Vision Wheels

Computer Aids in all shapes and sizes. They range from decidedly low-tech devices to high tech software that enable people with low vision to do the same computer as normal people blind. Perhaps, as a non-computer, you just want to read a magazine article on your computer as the PC will then read aloud. Computer aids to help you do this and similar non-computer tasks.

When you use the lens to correct, the corrective force of regular reading activities, so that the same vision aid low-tech help from the regular reading may also be used as a computer aid to display the computer screen. Magnifiers come in a variety of forms. There are hand magnifiers, magnifiers on foot, which resemble miniature telescopes and others that can be worn around the neck. These can be easily adapted to the use of computers.

Another type of lens that can greatly benefit someone with low vision is a screen magnifier. It is a simple hardware option that allows you to use your software on your computer. A relatively inexpensive option, it displays both text and images much larger and more boldly than a conventional screen.

Moving from screen to keyboard, there are a number of low-tech computer aids which can be very useful, especially if you're a good typist. Bump points can be placed on the control, Alt and Delete keys that will make these frequently used much easier to locate.

Similarly, the "f" and "j" keys can be highlighted by a dot or a sticker making it much easier to keep your fingers correctly positioned keyboard. The dots and stickers provide a useful benchmark. Many people with low vision use this principle to the phone: by putting a dot or a sticker on the # 5, the remaining numbers are much more easily.

The keyboard itself can be a problem if you are visually impaired. New, Improved visibility keyboards are now available that can help you overcome the problem of displaying your keyboard. Often marketed as a computer assistant to help counter the effects of the syndrome of computer vision, but equally useful for people with low vision, the buttons are half as large as those on conventional keyboards. They are also marked with high contrast characters for ease of use.

The larger keys, with a special mechanism that allows a single key to open the browser or put on an audio or video function, contribute to a computer using a much more comfortable experience. The availability of a wireless version is still for comfort that your movements are less restricted. Used in conjunction with dots and stickers, they adapted keyboards can be a real boon for the visually impaired.

But you do not necessarily result in additional costs to make your computer more user friendly. Many software programs, including Netscape, Firefox, Windows and Microsoft Office, you can enlarge text and icons.

You can customize the background and text colors and to achieve a high contrast color scheme that best suits your needs. Black text on white background is generally recommended that the majority view of the environment.

However, several major software companies now manufacture high-tech tools. These will help you not only read text and graphic images and recognize with ease, but also send and receive email, create documents and surf the web. Some software also offer large print displays of important navigational elements such as the location of the cursor.

Many of these high-tech devices use a program easily installed from a CD, which will first read the text of your files or emails and then read them aloud in a voice that sounds human and non-synthetic . This text conversion to sound was much improved, and the problems of inaccuracy and were largely inaudible eliminated.