Read the screen in Braille

The Orca screen reader can display the user interface on a refreshable Braille display. It uses the BRLTTY service, which provides access to the Linux console for a blind person using a refreshable Braille display.

Warning

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS might present some challenges when using the screen reader. If you experience difficulty, refer to Improve screen reader usability.

  1. Make sure that Orca is installed:

    sudo apt install orca

  2. Make sure that the BRLTTY service is installed:

    sudo apt install brltty brltty-espeak

  3. Add your user to the brlapi group to allow access to the Braille device:

    sudo usermod --append -G brlapi <user-name>

  4. Enable the BRLTTY service:

    sudo systemctl enable --now brltty

  5. Start the Orca screen reader. If it’s already enabled, restart it:

    Super+Alt+S

    In the accessibility menu in the top bar, select Screen Reader.

  6. Open Orca preferences:

    CapsLock+Space

    Insert+Space

    orca --setup

  7. Under the Braille tab, make sure that Enable Braille support is on.

  8. Click OK to confirm.

  9. Connect your Braille device to the system over USB, serial port or Bluetooth.

  10. If you use Firefox, close it and reopen it. Orca can then read the browser content.

Read a document in a different language

If you’re reading a document in a language different than your system language, set the language text table in BRLTTY.

  1. Browse the available text tables. They’re stored in the /etc/brltty/Text/ directory:

    ls /etc/brltty/Text/

  2. Select the code of the language that you need for your document.

    For example, if you want to read a document in Italian, the text table file is /etc/brltty/Text/it.ttb and the language code is it.

  3. In the /etc/brltty.conf file, set the language code in the text-table directive. For example, to set the Italian text table:

    text-table	it

Configure the Braille screen reader

You can configure how Orca presents information on the Braille display.

  1. Open Orca preferences:

    CapsLock+Space

    Insert+Space

    orca -s

  2. Go to the Braille tab.

For an explanation of the Orca Braille settings, see Braille Preferences in the Orca documentation.

Troubleshooting

If your Braille devices isn’t detected, try the following options.

  • Manually set the driver for your Braille device:

    1. In the /etc/brltty.conf file, find the braille-driver directive.

    2. Uncomment the line that lists your Braille device driver.

  • Manually set the connection method:

    1. In the /etc/brltty.conf file, find the braille-device directive.

    2. Uncomment the line that matches your connection method.

      For example, to connect to the first paired Bluetooth device that matches your Braille driver, use the following line:

      braille-device bluetooth: