The Magnifier

Copyright: Screen grab from personal laptop

The project aim is to produce an open source Windows based screen magnifier that will run from a USB pen drive and work in line with the NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) free and open source screen reader for use by visually impaired users.

Although magnification in various forms is available on Windows XP and Vista with complete screen magnification on Windows 7 it is felt that these systems do not offer a portable solution with links to an open source screen reader or such options as:

• Invert on screen colours for better contrast, providing users with multiple colour combinations to choose from for text, foreground and background.
• Font smoother
• Level of magnification: fractional magnification
• Full Screen Magnification
• Magnifying Lens
• Strip Magnifier
• Vertical and Horizontal Split Screens
• Ability of visualising the mouse pointer in the magnified area (and changing its colour/size)
• Ability to use the mouse in the magnified area

This project will build on the work of the LATEU funded Access Tools with the accessible USB pen drive menu and inclusion of other free and open source applications.

Homepage: http://access.ecs.soton.ac.uk
Type: Normal Research Project
Research Group: Learning Societies Lab
Theme: Accessible Technologies
Dates: 23rd November 2009 to ?

Relevant Links

• Computer Aid International

Keywords

• accessibility
• blind
• disabled
• low vision
• magnifier
• NVDA
• visually impaired

Funding

Principal Investigators

• E.A. Draffan
• Dr Mike Wald

Other Investigators

• Sebastian Skuse
• jc1
• mc5