Tag Archives: colour

Jelly Bean Twist Switch

Posted on by Jasmine Wells
15 Jul

Switches offer an alternative way of controlling a computer. The Jelly Bean Twist offers a 65mm activation surface with tactile and auditory feedback and interchangeable red, yellow, green and blue switch tops. The Jelly Bean Twist offers the original Jelly Bean’s 6.35 cm (2.5-inch) activation surface with tactile and auditory feedback, but with a twist. Your style can change, so should your switch. Now, you can change the colour of your switch top based on visibility, mood, style, or even social setting. It’s all up to your own style, tastes, or specific vision.

The Jelly Bean Twist switches come with switch tops included.

jellybtwist-1_jbt500

 

Who uses switches?

People who find it difficult to access the keyboard and the mouse can use a single switch or a combination of switches instead. Switches can help people with a variety of different physical disabilities, from mild conditions like RSI to complete paralysis. They are also suitable for people with severe learning difficulties as they are a simple, understandable method of accessing a computer.

All AbleNet switches are designed to provide tactile and audible feedback to the user, activate no matter where they are pressed, they are also equipped with a 2m cord using 3.5mm monoplug which is all supplied with a life time warranty.  The diameter for each switch is 6.35cm and the pressure needed to activate the switch is 56.7g making it easy for a child or adult to use.

Follow this link to find out more about the Jelly Bean Twist Switch.

 

Monster 2 Keyboard

Posted on by Jasmine Wells
Monster 2 Keyboard
12 Jul

What Is Monster 2 Keyboard?

The Monster 2 Keyboard is ideal for young children and is the perfect entry into computing. Made in 2011 at a Weight of 1.0000g this device features large, oversized keys grouped in different colours, which helps alleviate the eye strain associated with using a computer keyboard. There is also a high-visibility model, with large black legends against a bright yellow background, and a high-contrast model with large black legends on a high-contrast white background.

Monster 2 Keyboard

Who can Monster 2 Keyboard help?

The Monster 2 Keyboard from Accuratus is designed specifically for children who are just starting to use computers and keyboards and it aims to help assist learning, with having an easy to remember colour-coordination system. With large key caps the Accuratus Monster 2 is also ideal for users who suffer from MS (Multiple sclerosis) and Parkinson’s disease. The Keyboard is also spill resistant which makes is perfect for people that find they are prone to the occasional spill. Plug and Play technology means that you can simply start typing straight away without any difficult and time consuming installation process.

 

Different features of the product.

There are many different features of the Monster 2 Keyboard, for example the USB interface, Large 1 inch square keys at 24mm. The device has two port USB 2.0 in the rear, a detachable wrist pad for comfortable typing and is the same size as a normal conventional keyboard. Within the design itself the Monster 2 Keyboard has spill holes in the base of the keyboard so that any small spillages can escape without any damage to key keyboard itself. The dimensions of this product are 465 x 180 x 27mm (L x W x H) being a starter keyboard it is rather light (770g) and has a cable length of 1.5M.

 

Find out more by following this link to the Monster 2 Keyboard on Dyslexic.com.

Reading overlays for dyslexia and Irlen® Syndrome

Posted on by Jay Cochran
24 May

Reading overlays for dyslexia and Irlen Syndrome are a cost-effective tool to help with reading difficulties. In this blog post, we look at what dyslexia and Irlen® Syndrome is and how assistive technology such as Irlen Institute Overlays or reading software can help.

 

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that affects approximately 1 in 10 people of all ages and abilities. Dyslexic children and adults will often experience difficulties in their reading and writing. You can find out more about dyslexia by following this link to our previous blog post: What is dyslexia and where can I find support?

 

What is Irlen® Syndrome?

Irlen logoIrlen® Syndrome is a perceptual dysfunction which affects both children and adults of all ages and abilities. 12% of the general population are affected by Irlen® Syndrome, and up to 47% of these also have disabilities such as dyslexia, autism, dyspraxia and much more. Symptoms can include:

  • Light sensitivity – may experience discomfort in fluorescent light, sunlight and lights at night.
  • Difficulty judging distance – problems with special awareness and may find it difficult to cope with stairs, sport and driving.
  • Eye strain and headaches – may experience headaches and fatigue.
  • Contrast and colour sensitivity – problems with black print on a white background, bright colours and using a computer or tablet.
  • Inefficient reading – inability to develop reading skills due to skipping words and lines, slow reading rate and problems with tracking.
  • Distortions of print – problems with printed text moving, fading or blur.

More symptoms can be found by following this link to the Irlen East website. It is important to remember that Irlen® Syndrome is not caused by a problem with the eyes, but by the way the brain interprets the visual information sent from the eyes.

 

What assistive technology can help with reading for people with dyslexia or Irlen® Syndrome?

There is a variety of assistive technology software and hardware available which can support reading difficulties experienced by dyslexic people or those with Irlen® Syndrome. Many websites, including dyslexic.com, also have built in accessibility features on their website. This means that you can easily adjust font size and background colours to view the website in a way that suits you. (To change the accessibility settings on dyslexic.com, please follow the ‘Accessibility’ button in the main navigation bar).

ClaroView and ScreenRuler Suite software allows you to add a digital coloured overlay to your screen. This means that you can quickly adjust the coloured tint on all of your applications on your computer, which can help those who experience contrast and colour sensitivity. ClaroView also has the ability to add in a ruler across the screen which can have the contrast changed and the background coloured or greyed out. This helps if the individual struggles to track lines when reading.

Image of Irlen OverlaysChanging the paper colour or using reading overlays for dyslexia and those with Irlen® Syndrome can be a great help. The colour that works for you is on an individual basis – at dyslexic.com we stock a wide range of colours and brands, including Irlen® Institute Overlays and Pukka Pads. To find out which colour you need you can be screened at an Irlen Centre which will determine the severity of your situation. To find your nearest centre, please take a look at the Irlen® Centre website. Alternatively, you can purchase a pack of 10 Irlen® Institute Overlays for our sale price of just £19.99 (RRP: £29.99). This is a low-cost option and lets you try out all 10 colours from the Irlen® Institute.

 

Do you have dyslexia or Irlen® Syndrome? Comment below to let us know if changing colours has helped you!

Dyslexia and Visual Stress: What assistive technology can help?

Posted on by Jay Cochran
14 Dec

Visual stress can range from blurred letters or words, letters which move, headaches or difficulty with tracking across the page. It is a common difficulty amongst those with dyslexia. Thankfully, there are tools that can help reduce this difficulty and in turn can help with reading, and a lot of these are extremely low cost!

Many people with dyslexia can be sensitive when it comes to reading off of a white background. Simply changing the background colour can make such a difference. Pukka Pads have released a range of lined notebooks (available to purchase in a single pack or 6 pack) which are specifically designed for people who struggle writing on bright white paper. They come in a range of six Irlen Institute colours: Gold, Green, Lavender, Parrot, Rose and Turquoise. Buy online from Dyslexic.com by following this link >> http://ian.lt/1lIqDZQ

Other tools that help with reading off of a white background include coloured overlays. These are tinted plastic pages or rulers (available in a range of colours and sizes) which are placed over text to help reduce the glare and make the text easier to read. Some people can benefit from these greatly and our value multi-packs are a great way to find the right colour to help you. These include 10 Irlen Coloured Overlays and can be purchased by following this link >> http://ian.lt/1RNpnR1

We also stock Eye Lighter Reading Rulers in 4 colours which are a great alternative to full A4 coloured overlays. These reading rulers are small, discrete and will fit inside a child’s pencil case for use in the classroom. Like overlays, these can be placed over text to help make it easier to read. However, these can also be used to help with tracking across the page – due to the small size, it prevents readers losing their place. The Eye Lighter Reading Rulers can be purchased by following this link >> http://ian.lt/1As3AnL

For more advice on visual stress and dyslexia, please visit the British Dyslexia Association’s Eyes and Dyslexia page >> http://ian.lt/1NszSE9

CapturaTalk Junior launched on the App Store

Posted on by Jay Cochran

capturatalk-junior-app-icon-itunesartwork-2xiansyst are excited to announce the launch of CapturaTalk Junior, an app designed for students who require literacy support through KS1-KS4. The app is available to download on the App Store for iOS devices.

CapturaTalk Junior helps students with reading printed text and integrates the powerful ABBYY OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature. Students are able to take a picture of text and convert it to digital text, ready to have it read aloud and then the option to edit it further. For example, the app includes its own integrated text editor with text-to-speech, assisting students with the sound of letters and words and supporting reading and comprehension. Other features include custom ‘phrase banks’ for students to create and store words and sentences, an integrated dictionary with homophone support and a range of user interface options including screen tint overlays, the ability to easy change the size of font and to choose a dyslexia friendly font.

Download CapturaTalk Junior on the App Store today.