Access Issues - changing text colour

Albemarle · 13-02-2010, 03:55 PM

Hi,

I put this in my introduction thread too but I have Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome which means (among other thigns) I can't read black on white as something like this http://irlen.com/distortioneffects.php happens.

Is there any to change my viewing prefences so that I can see text as a different colour? Or change the background colour so it is not white?

Any dark colour text on light/pastel coloured background is fine.

I use screen tinter software but it isn't compatible with most websites.

I have tried changing settings in firefox, but it tends to mess web pages up so much that links don't work and the pages become impossible to read and unuseable.

Sorry, I'm not whinging, I just want to be honest about my access needs and be able to use this site more easily.

James · 13-02-2010, 05:24 PM

Thanks for the feedback on this and I'll make sure Harley sees this thread so that we can include the necessary changes in the up and coming RYL v4.

I'm really sorry there isn't more we can do to help at present.

Take care,

James

Albemarle · 13-02-2010, 05:44 PM

Thanks guys, I hope that v4 can help.

Thanks for the highlighting suggestion, that does help a little and I can get by with my screen reader for now, for the larger sections of text.

Thanks.

Animad · 13-02-2010, 09:23 PM

I know I got software with my laptop which just puts a colour overlay over the whole screen, no matter whats on, it's called ClaroView. I don't know it's cost though and that means buying more software but it may be worth looking into as it could help you with many things. You can change it to like just a ruler which is coloured so if you tend to lose your way on the text too as well as other things

rockaroni · 13-02-2010, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Animad

I know I got software with my laptop which just puts a colour overlay over the whole screen, no matter whats on, it's called ClaroView.

I actually just checked Claroview before I read this, its pretty good really, it just changes the entire screen, no matter what window is open. I also have Screen Tinter LITE which can also change font colour, but I've no idea if it works with internet browsers.

Animad · 14-02-2010, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Animad

I know I got software with my laptop which just puts a colour overlay over the whole screen, no matter whats on, it's called ClaroView. I don't know it's cost though and that means buying more software but it may be worth looking into as it could help you with many things. You can change it to like just a ruler which is coloured so if you tend to lose your way on the text too as well as other things

Actually, the thing I said about the ruler isn't true, that seems to be a different programme I have on my computer too called ScreenRuler but that can highlight areas in a different colour, magnify them, you can change the colour of the mouse pointer (but it does double it's size!) and do other things with that and the ruler that it makes can be tinted to whatever colour and be whatever size pretty much you want so thats another option. It's just things that work on the computer as a whole and just over the top of any program so you don't have to mess around with any settings/ change any formats or anything so I know that it's not a solution for RYL to make but it may help you on everything.

shadow-light · 14-02-2010, 12:57 AM

I have an issue with this too, though for me it's down to dyslexia. I have some computer programs that tint the screen, but before I had these I got a piece of thin coloured plastic, like a film of it, and placed that over the screen. It's not perfect but it does work

shadow-light · 14-02-2010, 01:02 AM

also... that website is amazing lol. I can now actually show people how I see words rather than trying, but failing, to explain :)

Albemarle · 14-02-2010, 01:06 AM

Thanks for your advice - I am downloading a trial version of ClaroView now to see if it works for me.

I use Screen Tinter Lite but this only works with Microsoft Office and not with websites.
There was a great firefox AddOn called Accessibar but is only compatible with older verstions of Firefox.

Morrigan - thanks, I do change my IE settings and for some pages it is great but others it mangles completely and I'm not sure how to fix it. I am not good enough with computers to have figured it out. I can see if I can ask a friend who is an IT person though and see if he can tell me how to get a better compromise between readable colours and useability of the website.

Shadow-light - I have dyslexia too. Apparently Scotopic Sensitivity and Dyslexia can often go together

Albemarle · 14-02-2010, 01:18 AM

Am trying trial of ClaroView and like it a lot - it is very subtle, although I need to opacity quite low as I need contrast due to other eyesight issues.

Thanks so much for suggesting it

Animad · 14-02-2010, 01:34 PM

Yeh, ClaroView isn't something I use much, I've just played around with it, I just got it with my laptop because of other software I've got on it; think it came with a screen reader I've got so it can read my textbooks that I have downloaded when I'm tired!

I don't know how old you are/ where you're from or anything so this may not apply but if you're a UK national going to uni in the UK (or I think also if you've lived in the UK for over 3yrs and going to uni here) the dyslexia alone and potentially other aspects of your health if you have eyesight problems and stuff could mean you're eligible for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which is worthwhile looking into.

Also, if you're from the UK and working apparently there is a similar scheme to the DSA but to get things like that for people who are working and whatever you get becomes your personal property.

[Purple_Rain] · 14-02-2010, 02:59 PM

You'er not th eonly one with this issue - I do aswell, I use the highlighting thing Andy suggested, or place coloured assetate over the screen. Sounds liek you've got it all sorted though :)

Albemarle · 14-02-2010, 03:05 PM

Thanks Animad.

I'm not at uni at present. I know a bit about DSA but as I only got diagnosed in my final year, I wasn't eligible for it. (you need at least a year of your course to go). But I'm thinking of returning for post-grad studies so will certainly be applying for DSA for appropriate assisstive software and also a support worker for my other 'issues' as I think these would help immensely and would have made a big difference if I'd had them at uni the first time round.

The work scheme is called "Access to Work" it's quite a good scheme although you have to apply through the job centre nearest to your place of work and it does, to some degree, depend on their understanding of the relevant condition. Also, quite a few employers still aren't fully aware of AtW so if you need software it help to put on the application "this may well be available via Access to Work" in case the employer thinks they have to pay and rejects you on that basis.

Thanks for your help :)

Albemarle · 14-02-2010, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [Purple_Rain]

You'er not th eonly one with this issue - I do aswell, I use the highlighting thing Andy suggested, or place coloured assetate over the screen. Sounds liek you've got it all sorted though :)

Hi Purple_Rain. It's great to know I'm not the only one. I didn't get diagnosed until a few years ago - purely because I'd never heard of anyone having this difficulty and was afraid to say anything in case people thought I was on drugs or something! I just couldn't help thinking people would react weirdly if I said "does that text move and swirl for you too?"

It's nice to know that it is a known and recognised issue and that there are other people who can relate.

I recently did some website accessibility testing for a university and I told them about scotopic sensitivity and show them the sample distortions online and they said they hadn't heard of it before and are now going to try to build different colour options into their new website, so it's nice that they took the situation seriously and hopefully it will help people who use their site.

Animad · 14-02-2010, 09:16 PM

Yeh, for a random reason I looked back at my old 6th form college's website a while back and they'd put up accessibility features which included changing the background colour.

It is actually quite widely seen amongst dyslexics. I know (have known) couple who wear tinted glasses when in classes/ lectures because of this and someone else who has her exams printed on cream paper which is part of the same thing. My sister was also tested for this because of her dyslexia and found that certain background vs. text colours suited her much better for her to be able to read/ type without making lots of mistakes compared to the standard black & white.

So yeh, I don't look out for this type of thing at all so it is relatively 'common' so I definately wouldn't feel alone with this and there may even be web communities for this if you're wanting to talk to others with similar problems (not saying you're not welcome here, just this may help with any MH probs you have) though as it sounds like sometimes you maybe feel 'alone' with that it may be worth talking to others that have been through the same and similar things and can connect; though it can be seen just from the nature of the replies on here that you are far from alone :)

effervescence · 27-02-2010, 05:21 AM

wow, thank you for posting this, i could well have this having looked at the link, but I never knew it was actually a named thing.