Michael Curran

Michael created NVDA and co-founded the organisation that sustains its development. Blind and vision-impaired people around the world use the free Windows screen reader to access applications through speech or braille. The combination of ongoing maintenance and an international open-source community makes this a lasting contribution to accessible software and independent computer use.

Michael Curran is the founder and NVDA lead developer at NV Access, the not-for-profit organisation behind a free screen reader for Windows. NVDA, short for NonVisual Desktop Access, converts on-screen content into synthetic speech or braille display output. Based in Brisbane, Michael started developing NVDA in April 2006 and invited childhood friend James Teh to join the effort. Both blind, the founders knew first-hand the barriers posed by commercial screen-reading software that often cost more than a computer, leading to the creation of NV Access in early 2007 to sustain the project.

Keeping the code base open source allows developers and volunteer translators across the world to inspect, refine and extend the software. Today, NV Access supports users in more than 175 countries with translations into more than 55 languages. By ensuring applications remain fully operable without a visual interface, Michael has delivered a major practical contribution to software accessibility while removing financial hurdles to education, employment and independent computer use.