The Self-help Resource Center for Vision Loss
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VisionAWARE Search Tips

Where to start

The top of the page consists of the page banner. On the top right is a short menu that includes the following links:

  • The "Home" page
  • The "About" link that contains information about VisionAware
  • The "Contact" page that you can use to write to us.

Below those links is the Search box and Search button. The search is for VisionAware content only, not the entire internet.

The left column is the site menu. It contains cateogories of information. When you select some of these categories, a sub-menu will drop down allowing you to refine your choice. For example, if you select Financial Management, you will see a sub-menu containing Credit Cards, Safety, Banking, and so on.

When you select a category from the left column menu, related titles of articles will appear in the main content area in the center column. When you select one of these titles, the content of the article will appear in the content section. At the bottom of the article are links to email this article to a friend, to comment on the article for members, and a link to the category from which this article came so that you can see related articles.

At the bottom of the left column is a login box. If you want to post comments about any article on the web site, you will need to log in. Once you're logged in, you can log out in the menu in the banner after the About link.

Search tips

A search box appears in the banner at the top right of each page. To get the best results follow these tips:

  • Use keywords - the search won't work well using natural language (for example, "how can I find out about using the telephone?"); keywords (e.g. telephone) will find better results.
  • Use quotes to search for an exact phrase (e.g. "threading a needle").
  • Refine your search: if your search does not find the information you seek, the Advanced Search link will give you more ways to refine your search. You can type in a list of words that may or may not be in the text, an exact phrase that must be in the text, and or a list of words that must not be in the text.

Changing the Font Size and Color

  • Change your browser settings - find out how to change the font and background color and size to suit your needs.
  • Use VisionAware controls to set font size and font and background color. There are six choices: small, medium, or large black font on white background; small, medium, or large white font on black background. These controls are found just under the banner on the right side of the page. The three buttons with a black "-","+" and "++" will change font size on a white background. The 3 buttons with a white "-","+", and "++" will change font size on a black background. The "-" is the smallest text size, the "+" makes the text medium size, and the "++" makes the text large.
 

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