while highlighting its location in the document.
• Reply to Comments: Press Enter to start typing your reply. When you’re finished, press Ctrl + Enter to save it.
Comments allow me to address feedback clearly and stay engaged in conversations about the document.
Checking Formatting
Formatting plays a key role in making a document look polished and professional. With NVDA, I can ensure no detail goes unnoticed.
• Announce Formatting: Press Insert + F (or Caps Lock + F on a laptop) to hear details like bold, italics, or heading levels.
• Explore Headings: Press Insert + F7 to bring up a list of all headings, making navigation in long documents quick and easy.
Navigating Tables
Tables used to feel scary, but NVDA has made them much easier to manage. Its tools provide precise navigation and context.
• Move Through Cells: Use Ctrl + Alt + Arrow Keys to navigate between cells. NVDA announces the content of each cell along with any associated headers, so I never lose my place.
Proofreading in Word with NVDA is efficient, accessible, and reliable. NVDA ensures every aspect of the document is accessible and easy to interact with. Together, they help me tackle everything from tracking edits to navigating complex tables with confidence.
How I Proofread with Google Docs and NVDA
While Word is my go-to, Google Docs is great for collaboration. With NVDA, I can easily work through comments, suggestions, and edits.
Setting Up Google Docs
Enable Screen Reader Support: Press Ctrl + Alt + Z to turn it on. NVDA will confirm with “Screen reader support enabled.”
Enable Braille Support: If you use a Braille display, activate it under Tools > Accessibility Settings.
Working with Comments
Adding Comments: Press Ctrl + Alt + M to add a comment where the cursor is.
• Navigating Comments: Use Tab to move forward through comments and Shift + Tab to go back.
Replying to Comments: Select a comment, press Enter, type your reply, and press Ctrl + Enter to submit.
Using Suggesting Mode
Google Docs’ Suggesting Mode is its version of Track Changes.
Turning on Suggesting Mode: Open the Tools menu with Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Z, navigate to Editing Mode, and choose Suggesting.
Navigating Suggestions:
Jump to the next suggestion with Ctrl + Alt + N, then Ctrl + Alt + C.
Move back with Ctrl + Alt + P, then Ctrl + Alt + C.
Accepting or Rejecting Suggestions: When you’re on a suggestion, press Enter to open the menu, then choose Accept or Reject.
Advanced Navigation in Google Docs
Headings Navigation: Press Ctrl + Alt + H to list headings and jump directly to a section.
Tables: Navigate tables using Ctrl + Alt + Arrow Keys, and NVDA will read out the content and headers.
Practical Tips for Efficient Proofreading
Proofreading isn’t just about the tools you use—it’s about developing habits and strategies that make the process smoother and more effective. Here are some practical tips that have helped me improve my workflow:
1. Create a Distraction-Free Workspace
Find a quiet spot where you can concentrate fully. Turn off notifications on your devices and, if possible, use noise-canceling headphones to block out background noise.
2. Take Regular Breaks
Proofreading for long stretches can be mentally draining. To stay focused, try the Pomodoro technique: work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. This keeps your mind fresh and prevents fatigue.
3. Proofread in Small Sections
Breaking a large document into smaller sections can make the task feel more manageable. Review one section at a time, and revisit earlier sections later to catch anything you might have missed.
4. Pay Attention to Key Details
Be extra careful with elements like dates, figures, and proper nouns. These are often critical to a document and can easily slip through unnoticed.
5. Leverage NVDA’s Shortcuts
Mastering NVDA’s commands can significantly speed up your proofreading. Whether it’s jumping between headings, navigating tables, or checking formatting, these shortcuts save time and ensure accuracy.
6. Use Microsoft Word’s Read Aloud Feature
Microsoft Word includes a built-in Read Aloud tool that reads the document out loud. It’s a great way to hear the flow of your text and spot awkward phrasing or errors. To activate it, press Ctrl + Alt + Space. NVDA can also complement this feature by providing additional feedback.
7. Tweak NVDA’s Punctuation Settings
Adjust NVDA’s punctuation verbosity based on your needs. For example, set it to “all” when proofreading for detailed accuracy or “some” for a quick review.
8. Highlight Areas for Focus
Use the highlight tool in Word or Google Docs to mark sections that need extra attention. This makes it easy to revisit specific areas without losing your place.
9. Experiment with Different Voices in NVDA
Changing NVDA’s voice can offer a fresh perspective. For instance, switching to Eloquence or another speech synthesizer might help you catch nuances in phrasing or emphasis.
10. Double-Check with Another Tool
Tools like Grammarly or Microsoft Word’s Editor provide an additional layer of proofreading for grammar, spelling, and style. These tools are excellent complements to NVDA’s capabilities.
11. Collaborate Effectively
When working on shared documents, ensure collaborators provide feedback in accessible formats. For example, ask them to write clear and specific comments in Word or Google Docs.
12. Sync Work on Shared Files
If you’re collaborating, frequently save and sync your changes to avoid overwriting edits. Use clear file names or version numbers to track progress.
13. End with a Final Read-Through
Once you’ve addressed all comments and made edits, do a complete read-through of the document. This last pass ensures the tone and flow are consistent, and no errors are left behind.
Conclusion
Proofreading as a blind or visually impaired person might feel intimidating at first, but it’s a skill you can develop with time and practice. With the right techniques and a thoughtful approach, what once seemed difficult can become a manageable and even enjoyable process.
The tips I’ve shared are based on my own experiences and have helped me approach proofreading with confidence. It’s not just about spotting errors—it’s about ensuring that your words communicate exactly what you want them to. Every step you take, no matter how small, brings you closer to refining your skills and creating work you’re proud of.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all method. Take your time, experiment, and find what works best for you. Each document you review is an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve.
What has worked for you when it comes to proofreading? I’d love to hear your thoughts—let’s share and learn together!
