Email software for Visually Handicapped

Windows 7, amoung other problems, is "too small" to read (regardless of changing screen size to 125%). With out exception, all Microsoft products (such as excel) and especially Windows Live mail, end up being too small.

Add to that, confusion on navigation.

Problem:
Visually impaired people (as well as elderly and children), find Windows 7 to be a major pain.

And products such as JAWS and Windows Eyes don't fair much better - even if they worked without conflicts in Windows 7. Thunder Screenreader and WebbIE are close, but still very difficult.

Focusing (like the pun?) on just email:

Can you recommend an email program (free or low cost)
which does the following:

1) easy to navigate
2) works with pop/smtp servers
3) large icons
4) using control keys, reads text
5) stops reading text, with a simple key press (in other words, shuts up)
6) tells you what you've written

Thank you for your time.
Jerrold

 

Have you tried the zoom function- for the magnification- and up to point 4 in your threads--If you look at this link
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/ie8/webzoom.aspx
Alao the on-screen magnifier can be used on full page view-I used it to demonstrate at a session just recently, AND UP TO 200%
Navigator can be fine tuned to do most of your requests (ALL in Windows 7)
I WILL LOOK FURTHER INTO THE STOP/START SPEECH BIT, AND COME BACK IF YOU ARE INTERESTED

 

Under the Acessaries/ease of access/-use text or visual alternatives for sounds there are setting to show a visual message instead of sound.
I know you probably have tried several ways , but have you tried using this section ?or

 

Obviously you have been through the best you could find--Jaws, Windows Eyes, and Thunder Screenreader and WebbIE , are very good.
I find it difficult to see anything better, to be honest
Zoom text ? for visably restricted
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEukZezeQQ&feature=related
Google zoom (by clicking the spanner sign, gives 20% increases in size of screen
But you probably have more insight in the abilty of the Nrrator, but I have not found anything else to go beyond Microsofs controls to stop and start the narration.

 

Um, not all the elderly people out there find Windows 7 to be a pain!

Someone I help from time to time and is close to 70 bought three new computers in November 2009 all running Windows 7 and she has no complaints. Another couple I help (she is 80 and he is 79) will purchase a windows 7 computer in January. (Health issues as well as moving prevented them from finding the time to go computer shopping until 2011).

Almost forgot, another friend (turned 64 in Nov.) has a windows 7 computer. The hardest part was getting the printer/scanner working.

 

As Plodr found, Windows 7 does not seem to be much of a pain , as I do a little geek teaching to the 60 to 85 year olds, too, and the magnification, and narrator possibilities seem to be quite acceptable to them.
I particularly used the magnifier to show how it could help, and Internet explorer , and Google both have the magnification abilty (Google -using the spanner sign for add o, and IE, on bottom of page showing seem adequate for those I help, BUT, I can perfectly understand that some you are helping, need more.
Incidently, I do not use Outlook Expres for e-mail- I go directly to Hotmail, Google Mail, and TalkTalk Mail, and then no other tools are needed to magnify the screen.
Perhaps someone else will have some luck for you.

 

Yup, all one needs is Ctrl/Scroll wheel for those and the same goes for MG's and places like CNN etc., they all adjust to ones screen width, I've been doing this for years. I found re-setting DPI a tricky business and abandoned that route a couple of years ago.