Staying Connected with Computers from The Chicago Lighthouse

Tech Tools for Living: Staying Connected with Computers

Narrator: From our partners at the Chicago Lighthouse, introducing My Tools for Living, an overview of everyday tools for low vision. Today, staying connected often means of being online. Whether it's email, video calls, or browsing the web, computer access is essential. And with the right tools, it's entirely within reach. Even if you have vision loss. Some people think computers are only for tech experts, but everyone can learn to use a home computer and vision loss doesn't have to stop you. With the right accessibility tools, you can stay in touch with friends and family, read the news, shop from home, join support groups or classes and enjoy any number of hobbies like writing, learning new skills or playing games. Both Windows and Mac computers come with many accessibility features already built in and ready to be switched on. Text to speech is a great example. You can have complete webpages or documents read out loud or just what you've highlighted.

Text-to-Speech: Things every crochet beginner needs to know. Start simple.

Narrator: And if typing is difficult or you just want to take a break from the keyboard, dictation lets you speak your emails notes or search terms.

Dictation Speech: Search by voice button.

Voice: Search for easy one pot recipes.

Dictation Speech: Easy one pot recipes. Google search.

Narrator: These tools are already available to you, along with settings you can use to adjust colors and contrast to help make things easier to see and reduce eye strain. And magnification tools are a great way to zoom in on words and images or to enlarge everything on screen.

Dennis: I still have a the 20 inch screen computer and I enlarge the type to maybe 24 to 26 font size. It helps.

Narrator: One way to boost your computer skills is to learn about keyboard shortcuts and typing tools. Shortcuts help you navigate quickly without a mouse and without looking around for menu options and icons. You can open programs, copy and paste information, switch between windows and move through menus using just a few keystrokes and simple combinations. And when it comes to typing, you don't always have to look at the keyboard. There are tutorials and training programs designed to build confidence and improve your speed. And remember, you don't need to memorize everything. Just learning a few useful shortcuts can make using a computer much easier. We've talked about some of your computer's built-in features like magnification and text to speech, but you can also find some helpful programs that are designed specifically for people with vision loss.

Pat: The help I've gotten in modifying my devices, because I use both a smartphone and I use a PC, but for me, the biggest thing, it wasn't just that ability to magnify, but since I'm extremely sensitive to white, the color white, I could make the fonts orange or yellow on a black background that made reading easier.

Narrator: Screen readers like JAWS, NVDA and Microsoft Narrator lets you navigate through the onscreen options by listening and responding to prompts. Giving you full access to programs and content without having to look at the screen. Level one, what are superfoods and why should you eat them? Magnifiers like ZoomText lets you enlarge and enhance everything on the screen and provide voice feedback to read documents, email, and webpages. You can even set up ZoomText to echo what you're typing or what your mouse is pointing to.

ZoomText Speech: The Chicago Lighthouse home.

Narrator: Of course, you don't need to figure out any of these tools on your own. The Chicago Lighthouse has specialists who can help you explore options, install programs, and learn how to use them comfortably. We can also help you discover the many ways that using a computer can make life easier and support your everyday needs. For example, reading and writing emails to stay connected with friends and family. Joining Zoom calls for social groups or medical appointments. Browsing the internet for news, recipes, exercise videos, hobbies and more. And organizing your calendar and set reminders. And you can even take classes online to learn more about the things that interest you.

Pat: There are certain tools that I use assistive technology wise to stay in touch with people. That is a way for me to stay in touch with my relatives in Europe. So technology from the standpoint of staying in touch with people that are really at a distance is tremendously, tremendously important.

Narrator: Using a computer connects you to the world and supports your independence, and we can help you learn the skills and programs that are right for you. Even if you're a beginner. Every little step counts. And with support from the Chicago Lighthouse, you can build the skills you need to feel confident and capable online. Computers help us stay connected from home, but getting out into the world is important too. In our next episode, we'll explore accessible transportation as well as navigation and safety tools that can help you feel confident when you're out and about. And as always, the Chicago Lighthouse is here to guide you through the options and help you find what's right for you. To learn more, visit www.MyToolsforLiving.com or call the Chicago Lighthouse's Tools for Living Store at 1-800-919-3375.