Refreshable braille displays offer blind computer users another braille-based output alternative. Driven by text-to-braille translation software, the refreshable braille display connects to a standard PC serial port, and allows users to "read" the contents of a computer screen on a special strip made up of retractable braille dots. This is an especially attractive option for computer users who are deaf-blind and cannot rely on speech-output technologies.

Refreshable Braille Displays are electronic devices that are used to read text that a computer sends to the monitor. The device is connected to the computer by a serial cable and produces braille output on the braille display. Refreshable braille displays only read one line of text at a time. These displays generally include directional keys which allow the user to navigate through a document. Larger displays (80 cells) also include a cursor routing function. Each cell contains eight small pins, allowing eight dot computer braille.

Screen magnification software helps visually impaired persons to use computers by enlarging the picture on the screen by any factor they choose. The magnification programs run simultaneously with the computer's operating system and applications and magnify by choosing a small portion of the screen that is usually viewed and fitting it to the whole screen. Some programs enlarge the entire screen while others only enlarge the area around the mouse, producing a moving enlargement area.