Universal Design SymbolUsing ZoomText Xtra! with shortcut keys


Using DocReader to read a document

DocReader is a part of ZoomText Xtra! which can be used for reading text from any Windows application. As it does, it uses the full screen for magnification. A complete document can be read automatically, with each word highlighted as it is spoken. Text is captured from the selected program, then reformatted and displayed.

Starting DocReader

To read from the last active application

To read from a selected application

The DocReader Toolbar

Navigating within a document

Exiting DocReader

Starting DocReader:

Before starting DocReader, you need to consider which document you want to have it read. DocReader needs to determine which program it should capture text from, since more than one program may be running at the same time. How you start DocReader determines what text it will capture.

Text to be read can be from:

  1. the last active application (the program you were using before the ZoomText Xtra! user interface was activated), or
  2. the application you select to read. You can read text from any program on the screen.

To read from the last active (the most recently used) application:

There are two steps to read from the last active application:

  1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+R, the DocReader shortcut key.

To read from a selected application:

There are two steps to read from an application you select:

  1. Select the application to read from. This takes three steps:

The DocReader Toolbar:

The DocReader toolbar has VCR-like controls for reading a document, as well as tools for changing settings. The DocReader toolbar comes up at the top of the screen that holds the captured text for reading.

From left to right, the buttons on the DocReader toolbar are:

  1. Play/Pause - starts or stops reading at the highlighted word
  2. Previous line - highlights and speaks the first word of the previous line
  3. Previous word - highlights and speaks the previous word
  4. Next word - highlights and speaks the next word
  5. Next line - highlights and speaks the first word of the next line
  6. Magnification Window - this window can be used to select the magnification level of DocReader's text. The range of magnification is from 2x to 16x.
  7. DocReader settings - opens the DocReader dialog box
  8. Speech Settings - opens the Speech dialog box to change DocReader speech settings
  9. Reading Speed - the window can be used to choose the desired reading speed:
  10. Exit - exits DocReader and activates the source application

Navigating within a document:

DocReader highlights a single word at a time - the current word. Reading always begins from the current word. Navigating within a document is controlled by moving the current word position.

To navigate and hear a word spoken or spelled by using the mouse:

  1. Move the cursor over the desired word in the DocReader text window.
  2. Click to hear the word spoken.
  3. Hold down CTRL and click to hear the word spelled.

To navigate by using shortcut keys:

  1. Please see the "Navigating within a document" portion of the Shortcut Keys chart.

Exiting DocReader:

  1. Press ESC to exit DocReader.

Contact us at infotechaccess@server.rehab.uiuic.edu

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