Reading aids
Reading aids change how text looks. They never change what it says, so speech and highlighting stay exactly the same. This page lets you try three of them on a short sample text. Nothing here plays sound.
The reading aids guide explains every aid and setting, and ADR-0022: Reading aids records how they were designed.
RSVP: one word at a time
RSVP stands for rapid serial visual presentation. It shows one word at a time, always in the same place, so your eyes do not have to travel along the line. One letter in each word, the recognition point, is marked in bold and underlined. Your eye rests on it, and it stays in the same spot from word to word.
It can help people who lose their place on a busy page, people with some kinds of low vision who see a small area well, and people who want to read faster.
Each word stays for one beat at the chosen speed. Words get more time after a comma (half a beat more), at the end of a sentence (one beat more), at the end of a paragraph (one and a half beats more), and when they are longer than 8 letters (a tenth of a beat more per extra letter, at most eight tenths).
RSVP in textweaver
- Alt+Shift+R shows or hides RSVP, starting from the cursor.
- Alt+Shift+P starts or pauses it.
- Alt+Shift+Up makes it faster, and Alt+Shift+Down makes it slower.
- Alt+Shift+O moves the word to the next place on the screen.
Try RSVP
Safety note: fast RSVP changes the screen many times a second. Only the word changes; the box around it never flashes. If fast changes bother you, use a slow speed or step with Next word.
Word 1, paused.
Bionic reading
Bionic reading makes the first part of each word bold. Four independent studies found no gain in reading speed or understanding from it. Some readers like how it looks and others find it distracting, so try it and see.
The share of each word in bold is set by a ratio. A word gets the rounded ratio times its length in bold, and always at least one letter. One-letter words, words with digits, web addresses, and email addresses are left alone. Only the look changes: a screen reader reads exactly the same words.
Bionic reading in textweaver
- Alt+Shift+B turns bionic reading on or off.
Try bionic reading
Reading ruler
A reading ruler marks the line you are reading, like a card held under the text. It helps people who skip or repeat lines, and people who use a screen magnifier.
There are three settings. Off shows no marks. Current line marks only the line you are on. Ruler band also marks a few lines above and below it. You can also dim the text outside the marked lines. Lines are marked with a bar at the left and an underline, not by color alone.
The reading ruler in textweaver
- Alt+Shift+U cycles the ruler: off, current line, ruler.
Try the reading ruler
The sample text below is set in short lines. When it has focus, the Up and Down arrow keys move the current line, and Home and End go to the first and last line. Tab leaves it as usual.