Author: Karen McCall

Equipment Set Up Guidelines

Karen McCall, M.Ed.
Karlen Communications
Contact Karlen Communications
Karlen Communications web site

If you do not live in the province of Ontario, or can not access the Assistive Devices Program, this is still a good document to use as a resource. It may provide the new computer user with some guidelines toward participation in their own learning process. You can use this document and share it with others as long as you maintain the footer and credit at the bottom of each page. 

Let’s Get Started!

Now that you have ordered your equipment, what can you expect when it is delivered? Under The Ontario Ministry of Health’s Assistive Devices Program [ADP], the vendor [ADP authorized or not] is responsible for making sure your equipment is delivered to your home, set up and that all of the components and adaptive technology are working properly.

Once this is in place THEN your training begins. Set up is NOT part of your training hours [neither is configuring your system].

Set Up Check List

Task | Description
| My computer is where I want it to be in my home
| I have all the equipment that was ordered and paid for
| I have all the original disks and manuals [if applicable] for everything on my computer including sound cards, video cards, Windows, printers, scanners and any Office suites and adaptive technology purchased – if it is on your computer, you need the CD’s/disks for it!
| My speakers are connected to my computer and are working properly
| If you want – I was shown how to plug a headset into the back of the computer so I don’t disturb family members when using my computer – you need to provide the headset, it doesn’t come with the computer
| From the Start Menu I was shown my Office Suite and all it’s components
| From the Start Menu I was shown my screen reader if applicable
| This was launched and is working properly
| From the Start Menu I was shown my screen magnification software
| This was launched and it working properly
| From the Start Menu I was shown my scanning software
| This was launched and is working properly
| My CCTV was hooked up to the monitor and is working properly – I can toggle between the CCTV and my computer screen [if applicable]
| From the Start Menu I was shown my Printer and it’s options
| The Photocopy function was demonstrated and is working properly with my adaptive technology
| There is no wallpaper on my Desktop – this interferes with adaptive technology by using your memory
| There is no screen saver turned on – this interferes with adaptive technology by using your memory
| The Fonts are set to small not large – this interferes with screen readers
| The Icons are set to small not large – this interferes with screen readers
| My Display is set for 256 Colours and 800x600 Display – I heard this with my screen reader/saw this with screen magnification
| My word processor has an Icon on the Desktop
| My word processor has shortcut keys assigned to it from the Desktop and these were demonstrated to me – word processor was launched using Control + Alt + ?
| I can print from my word processor – this was demonstrated to me
| My screen reader has an icon on the Desktop
| My screen reader has shortcut keys assigned to it from the Desktop and these were demonstrated to me – screen reader was launched using Control + Alt + ?
| My screen magnification software has an icon on the Desktop
| My screen magnification software has shortcut keys assigned to it from the Desktop and these were demonstrated to me – screen magnification software was launched using Control + Alt + ?
| My scanning software has an icon on the Desktop
| My scanning software has shortcut keys assigned to it from the Desktop and these were demonstrated to me –scanning software was launched using Control + Alt + ?
| I can print from my scanning software – this was demonstrated to me
| If you are using JAWS, JAWS is set to Run in the System Tray
| If you need High Contrast Black, this was changed on your computer so that you can begin working on your computer before actual training begins
| If you need large cursors, these were activated so that you can use your computer before actual training begins
| It was demonstrated to you that your modem works
| It was demonstrated to you that you can play a music CD on your computer – but not while running adaptive technology
| I was shown how to start my computer
| I was shown how to Shutdown my computer safely
| If you received the K-1000 make sure you also have your Project Guttenberg CD which is pre-packaged with the K-1000 CD and does not cost you extra money – Kurzweil has an agreement with Project Guttenberg to ship their CD with the K-1000
| Make a list of the things that are not delivered
| Make a list of the things that are not working properly
| Make an appointment with the vendor to have these things fixed – there should be no additional cost to you for the basic set up of your system and the configuration and demonstration that everything is working as it should work
| This also gives you a starting point with your Trainer and the Trainer doesn’t have to spend time and training hours coming to your home when your equipment is not working properly
| When you call the Trainer, your equipment should be ready to turn on and begin training on

Vendors are not typically responsible for hooking you up to Internet Service providers. This is a service you need to negotiate with them. You need to have purchased your Internet Service ahead of time so that it is a simple configuration of your system that needs to be done. You need to have all documentation, logins and passwords available to the Vendor if you have paid them to set up your connection to the Internet. There might be an additional charge for the Vendor to do this for you. 

End of Document