The Enable speech check box controls whether or not Orca will make use of a speech synthesizer. Braille-only users will likely want to uncheck this checkbox.
Default value: checked
The Verbosity setting determines the amount of information that will be spoken in various situations. For example, if it is set to verbose, and you arrow into a word that is misspelled, Orca will announce that the word is misspelled. When the level is set to brief, this announcement will not be made.
Default value: Verbose
The Punctuation Level radio button group is used to adjust the amount of punctuation spoken by the synthesizer. The available levels are None, Some, Most, and All.
Default value: Most
Choosing a punctuation level of None would, as you expect, cause no punctuation to be spoken. Note, however, that special symbols such as subscripted and superscripted numbers, Unicode fractions, and bullets are still spoken at this level, even though some might consider these types of symbols punctuation.
Choosing a punctuation level of Some causes all of the previously-mentioned symbols to be spoken. In addition, Orca will speak known mathematical symbols, currency symbols, and "^", "@", "/", "&", "#".
Choosing a punctuation level of Most causes all of the previous-mentioned symbols to be spoken. In addition, Orca will speak all other known punctuation symbols other than "!", "'", ",", ".", "?".
Choosing a punctuation level of All, as expected, causes Orca to speak all known punctuation symbols.
The following items control the presentation of a variety of supplemental, "system" information about the item with focus. Because the associated text does not appear on screen, this information is presented in Orca's System voice.
Checking this checkbox causes Orca to only speak actual text displayed on screen. This option is intended primarily for low vision users and users with a visual learning disability.
Default value: not checked
The following items will not be available for configuration if the Only speak displayed text checkbox is checked.
If the Speak blank lines checkbox is checked, Orca will say "blank" each time you arrow to a blank line. If it is unchecked, Orca will say nothing when you move to a blank line.
Default value: checked
When working with code or editing other documents it is often desirable to be aware of justification and indentation. Checking the Speak indentation and justification checkbox will cause Orca to announce this information.
Default value: not checked
The misspelled-word indicator is the red squiggly line that appears underneath misspelled words in editable text fields. If Speak misspelled-word indicator is checked, when you navigate into a word with this indicator, or type a word incorrectly causing this indicator to appear, Orca will speak "misspelled."
Default value: checked
If the Speak object mnemonics checkbox is checked, Orca will announce the mnemonic associated with the object with focus (such as Alt+O for an OK button).
Default value: not checked
Checking the Speak child position checkbox will cause Orca to announce the position of the focused item in menus, lists, and trees (e.g. "9 of 16").
Default value: not checked
If the Speak tutorial messages checkbox is checked, as you move amongst objects in an interface, Orca will provide additional information, such as how to interact with the currently-focused object.
Default value: not checked
If the Speak description checkbox is checked, as you move amongst objects in an interface, Orca will speak the accessible description in addition to the accessible name of the object.
Default value: checked
If System messages are detailed is checked, Orca will present detailed messages to you in speech. For instance, if you use Orca's command to change key echo, Orca might speak "Key echo set to word." If you would prefer shorter messages, such as simply "word," you should uncheck this checkbox.
Default value: checked
If Speak colors as names is checked, Orca will describe colors, looking for the closest approximate. For instance, RGB 0, 27, 51 would be spoken as "midnight blue." If you would prefer to hear the exact RGB value, you should uncheck this checkbox.
Default value: checked
If Speak full row in GUI tables is checked, as you arrow up and down in application tables such as the list of messages in your Inbox, Orca will speak the entire row. If you would prefer to hear only the cell with focus, you should uncheck this checkbox.
Default value: checked
If Speak full row in document tables is checked, as you arrow up and down in tables such as those found in Writer and web documents, Orca will speak the entire row. If you would prefer to hear only the cell with focus, you should uncheck this checkbox.
Default value: checked
If Speak full row in spreadsheets is checked, as you arrow up and down in spreadsheets, Orca will speak the entire row. If you would prefer to hear only the cell with focus, you should uncheck this checkbox.
Default value: not checked
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