Visual Impairment | Use of Fonts & Sizes for Material

Messrs G Owen & Co

A booklet published by the RNIB entitled Clear Print covers issues around visual impairment, (including use of fonts and sizes for producing material), and deals with:

1. Introduction

2. What is Clear Print?

3. How do blind and partially sighted people read print?

4. Producing Clear Print

5. Design and layout

6. Paper and format

7. Checklist

8. Glossary

9. Further information

Clear Print is an approach to designing and producing your printed materials which takes into account the needs of blind and partially sighted readers. Simply, a Clear Print document will find a wider audience. The solutions we propose are straightforward and inexpensive, focusing on some basic design elements, for example font, type size, contrast and page navigation. By following our guidelines, cutting edge design can also be inclusive design.

Clear Print differs from large print in the size of the type used (known as point size). Clear Print documents use a minimum type size of 12 point (although RNIB recommends 14 point to reach more customers with sight problems). Large print documents are produced in a larger type size, ranging from 16 to 22 point.

These Clear Print guidelines are based on RNIB's experience of the issues over many years and advice from a variety of specialists in the field. There is currently more research being done into areas such as contrast, type size and page layout. RNIB hosts a scientific advisory panel to ensure that, wherever possible, our guidelines are based on sound research and that all opinions in the scientific community on these issues are taken into account. This booklet is one of twelve booklets in the See it Right pack.

For more information and details visit the RNIB web site by clicking on the logo below:

OnLine Web Sites to visit for Sign Language

ASL Browser:

British Sign Language

(BSL):

Dyslexia Institute

Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

The Dyslexia Centre

Sign

A Look at Dyslexia in Teens

VisualLinks:

Resource Guide for People with Visual Impairments

What Are Visual Impairments?

Visual impairments include low vision, color blindness, and blindness. People who are blind cannot use a computer monitor and must receive information from their computers via another sense

hearing or touch. People with low vision can also receive information through sound or touch, or they can modify their computer displays so the screen is more legible.

Assistive Technology

Products compatible with Microsoft® Windows® operating systems, made by independent assistive technology manufacturers, are included in the assistive technology catalog

People who have visual impairments may be interested in the following assistive technology:

Screen enlargers (or screen magnifiers) work like a magnifying glass. They enlarge a portion of the screen as the user moves the focus

increasing legibility for some users. Some screen enlargers allow a user to zoom in and out on a particular area of the screen.

Screen readers are software programs that present graphics and text as speech. A screen reader is used to verbalize, or speak, everything on the screen including names and descriptions of control buttons, menus, text, and punctuation.

Speech recognition systems, also called voice recognition programs, allow people to give commands and enter data using their voices rather than a mouse or keyboard.

Speech synthesizers (often referred to as text-to-speech (TTS) systems) receive information going to the screen in the form of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, and then speak it out loud. Using speech synthesizers allows blind users to review their input as they type.

Refreshable Braille displays provide tactile output of information represented on the computer screen. The user reads the Braille letters with his or her fingers, and then, after a line is read, refreshes the display to read the next line.

Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into embossed Braille output. Braille translation programs convert text scanned in or generated via standard word processing programs into Braille, which can be printed on the embosser.

Talking word processors are software programs that use speech synthesizers to provide auditory feedback of what is typed.

Large-print word processors allow the user to view everything in large text without added screen enlargement.

© Microsoft : 2004

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Help for the visually impaired

Messrs G Owen & Co is all about content. In order to deliver a service as efficient and rapid as Internet conditions will allow, our web site(s) are designed to be text-based, with consistent artwork (which at best is only requested from the server once) and simple colour use to reduce file sizes and aid the speed of transmission.

Messrs G Owen & Co has always aimed to design accessible and user-friendly web pages. However, there are ways in which you can make often dramatic improvements to your browser or monitor, particularly if your difficulty is due to a visual impairment and you are using access technology. In fact, one of the most effective methods is simply to raise the size of the type on your screen until it reaches a size that is comfortable for you to view.

We cannot control the way you view our pages, which depends upon your computer's settings; we can only optimise the conditions. For example, throughout this site, we have used style sheets to ensure a consistent experience across different browsers and operating systems. This means we have more control over the way text is rendered on the screen.

Your browser should have a built-in feature which allows you to improve the visibility of the pages you view. This option allows you to increase (as well as decrease) the standard size of the type you are viewing on your screen.

This function is usually contained within the options menu of your browser, but as this varies from version to version, here is a guide to Explorer Netscape Safari

Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5/6 and above:

In the top menu panel of your browser click on tools then Internet options then on the general tab click on accessibility. This will allow you to change the font size to your chosen size.

Netscape Navigator Version 7 and above:

In the edit drop-down menu at the top of your browser, select preferences followed by fonts this allows you to select the font face and size in which you wish to view the web page text.

You may also find graphics a difficulty or experience slow transmission. In this event, you may adapt your browser to switch off the receipt of graphics and reduce the size of the page (we use tags to let you know what the graphics you have switched off depict). This function is located under edit then preferences under the advanced option, un-tick automatically load images.

Lastly, more information can be displayed on your screen by ensuring your PC monitor resolution is set as high as you are comfortable with. This option can be found within your PC Settings (Control Panel Display Settings). Messrs G Owen & Co ideally suits 800 x 600 resolution.

Safri Version 1.2 and above:

Safari the Mac OS X default web browser, offers you a superior web experience with outstanding performance. Even the most complex of pages load at breakneck speed. In fact, Safari loads pages more quickly than any other Mac web browser. But that is not all. Safari uses the advanced interface technologies underlying Mac OS X to offer you an all-new view of the web, one that is much easier to use.