iPad iPad for Visually Impaired Child (HELP)

http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/vision.html

Zoom

While many iPad applications let you zoom in and out specific elements such as images in Mail or web page columns in Safari, Zoom lets you magnify the entire screen of any application you’re using to help you see what’s on the display. Zoom can be enabled on iPad using iTunes when you’re setting up iPad for yourself or someone else, or later, using the Accessibility menu in the Settings application.

Zoom works everywhere — including the Home, Lock, and Spotlight screens — even in applications that you purchase from the App Store.

With iOS 6, Zoom also works seamlessly with VoiceOver.

Here’s how it works. Double-tap with three fingers to instantly zoom in and out 200 percent. Or double-tap and drag three fingers to dynamically adjust the screen’s magnification between 100 percent and 500 percent. Even when zoomed in, you can continue using all the iPad gestures you’re familiar with — flick, pinch, tap — to run your favorite applications.


Invert Colors
If you prefer higher contrast, you can change the display on your iPad to white on black. This reverse-video effect works in all applications and on the Home, Lock, and Spotlight screens, and it can be used with Zoom and VoiceOver.

Speak Selection
Want to select text from websites, email, messages, and more? Speak Selection lets you highlight text in any application by double-tapping it. Even if you don’t have VoiceOver enabled, Speak Selection will read you the highlighted text and give you formatting options like cut, copy, and paste. Turn on Speak Selection in Settings.

Tactile Buttons
iPad includes a few, easily discernible physical buttons: the Sleep/Wake button, located on the top edge; the Side switch and volume control buttons, located on the upper-right edge; and the Home button, centered below the display.

Large Text
You can increase the font size to see up to 56-point text in alerts, Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Messages, and Notes.

Upon seeing your message I wanted to see if I could help. Being a teacher that uses iPads I wanted to share my opinions. I just turned on the zoom feature on my iPhone just prior to typing this and the previous poster is correct. Super easy to learn and seemless. I think she could be taught how to use it on her own.

In terms of the iPad vs. kindle, we have multiple different tablets at my school and the kids always tell me how much "easier" and "better" the iPads are to use. I would probably suggest the bigger ipad with the retina display over the iPad mini. The retina display would keep the text sharp and legible at zoom. Hope that helps and good luck!

thickglasses said:

Thank you for the quick response!

Do you have experience using "Zoom"? how usable is this feature for a child?

Would she or a parent have to turn it on each time she sits down to read a book?

Is it enabled permanently?

I know the iPad is rather easy to use and children pick such things up quickly but I am concerned if there are multiple steps needed to increase text time each time she opens a book.

Can she just sit down, open a book and voila large letters for her to see?

Click to expand...

I haven't used the Zoom feature, but I know it can be left on permanently. You can also toggle Zoom quickly on and off by triple-clicking the home button. This feature is enabled from the Accessibility option in Settings.

I think once your niece sets up the font settings in a book app that works for her, then yes, every time she opens that app, the font settings would be the way they were the last time she used it.

Oh, and I agree with the previous poster that the bigger retina iPad is better than the mini. In addition to being clearer, bigger screen means more content will be visible at once.