[Trainer-Talk] Is NVDA enough for the blind?

[Will Walsh]

Hi Showe,

I'm actually quite glad you've brought this up. We too are feeling the shift over here, and I have personally found that NVDA works well enough for me in my daily workflow. If I can make a product work for me practically speaking, then I figure it's good enough for other fellow AT professionals as well as clients alike. Sure, we don't have the luxury of fancy scripts on the Jaws side, but add-ons are catching up quite rapidly as it is. I am what most people would call a Jaws snob, so I was surprised that I was able to use NVDA and not feel immediately done within five minutes. I think we are going to have to immerse ourselves in this ecosystem as a whole if we want to remain relevant. Budgets are being cut left and right, and VR agencies just aren't buying into the steep price of perpetual Vispero licenses anymore much less an SMA. Supernova on the Dolphin side is fascinating, but it's not there for me. Unless a client has an advanced need for scripting professionally, I'm on the bandwagon of just recommending NVDA. If the client's low vision, magnifier is more than enough.
Just my thoughts.

Best,

Will Walsh
Adaptive Technology Specialist, (ATS)
Miles Access Skills Training LLC
1400 SW 5th Ave, Suite 690
Portland Or, 97201
Phone: 971-257-9958
Email: 
willwalsh at blindmast.com
Web: 
www.blindmast.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Showe Trela via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2026 5:48 AM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Showe Trela <myshowe86 at gmail.com>
Subject: [Trainer-Talk] Is NVDA enough for the blind?

Hello fellow trainers. 
I am writing this email to ask you all this question because I want to educate myself and be a better AT trainer, looking at all sides and choosing what is best for the individuals I instruct. Here in Minnesota, state services are telling us that NVDA should be enough for blind people to use and using JAWS is no longer ideal and might need further justification. In states like Virginia and Delaware and Colorado, I am hearing the same tune. I am also hearing other AT instructors supporting this claim that people don't really need to learn JAWS and NVDA is enough. Admitedly, I am way more proficient with JAWS and can get by on NVDA when I have to. Can you all chime in and share your thoughts on this? I have always thought that because NVDA is open source software, workplaces will sometimes balk at installing this screen reader. Although free.99 is always good for employers. I understand that NVDA add-ons make it so much more efficient but I have wondered about workplaces allowing for those installations as well. Can you all enlighten me on this matter? Thank you. 

Showe 
Sent from my iPhone
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