Kurzweil 3000 is a software program for those with learning difficulties. It allows the student to scan printed material into the computer from a document, book, newspaper, etc. Text can be edited. Sentences and words are highlighted as the computer reads the text aloud. The student can type in his/her own documents to hear characters and words spoken out loud. The student can also hear web sites read aloud.

Kurzweil 3000 Instructions

Turn on the scanner.

Open the Kurzweil 3000 icon on the desktop.

To scan a page:

1.  Lay the page flat on the scanner glass, print side down.

2.  Close the scanner lid.

3.  Click Scan in the main toolbar.

To hear Kurzweil 3000 read a scanned page:

1.  Select Read in the main toolbar.

2.  To stop reading, click Pause.

3.  To change the reading speed, use the WPM (words per minute) control in the  
reading toolbar.

4.  To change the reading voice, open the Tools menu and choose Options.

5.  In the Reading tab, use the Speaker list to choose a voice.

6.  To look up the meaning of a word, select the word, click Definition in the main toolbar, click Read in the main toolbar to hear the definition.

To type your own document:

1.  Click New in the main toolbar.

2.  Start typing in the empty document that appears.

3.  To save your work, click Save in the main toolbar.

To read the Web:

1.  Open the Read menu and choose Read the Web.

2.  Use the Web toolbar to help you read Web sites.

To troubleshoot when Kurzweil does not read the document:

1.      Make sure that the document is located on the hard drive. For some mysterious reason Kurzweil 3000 does not read documents directly from the CD-ROM drive.

2.      Reboot the computer from "Reference Computer Management", or press the power button, or logoff by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete.

3.      Kurzweil does not read hand writing. Text has to be typed or in print.

These simple steps should clear most of the Kurzweil 3000 reading problems.

Adapted from: Assistive Technology: Kurzweil 3000, September 9, 2004

Page URL: Assistive Technology: Kurzweil 3000
Web page submitted by Nell Yang