About Speaking Access: The Origin Story

This page shares how Speaking Access was created, starting from a single encounter with a blind computer user to a full voice control program for Windows.

Christopher watched a customer—blind from birth—use a computer with complete confidence. No screen. No hesitation. Just steady navigation through menus, files, and programs using a screen reader. For someone who had never seen that world up close, it was eye-opening in the truest sense. It flipped a switch.

That night, he went home, downloaded NVDA, made a donation, and tried to use his own computer the same way. And that’s when the real problem became obvious: if you didn’t grow up with a screen reader, the learning curve is brutal. Hundreds of shortcuts. Layers of commands. And for people who lose vision later in life, it can feel like the computer suddenly became a locked door.

But Christopher kept thinking about something simple: words are easier than codes.

“Copy selection” is easier than memorizing a key combo. “Browser address bar.” “Next heading.” Plain language you can actually remember—especially when you’re already adapting to vision loss, fatigue, dyslexia, or pain.

So he started building a different path: a way to control most of a Windows computer by speaking the words you already know.

As he tested it, something unexpected happened. The same voice-first approach didn’t just help blind and low-vision users—it also clicked for dyslexic users, seniors, and anyone who finds typing painful or confusing. It wasn’t about fancy equipment or complicated setups. It was about removing friction. Just the program, your voice, and a screen reader when needed.

Over five years, he refined it the hard way—by listening to real users, rebuilding what didn’t work, and polishing what did until it felt smooth and dependable. And he kept the price intentionally accessible, because people who need independence shouldn’t be forced into expensive gear or add-ons just to use a computer.

Speaking Access exists for one reason: using a computer shouldn’t require you to memorize hundreds of shortcuts or fight through a steep setup. It should feel natural—like the computer is finally meeting you where you are.

If that idea hits home, he invites you to try Speaking Access with a 30-day free trial from the Microsoft Store—so you can feel the difference for yourself.