Read Out Loud - Creating Accessible PDF Files

Read Out Loud

In addition to running the checker tools, it is a good idea to test your document with a screen reading application like JAWS. Adobe Acrobat 6.0 and later offers a built in "Read Out Loud" command. To run this tool, from the file menu go to View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud.

Windows Commands for Read out Loud feature

from the View menu:

  • Choose Alt + V for View, then A for Read Out Loud, and then O for Read this page only.
  • Choose Alt + V for View, then A for Read Out Loud, and then E for Read to end of document.
  • Choose Alt + V for View, then A for Read Out Loud, and then P to Pause reading. Note that if reading is paused, this command changes to Resume reading. Press the letter R to Resume reading.
  • Choose Alt + V for View, then A for Read Out Loud, and then S to Stop reading.

Keyboard commands are:

  • Ctrl + Shift + V to Read this page only.
  • Ctrl + Shift + B to Read to end of document.
  • Ctrl + Shift + C to Pause or Resume reading.
  • Ctrl + Shift + E to Stop reading.

Although the read aloud tool in Adobe does not offer many of the tools that a full version screen reading application will, it is a good idea to see if reading actually occurs that way you intend it to.