ZoomText Fusion Screen Reader – Home Edition

$1,540.00

All software purchases are available in digital download format only – per the manufacturer.  We no longer ship a CD-Rom.

Mftr: Ai Squared
SKU: 340787-001
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The ultimate accessibility tool

ZoomText Fusion is the ultimate accessibility tool for schools, agencies, training centers, and businesses where individuals with vision loss are served. Fusion provides the best of both worlds – ZoomText®, with its screen magnification and visual enhancements for screen viewing ease, coupled with the power and speed of JAWS®  for screen reading functionality. A single installer and one license give you access to both ZoomText and JAWS individually, or together when run as the combined solution – Fusion.

By blending ZoomText and JAWS together, Fusion has flexible, high-quality speech using Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive, powerful keyboard access including navigation on the web, and a wide range of customization options. Fusion is the perfect solution for schools, agencies, training centers, and businesses where individuals with vision loss are served. A single installer and one license gives access to both ZoomText and JAWS individually, or together when run as the combined solution – Fusion. Fusion is available in two versions: Professional and Home. A Professional license is used by schools, businesses, and other organizations. The Home version – for non-commercial use – is licensed to individuals for use on their personal computer.

What is a screen reader?

A screen reader is a software program that enables a blind or visually impaired user to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. JAWS, Job Access With Speech, is the world’s most popular screen reader, developed for computer users whose vision loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse. JAWS provides speech and braille output for the most popular computer applications on your PC..

  • Read documents. emails, websites and apps
  • Easily navigate with your mouse
  • Scan and read all of your documents, including PDF
  • Fill out webforms with ease
  • Easy to use with Daisy formatted basic training
  • Save time with Skim Reading and Text Analyzer
  • Surf the net with web browsing keystrokes

Features

Flexible Magnification

Full range of magnification levels up to 36x (up to 60x in Windows 8). Levels include: 1x to 8x in steps of 1, 10x to 16x in steps of 2, 20x to 36x in steps of 4, and fractional powers of 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x and 2.5x. 30 levels of magnification in ZoomText 10.1: 1x to 2x in steps of 0.2; 2.25x, 2.5x, 2.75x, 3x, 3.5x, 4x, 4.5x, 5x, 6x, 7x, 8x; 10x to 16x in steps of 2; 20x to 36x in steps of 4; 42x, 48x, 54x, and 60x.

xFont Magnification

xFont technology displays high-definition text that’s easy to read at all magnification levels. Smooth, bold, and condense settings allow you to fine-tune the thickness and spacing of text for added legibility. With other screen magnifiers, the clarity of text is degraded in the magnified view. As a result, many fonts (text characters) are difficult to read, including small fonts, serif, and italic fonts, and cursive fonts. With ZoomText’s revolutionary ‘xFont’ technology, you’ll see amazingly clear text at all magnification levels. All types and sizes of text are displayed with high-definition clarity, in all of your applications. Once you’ve seen xFont, no other screen magnifier will do.

Automatic Document Reading

ZoomText’s AppReader automatically reads documents, web pages and email within the parent application. ZoomText’s DocReader reads documents in a special environment where text is reformatted for easier viewing. ZoomText offers a variety of tools for quick and easy reading of documents, web pages, and email. Each of these tools has unique characteristics that lend themselves to particular reading tasks.

AppReader

AppReader reads documents, web pages, and email, within the parent application. As you enter and exit AppReader your view of the document does not change, providing quick and seamless transitions between document editing and reading. AppReader can automatically read through the entire document, or you can manually read by word, line, sentence or paragraph. As reading occurs, each spoken word is highlighted. AppReader settings allow you to customize the appearance of word highlighting, including the highlight shape, size, color, and transparency level.

ZoomText Magnifier Features

Includes all of the features of ZoomText Magnifier

ZoomText Fusion System Recommendations

To use Fusion for Windows, we recommend a personal computer running Microsoft® Windows® with the following:

  • Operating System: Windows® 11, Windows 10, Windows Server® 2019, and Windows Server 2016.
  • Processor speed: Recommended: 2.0 GHz i7 dual-core processor.
  • Memory (RAM) Recommended: 16 GB.
  • Required Hard Disk Space:
    • 2 GB with more space required for additional voices.
    • Recommended: SSD drive.
  • Video: Video/Graphics card or integrated graphics with support for DirectX 11 or later.
  • Sound: Windows compatible sound card (for speech).
  • Display: 5-point multi-touch display for touch screen support.

What’s New in ZoomText 2024 Magnifier/Reader and Fusion

Inverted Mouse Pointer Scheme

The Inverted pointer scheme is a new pointer enhancement available in ZoomText and Fusion 2024. When using other pointer schemes, the pointer is always a solid color. You can also increase the size of the pointer, which will cover more of the viewing area on your screen. By inverting the pointer and background colors, it can help you quickly locate the pointer position. Being able to see under the pointer is extremely helpful at any magnification level. For example, when moving the mouse pointer over a black background on the screen, the pointer will change to white and vice versa.

To choose the Inverted pointer scheme, do the following:

  1. In the ZoomText or Fusion Magnifier toolbar tab, click the bottom portion of the Pointer button.
  2. In the Pointer menu, choose Scheme.
  3. In the Scheme menu, choose Inverted.

 Note: You can change the size of the pointer using settings in the Pointer tab of the Screen Enhancement Settings dialog box.

Expanded Mouse Pointer Sizes

The Pointer Size setting has been updated for ZoomText and Fusion 2024.

Users often encountered challenges with the predefined pointer sizes. Over time, they observed that the “large” size may no longer meet their needs, and the transition to “extra-large” was too big. This update enables them to incrementally adjust the mouse pointer size to better suit their needs.

With the updated Pointer Size setting, users can choose from 15 different sizes and fine-tune the magnified pointer to meet their needs. In previous versions of ZoomText and Fusion, you were limited to three sizes, standard, large, and extra-large.

To try the new pointer size settings, do the following:

  1. On the Magnifier toolbar tab, click the arrow next to Pointer or navigate to Pointer and press the down arrow key.
  2. In the Pointer menu, choose Settings.
  3. Do one of the following:
  • Choose the Customize button located to the right of the active pointer scheme.
  • Choose the Custom
  1. In the Custom Settings, move the Size slider to increase or decrease the pointer size.

New Single Wedge Cursor Enhancements

The Single Wedge Bottom and the Single Wedge Top cursors are two new cursor schemes available in ZoomText and Fusion 2024. The Single Wedge Bottom cursor scheme displays a single blue triangle below the current cursor position. The Single Wedge Top cursor scheme displays a single blue triangle above the current cursor position.

To choose either Single Wedge cursor, do the following:

  1. In the ZoomText or Fusion Magnifier toolbar tab, click the bottom portion of the Cursor button.
  2. In the Cursor menu, choose Scheme.
  3. In the Scheme menu, choose Single Wedge Bottom or Single Wedge Top.

Note: You can customize both schemes using the size, color, and transparency settings in the Cursor tab of the Screen Enhancement Settings dialog box.

Performance Improvements

Our restructured magnification engine optimizes startup performance and minimizes resource usage, including memory and processor consumption. Another advantage of the redesign is more stability and fewer delays. As a result, you will notice better performance with magnification functionality and will benefit from these improvements in ZoomText and Fusion 2024.

Simplified ZoomText and Fusion Menus

The ZoomText (ALT+Z) and Fusion (ALT+F) menus have been reorganized and simplified. The goal is to make it easy for both new and experienced users to quickly find and use ZoomText and Fusion features. The ZoomText top level menu has been reduced from 12 to 6 items. For Fusion, it has been reduced from 14 to 7 items.

ZoomText and Fusion Settings Migration

When you first install ZoomText 2024, your ZoomText 2023 settings are automatically migrated to ZoomText 2024.

If you are a Fusion user, your ZoomText 2023 magnification-specific settings are automatically migrated to Fusion 2024. Your JAWS-specific settings are migrated if you select the Migrate JAWS Settings checkbox that appears on the initial Fusion installation dialog.

Quick Access Bar Changes

Based on user feedback, we’ve changed how the Quick Access Bar works in ZoomText and Fusion 2024. It is no longer docked on the right side of the screen when you start ZoomText or Fusion. Most users prefer using CAPS LOCK+RIGHT CLICK to open it when they need it. This key combination works like a shortcut menu that can quickly open your favorite ZoomText or Fusion commands from anywhere on the screen. In this way, you do not need to move the magnified area to access the ZoomText commands.

Using the Quick Access Bar via the keystroke, helps to keep your screen clear and tidy.

AppReader

  • You can now use the mouse wheel to scroll while you are in Text View. This should make it easier to navigate through your document. You can keep your mouse in the reading field, without having to go to the vertical scroll sidebar.
  • Resolved an issue when using AppReader with Notepad on Windows 11 systems. Highlighting and tracking were not visible.
  • Resolved an issue where the magnified view was corrupted after changing zoom levels while running and then closing Text View.

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Displays

  • When opening ZoomText or Fusion, we deactivate the HDR filter on certain HDR monitors to improve magnification results. This may result in a slight shift towards more natural colors. A message now appears stating that HDR color mode is being turned off.

Other ZoomText and Fusion Fixes

  • The installed Fusion, ZoomText, and JAWS versions are now included in the Fusion About box.
  • You can now press INSERT+CTRL+WINDOWS Key+V to copy to the clipboard the Fusion, ZoomText, and JAWS versions, along with information about the current application that has focus.
  • Resolved an installation issue where the ZoomText splash screen would continue to display after installing the software.
  • Resolved an issue where the Quick Access Bar would continue to display when it was set to Automatically Hide. This was seen while running multiple monitors.
  • Addressed an issue where Fusion was not consistently reading the status bar in Outlook when pressing INSERT+PAGE DOWN.
  • Resolved an issue where ZoomText would speak despite being muted when starting the ZoomText Camera feature with CTRL+CAPS LOCK+C.
  • Resolved an issue where the mouse pointer was difficult to see when moving it outside of a Freeze View window.
  • Resolved an issue where configuration files assigned to hotkeys CAPS LOCK+ number row keys 1 through 0 were not migrated after upgrading from one major ZoomText release to another.
  • Resolved an issue with mouse pointer positioning. By default, if the pointer is out of view on a magnified screen, you can move the mouse and the pointer will come into view. This is based on the “Route pointer into view when it is moved” mouse navigation setting being selected. It was observed that ZoomText would sometimes do the opposite and move the magnified screen to the current pointer position. This has been fixed.
  • In Compatibility mode, when using a zoom level greater than 1x, it was observed that items shown in dropdown menus or lists appeared at 1x while the rest of the screen was magnified. This has been fixed.

Changes in ZoomText 2023.2311.20

ZoomText Improvements

  • Resolved an issue where configuration files assigned to hotkeys CAPS LOCK+ number row keys 1 through 0 were not migrated after upgrading from one major ZoomText release to another.
  • Resolved an issue where ZoomText would speak despite being muted when starting the ZoomText Camera feature with CTRL+CAPS LOCK+C.
  • Resolved an issue where ZoomText would sometimes move the magnified view to the current pointer position, instead of bringing the mouse pointer into the magnified view when moved.
  • Resolved an issue where keyboard echo was not working when typing in Excel.
  • Resolved an issue that caused ZoomText to automatically start when a User Account Control (UAC) message in Windows appeared. This was observed when ZoomText was not running, but it was configured to automatically start in Program preferences.
  • Resolved an issue where Message Center would close after selecting Settings in the Message Center dialog box.

AppReader

  • Resolved an issue where AppReader was not reading or highlighting text when used with Notepad. This occurred on systems running Windows 11.
  • Resolved an issue where the magnified view was corrupted after changing zoom levels while running and then closing Text View.

Firefox/Thunderbird

  • Resolved an issue with Firefox where it would crash when navigating in forms on some web pages.
  • Resolved an issue with Thunderbird where navigating with arrow keys caused the application to crash. This was observed with both ZoomText and Fusion.

Downloads:


Software Updates

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About New England Low Vision and Blindness

New England Low Vision and Blindness uniquely brings hope through technology, training, and care. We are a full-service assistive technology rehabilitation training provider. We offer nearly 100% of all major electronic low visionblindness, and software products, multiple assistive technology showrooms and a team of Vision Technology Rehabilitation Trainers to help anyone who is visually impaired.

We provide ‘patient choice’ showcasing numerous technology options from the world’s most respected suppliers, all in line with one’s individualized budgetary limits and personal, educational, or professional goals. We also provide custom training solutions and troubleshooting support.

Widely known, tested, and trusted throughout New England, our team brings 75+ years of low and blindness vision experience. Our talent, technology, and training offerings are unmatched and highly respected. We are an extremely unique and extraordinary resource for anyone suffering from vision loss in New England. We are here to help.

Through our no-obligation demonstrations - either at one of our conveniently located assistive technology showrooms or in their home, office, or school - clients experience a relaxed 2-hour no-obligation personal demonstration of almost 100% of all low vision and blindness technologies available on the market.

To learn more about how we Bring Hope to people who are blind or with low vision, contact a Technology Specialist at New England Low Vision and Blindness please call our toll-free number 888-211-6933 or email us at . You can also use the form above to request information about our services or a no-obligation demonstration on this or any of our products.