Do You Want to SuperSize That

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Do You Want to Super-Size That?

• Jean Kalscheur Betsy Gruba
• Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually
  Impaired
• Madison, WI

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Objectives

• Demonstrate no-cost ways to magnify on a PC.
• Identify features of screen magnification
  software.
• Determine advantages and limitations of screen
  magnification software.

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Windows XP Magnifier

• Accessing
• Magnification
• Screen position
• Tracking
• Invert color

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Advantages and LimitationsWindows XP Magnifier

• Advantages
• Easy to understand
• 1X 9X magnification
• Invert color
• Position size options
• Tracking options
• Readily accessed on any PC

• Limitations
• No bells whistles
• Limited magnification level
• No full screen or lens magnification
• No edge smoothing
• Shadow appearance

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Windows Accessibility Options

• High contrast color combinations
• Width and blink rate of cursor
• Appearance
• Size and spacing of icons
• Size of scroll bars and menus
• Others
• Pointer
• Pointer scheme
• Pointer trail
• Pointer location

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Windows Quick Magnification

• Internet Explorer
• CTRL CTRL
• CTRL scroll wheel on mouse
• Zoom
• Microsoft Office
• CTRL scroll wheel on mouse
• Zoom

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Advantages and LimitationsWindows Accessibility
Options

• Advantages
• Accessibility Wizard or customize
• Covers appearance of many items
• Set and launch on opening
• CTRL and Zoom quickly accessed on any PC

• Limitations
• Not easy to locate all options
• Choices for change not always clear
• Increasing size of menus and scroll bar takes up
  valuable screen space

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Freeware/Shareware Options

• Reviews and links to downloads at
  www.magnifiers.org
• Lots of choices user beware
• 2 inexpensive options with good reviews
• The Magnifier by IMG
• 50 - 70
• www.imgpresents.com/magnify/mag.htm
• Magnifying Glass Pro
• 25
• www.workerscollection.com/wcollect/english/html/mg
  _pro.html

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The Magnifier by IMG

• Icon in lower right tray or tool bar
• Magnification
• Lens or full screen and reference window
• Position and tracking options
• Cursor options
• Invert colors

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Advantages and LimitationsFreeware / Shareware
Options

• Advantages
• Cost
• Similar to one another and can switch easily if
  not satisfied
• Meets basic magnification needs

• Limitations
• Technical support may or may not be available
• Not as flexible as commercial software
• Reliability varies
• May not work with all applications or operating
  systems

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Commercial Optons

• The Big 2
• MAGic by Freedom Scientific www.freedomscientific.
  com
• ZoomText by AiSquared www.aisquared.com
• Brief Summary of the two

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ZoomText

• View Options
• Magnification Levels
• Color Schemes
• Pointers Cursors
• DocReader
• Using Speech in Application
• Speakit Tool

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Advantages and LimitationsCommercial Software

• Advantages
• Technical support
• Expect reliability
• Flexible
• Many options
• Screen reader
• Targets, hot keys, etc.
• Compatible with many applications

• Limitations
• Cost
• Too much may not use all options
• May not work with all operating systems
• One computer use or pay for USB portability

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Selecting Screen MagnificationUser Considerations

• Know users visual abilities!
• Comfortable field of vision
• Comfortable reading distance
• Text size that gives desired reading rate
• Balance users vision and magnification
• Bigger isnt always better
• Determine users need for specific options
• Match user to product sophistication

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Selecting Screen MagnificationUser and Monitor
Interface

• Possibly pair magnification with screen reader
• Consider need for headphones
• Determine size of monitor
• Field of vision
• Size of magnification
• Closeness of user to monitor

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Selecting Screen MagnificationUser and Monitor
Interface

• Position of user in relation to monitor
• Reading distance with magnification
• Eyes in top third of monitor if visual scanning
• Eyes in middle of monitor if have to be close
• Reduce uncomfortable forward lean

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Selecting Screen MagnificationMagnification Use
Considerations

• Determine school/work use of magnification
• Check compatibility, especially proprietary
  software
• Consider monitor location in relation to others
• Privacy of user
• Confidential or sensitive material
• Financial
• Tests

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Selecting Screen MagnificationTraining

• Allow for training
• Teach to the technologys potential
• Teach key commands to decrease mouse dependence
• Apply to real world situations
• Allow for learning curve
• Give time to reach desired level of productivity

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THANK YOU!

• Questions?