Enlarge text
Enlargement of Paper-Based Text
- Conventional magnification aids
- Closed circuit print magnifiers
- Photocopier Text Enlargement
- Large Fonts
Conventional magnification aids
Description
There is a wide range of magnification equipment. The specific item(s) which will suit any individual will depend on many factors, including the nature and severity of vision loss and the tasks being undertaken. Other issues include the person’s level of dexterity, motivation and self-consciousness. We suggest that these aids be used following consultation with an optometrist or orthoptist familiar with requirements of people with severe vision loss. It is important to recognise that appropriate lighting is often as crucial as selecting the right magnification aid.
Another important issue is the field of view afforded by a magnifier. Laws of physics dictate that the stronger the magnifier, the smaller the field of view. It is therefore important to select an aid which allows the person to perform the task comfortably but which is not unnecessarily powerful. An aid which is too powerful will slow the person’s performance and cause frustration. On the other hand, a person who requires a powerful aid will not be able to use one which provides a large field of view because it will not be strong enough. Spectacles prescribed to provide relatively minor correction for near or distance vision will not be considered here.
Advantages
Information which would otherwise not be available to a person with vision loss or which could only be read with difficulty can be read more comfortably. Many of the aids are quite portable and cost is relatively low.
Disadvantages
As the level of magnification increases, speed of reading decreases. Many potential users are self-conscious about using these aids. While reading for short periods may be done with relative comfort, some people become fatigued if prolonged reading is undertaken.
Closed circuit television print magnifiers (CCTV)
Description
The conventional CCTV machine consists of a zoom camera by which text or pictorial material is magnified onto a television-type screen. Text can be magnified up to 60 times its original size, depending on the model of CCTV.
Reading material is placed on a mobile table beneath or beside the monitor. Movement of the table results in the material being scrolled beneath the camera, which projects the magnified image onto the screen. The table’s range of movement can be limited in both left-right and forward-back plains, which can assist in keeping track of material being read. The table can also be completely locked if required.
One relatively new example breaks with convention. It utilises digital photographic technology to capture an image of the page. This allows the contents of the page to be manipulated electronically, thereby doing away with the need for a mobile table. As well as adjusting magnification and contrast, text can be reformatted to suit individual needs and circumstances.
Another approach is to have a hand-held camera attached to the main unit by a cable, thereby eliminating the mobile table and reducing bulk and weight. In this case, the camera is run across the page, usually in direct contact with it. This approach requires greater dexterity and is not as effective for viewing photographs, but greatly enhances portability. This style of CCTV cannot be used as a handwriting aid unless a stand to hold the camera for this purpose is supplied.
There is also an increasing range of portable CCTVs. They are light-weight, battery-powered and intended for relatively short periods of reading in diverse situations.
Common features of CCTV print magnifiers include adjustment of print size, brightness and contrast to suit individual needs. Most models can be purchased with monochrome monitors. There are also full-colour machines, cost of which has markedly reduced over recent years. Some CCTVs use a television as the monitor. While the image is technically inferior to that provided on a computer or other dedicated monitor, the difference is often not apparent to people who have poor vision and there are cost benefits. Those models which use a computer monitor usually allow a split screen facility. That is, information from the CCTV and/or from a computer can be displayed on the same monitor.
Advantages
This equipment is valuable for people with severe vision loss for whom conventional magnifiers are inadequate or too tiring. Because of the wide range of both magnification and contrast adjustments, good posture can be maintained when reading. The large, conventional units can be used to aid with handwriting, including completion of forms, when this would otherwise be difficult or not practical. Some portable units can also be used for handwriting. When connected to the same monitor as a computer, the CCTV becomes part of a powerful work or study aid. In photo mode, colour models can be used for viewing items ranging from photographs to printed circuit boards. Portable units can be taken readily to venues such as classrooms and libraries.
Disadvantages
Most models are heavy and bulky, weighing between 10 and 20 kg. Cost is often prohibitive. Some time may be required to develop the skills necessary to get the most from the equipment.
Costs:
Costs range from under $2000 to over $7000.
Photocopy enlargement
Many photocopiers now have text enlargement (and reduction) facilities.
Advantages
It is very easy to enlarge text, provided greater than two times magnification is not required. Machines with the enlargement facility are now widely available.
Disadvantages
If greater than 2 times enlargement is required, the task of producing the material becomes tedious, particularly if paper no larger than A3 is to be used. Paper any bigger than that becomes very cumbersome to handle. Even A3-size books can be cumbersome. They can also draw attention to the student who, as mentioned above in relation to magnification aids, may already be self-conscious. If the print original is of poor or inconsistent quality (for example, if the letters are poorly formed or if there are specks of ink on the paper), enlargement will often produce even poorer quality.
Large print fonts
It is very easy to adjust print size with modern word processing packages and operating systems. Even very inexpensive printers can produce high quality print over a huge size range. If, then, material is being prepared for a large group of students and one or more requires larger print, adjusting the font size in the word processor will provide this.
Advantages
High quality large print can be produced on standard office or home equipment. From the original file, material can be produced to meet the needs of individuals who have varying print size requirements.
Disadvantages
It must be remembered that formatting will alter, as less material will fit on a given piece of paper. In cases of complicated layout, this may require attention to such things as tab settings, layout of tables and reference to particular page numbers. This, in turn, may require specific training of the computer operator.
Costs:
No additional cost is involved apart from extra paper and printer toner or ink and some additional word processing time.
