Preparing with Kurzweil

Special Education Dept. – Assistive Technology

Preparing with KurzweilSetting up files for student use


ContentsElectronic DocumentsScanning DownloadingZone EditingEditing Underlying TextChanging Pronunciation


Electronic DocumentsMany types of electronic documents

open directly in Kurzweil◦ MS Word Documents◦ PDF files

Use Save As to make PDF files from Word, Power Point and Publisher

Use, File/Export to make PDF files from Inspiration and Smart Notebook

Any document can be sent to Kurzweil using the KESI virtual printer


Electronic Documents – KESI Virtual PrinterUse the KESI Virtual

Printer to create and open an electronic document that Kurzweil reads◦ Click ‘Print’ in the software

you want to use◦ Choose the KESI Virtual

PrinterThis technique is helpful

for webpages and for other software that can’t directly create a PDF.


Scanning – Scanner SetupEnsure the correct

scanner is chosen◦ Choose Scanner

Setup from the Scan menu

◦ Select the scanner that matches the model attached to your computer

◦ Use the TWAIN setting for most scanning


Scanning – Colour ScanningIn Kurzweil

version11, or later, it is possible to scan in colour◦ Ensure you are working

in the correct version of Kurzweil (from SEA SG under all programs menu)

◦ Choose Use Color from the Scan menu

◦ The scan icon on the toolbar will be coloured


Scanning Place the text side down on

the scanner◦ Kurzweil will automatically

rotate so that the top side is upClick scan to begin scanningFor multi-page texts, you

may choose ‘scan repeatedly’ from the Scan menu◦ A new page will be scanned

following a 15 second pause (to turn the page)


DownloadingThe W. Ross MacDonald Provincial

School for the Blind has Kurzweil and PDF materials of many texts◦Go to http://aero.psbnet.ca (see the help

document – Using the AERO library)Some publishers also have digital

materials available either as a download or on disc.◦Contact publishers or visit their websites

for details

http://aero.psbnet.ca/


Zone EditingZone editing may be necessary

to specify what items on a page are read and in what order

Some texts are more likely to require zone editing◦Texts with high graphic content (text

books, picture books)◦Texts with non-standard layout


Zone EditingChoose Zone Editor

from the scan menuZones appear as

yellow boxesDelete zones that

contain text that doesn’t need to be read◦ Ctrl-click to select

many zones at once◦ Right click and choose

‘delete zone’ or press the delete key


Zone EditingChange the

reading order to ensure fluency◦ Right click and

choose ‘Properties...’

◦ Put the correct number in the Reading Order box (all following zones will be adjusted)


Editing Underlying TextSometimes

Kurzweil misinterprets a word

Choose from Edit>◦ Correct

Recognition ◦ ‘Edit Underlying

Text’


Editing Underlying TextClick on the

misinterpreted word and type the correction in the selected word box

Repeat for all other misinterpreted words


Editing PronunciationTo change the

pronunciation of a word select ‘Pronunciations’ from the Tools menu

Spell the word phonetically and test the new pronunciation, then click OK.