Some blind and partially sighted people use the same equipment as sighted people, i.e. an ordinary computer with an Internet connection. Others may use large screens for text magnification, voice synthesizers or braille output devices. Right Pack , now available to order. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of equipment depend on the type of equipment, as well as the manufacturer and model. Generally speaking the more hi-tech a device the fewer people with impaired vision who are likely to use it.
Most blind people prefer low-tech devices.
Many blind people, for example, prefer to listen to a human being rather than a mechanical voice. This said, hi-tech devices offer exciting new opportunities for some people with impaired vision to communicate on a level with sighted people. There are around 23,000 people in the UK who have a severe loss of both sight and hearing. About 200,000 have less serious dual sensory loss. Some deafblind people have enough hearing to use the telephone if background noise is kept to a minimum, and the caller speaks clearly and at a pace which suits the individual.