1	Getting Started
This chapter contains the following topics:
Where to Start.
What is Kurzweil 1000?
Important Concepts for New Users.
Kurzweil 1000 Basics.
Kurzweil 1000 Extras and Diags Folders.
Starting and Shutting Down Kurzweil 1000.
If You Need Technical Support.
Kurzweil 1000 Listserv Signup.
Where to Start
If you are a new user, go over this chapter, reading the sections that you need. For example, if you are completely new to computers you may want to start with the Important Concepts section. If you are already familiar with your computer, go to Kurzweil 1000 Basics. 
In addition there are two more sources for new users:
•	A Quick Tour in various file formats, downloadable from www.kurzweiledu.com.
•	A Kurzweil 1000 Tutorial on a set of audio cassette tapes which is included in your product package or as MP3 audio files, downloadable from www.kurzweiledu.com.
If you are an experienced user, go to the Installation and New Features Guide or select the desired version of the New Features Guide from the Help menu, ALT+H, then N.
What is Kurzweil 1000?
Kurzweil 1000 is a Windows-based software application that makes printed and electronic material accessible to people who are blind or have limited vision. This product is easy to use for beginners, yet powerful and flexible enough for advanced users. 
Kurzweil 1000 converts the printed or electronic word into speech. You can scan in books, articles, currency, bills, and advertisements – almost anything that fits on a scanner. The system uses optical character recognition (OCR) to create a version of the page that Kurzweil 1000 can read aloud. 
You can open and read almost any file that contains text, as well as download and read material and books directly from World Wide Web sites such as Bookshare.org.
You can create and edit documents. Kurzweil 1000 is well-suited for use in the academic setting. A variety of tools assist in study tasks: you can look up information from the dictionary and thesaurus, as well as from online encyclopedias. Annotation and navigation features such as multi-level bookmarks and links, along with document summarization, enable you to easily create study documents, some with quick access to related information.
In addition, Kurzweil 1000 provides the convenience of document portability: you can convert text files into audio files and send files to other devices, such as Book Port™.
Kurzweil 1000 is highly customizable, allowing you to set a wide range of preferences from reading speed and voice to verbosity, that is, how much audio assistance you want from the program.
An expanding set of office applications, such as Fax, Photocopier and Calculators, are available to help with daily tasks.
What Kurzweil 1000 is not. It’s not a screen reader, so it doesn’t read the contents of other applications on your PC. It also does not interpret graphic images, nor does it replace a full word processor.
Someone with moderate computer experience should be able to install, configure, and use Kurzweil 1000. If you are new to computers, however, you may require some initial training. 
Important Concepts for New Users
If you are new to computers and scanning, read this section. It will help you use Kurzweil 1000 more effectively.
Your Computer System
Let’s start with your computer system. It’s made up of hardware, including scanners and printers, and requires an operating system and software programs such as Kurzweil 1000 that help you process information and get your work done.
The Hardware Components
Your computer system has several main pieces of hardware: the computer, the keyboard and/or keypad, speakers and a scanner. You may also add a monitor and a printer.
The computer has a hard drive, and could have a floppy disk and/or compact disk (CD) drive. You install Kurzweil 1000 to the hard drive. All of the documents you scan in or create are stored on the hard drive, and you can save your documents to it. The hard drive can store a large amount of data. 
The disk drive and CD drive enable you to load software products, such as Kurzweil 1000, or to load stored files onto your computer. You can also use the disk drive to help you transfer your documents to diskettes for storage. 
The scanner is the piece of equipment that transfers an image of a printed page to your computer. To scan a page, lift the scanner lid and place the page, print side down, flat on the scanner glass. Fit a corner of the page to a corner of the scanner glass. If you are scanning a bound book, you may need to press along the binding to get the book as flat as possible.
A light bar moves under the scanner glass to obtain an image of the page. You may be able to tell when a scan is finished by listening to the light bar. When a scan is complete, the light bar returns to its home position, which is its original starting place.
Other hardware equipment you may find useful include portable devices, such as a ZIP drive for storing large amount of data on ZIP disks. You may also want to use a hardware speech synthesizer. If you want to use the Internet, you will need a modem.
The Operating System
Every computer system has an operating system. Kurzweil 1000 works under the Microsoft® Windows™ operating system, meaning it presents its functions according to the standard ways in which Windows presents and organizes information and functions. 
In a nutshell, the operating system acts as a middleman between you and your computer system. It provides a user interface to help you access, work with and manage hardware resources and software programs, as well as the files and documents in Kurzweil 1000. Review your Windows documentation to learn more. 
The subsection, About Files and Folders, provides more details about working with the Windows user interface within the Kurzweil 1000 program.
Scanning and OCR
When you scan a document, the scanner makes an image of the printed page (similar to a snapshot) and sends that image to the computer. The Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software tries to make sense of the image by identifying characters. The text that the software has recognized then appears in the Kurzweil 1000 window as a page of your scanned document.
Because OCR technology largely works by recognizing letter shape, certain kinds of documents produce better results than others. Go to the subsection, Getting the Best Scanning Results in Chapter 8, Scanning and Recognition, for details. 
The most important thing to remember is that OCR technology works best when documents use a clear, standard typeface, not ornate or script-style fonts, or handwriting. While most publication-quality books or typed documents scan well, something like a wedding invitation may not.
Synthetic Speech 
When Kurzweil 1000 reads to you, you are hearing synthetic speech that is generated by the computer. This technology uses a dictionary, as well as built-in knowledge about phonetics and grammar, to figure out how to pronounce each word.
If this is the first time you are working with synthetic speech, there are two main points to keep in mind:
•	Unlike pre-recorded digitized speech, synthetic speech allows you to read any printed material. Because it can make intelligent decisions and learn new pronunciations, a synthetic speech engine is not limited to recorded material.
•	Because synthetic speech is not a human voice, you may need to get used to its “mechanical” sound. 
Files and Folders
This section provides an overview of how files and folders work under the Windows operating systems. Chapter 13, Files and Folder, describes in detail how to name, create, and organize files and folders.
As you use Kurzweil 1000, you’ll want to organize your work. For example, some of the items you scan may be novels that you want to listen to for enjoyment. You might also scan legal documents and bills, newspaper articles, and menus from take-out restaurants. If you create numerous scanned documents without establishing a way of organizing them, it can be difficult to locate your files.
Files and folders help you organize your documents. A file is the electronic form of a scanned or typed document. Each file has a name, so you can easily recognize its contents. For example, you might scan in several pages of a local newspaper and name the file "news.kes", where "news" is the name of the file and "kes" is the extension (go to the subsection, File Extensions to learn more).
Folders help you organize the files. Think of them as large envelopes with labels on them. You could give a folder a name like "Novels," then place files of scanned novels inside it. Kurzweil 1000 includes a number of folders with names like "Articles" and "Magazines" to help you get started.
File/Folder Hierarchy in Windows
One key to learning the Windows file system is to understand that it is a hierarchy. Files go inside folders, and folders can go inside other folders. Folders within folders are described as "nested." All of the files and folders that you keep on the system generally reside on the hard drive. The default hard drive for a system is usually named C:, where the colon is part of the name.
To keep track of each file’s place in this hierarchy, Windows uses path names. A path shows the drive or device where the file is located and all of the folders you must access to find the file.
To put together a Windows path, you’d begin with the drive name. List all nested folders in descending order, with a backslash (\) between folder names, and the file name at the end of the path.
For example, assume that there is a file on your system that can be described as follows: 
•	The file "Report1.txt" is in a folder named "September."
•	"September" is in another folder called "Monthly."
•	The "Monthly" folder is on drive C: with many other folders.
The path for "Report1.txt" would then be:
	C:\Monthly\September\Report1.txt
File Extensions
You may have noticed that the file names used in our examples consist of two parts: a file name Report1 followed by a dot and the letters txt. This is the extension that tells you the file’s format.
The format of the file consists of a special set of attributes that tells the computer how to work with the file. It usually indicates what kind of application created the file, whether the file contains text or graphics, and if the text uses fonts or styles.
When you create a file in an application, that application usually has a default format. In Kurzweil 1000, the default format for scanned files is the KES format, which uses the .kes extension.
Screen Readers
Screen readers are special applications designed to make the entire computer screen accessible to people with visual impairments. Screen readers speak any item you select on the desktop and in an application, as well as characters you enter.
Kurzweil 1000 is not a screen reader. It does not read in other applications, or on the desktop. If you have a screen reader on your system, you may want to put it into sleep mode, if available, when using Kurzweil 1000 to prevent speech conflicts. Or, if you prefer, you can disable the Kurzweil 1000 speech engine and use a screen reader within Kurzweil 1000.
Bear in mind that the keypad assignments in Kurzweil 1000 are not necessarily the same as those in the screen reader. If you are using a screen reader within Kurzweil 1000, you can disable the Kurzweil 1000 keypad assignments so the screen reader can take over. Chapter 12, Working with Settings, describes this in more detail. 
It’s important that you fully understand both the screen reader and Kurzweil 1000 in order to get the best results from both products. Review the screen reader’s documentation or Help system to learn how it interacts with other speech applications.
Kurzweil 1000 Basics
This section provides an overview of the two ways of using Kurzweil 1000: the keypad and the menus. It explains how to locate important features, and how to get help as you work.
The menu system provides access to the complete Kurzweil 1000 feature set, while the keypad provides a subset of the features. Keep this in mind as you decide which method you want to use. Many users opt to learn both as in a number of instances, it is faster to use the keypad.
The Keypad
You can operate Kurzweil 1000 through the numeric keypad on the right-most side of a standard Windows keyboard.
The keypad has five rows of keys. The top row has four small keys; the next three rows have three small keys; and the bottom row has one long horizontal key and one small key. The right side of the keypad has two long vertical keys below the first square key in the upper-right corner.
If you have a laptop computer, you can also use equivalent functionality on the keyboard. The keys you use may differ from system to system, so check your system’s documentation for details.
Note: For detailed information about using the keypad, you can either download the document Using the Keypad to Access Kurzweil 1000 from the Kurzweil Educational Systems website—www.kurzweiledu.com, or refer to Appendix E, Using the Keypad to Access Kurzweil 1000 in the Online Manual.
The Menu System and Dialog Boxes
The menu system is the second way you can work with Kurzweil 1000. You can access all of the Kurzweil 1000 features and settings from menus by using a standard keyboard. The menu system provides auditory feedback.
Some menu items open dialog boxes. These are special screens that present a feature’s options, also called "controls" throughout Kurzweil 1000. You know that a menu item has a dialog box when the system says, “Opens a dialog.”
Go to Chapter 2, Kurzweil 1000 Menus and Dialog Boxes for detailed information about navigating in menus and dialogs and working with the different types of controls, such as list boxes, combo boxes, and tree views.
Shortcut Keys and Mnemonics
Shortcut keys and mnemonics provide access to menu items using simple keyboard conventions. For a complete list any time you are in Kurzweil 1000, use the Quick Reference from the Help menu (ALT+H, then Q).
Shortcut keys are one or two keys that you press to perform an action. For example, CONTROL+X is the shortcut for the Cut menu item. When using two-key shortcuts, hold down the first key while pressing the second key, then release both. The system tells you the shortcuts as you move through a menu.
Other shortcut keys exist for features that are not readily accessible from a menu. 
Mnemonics are letters that represent menu names or items. To use mnemonics, first press the ALT key to go to the menu bar. You do not need to press ENTER after using a mnemonic. For example, ALT+F+C is the mnemonic for the File menu. The letter C is the mnemonic for the Close item on this menu. 
Keyboard Layout
This section describes the keyboard layout for a standard Windows-compatible keyboard. If you are using a different type of keyboard, your layout may be different. 
There is a single row of keys across the top of the keyboard. From left to right, the keys are laid out in this order:
ESCAPE, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause.
Immediately below this row, there is a large bank of keys, with 15 keys across the top and five keys down the left side. This bank contains the alphanumeric and editing keys. The top row contains:
Left single quote (‘), SHIFT for tilde (~)
Number 1, SHIFT for exclamation point (!) 
Number 2, SHIFT for at sign (@) 
Number 3, SHIFT for number sign (#)
Number 4, SHIFT for dollar sign ($) 
Number 5, SHIFT for percent sign (%)
Number 6, SHIFT for caret (^) 
Number 7, SHIFT for ampersand (&) 
Number 8, SHIFT for asterisk (*) 
Number 9, SHIFT for open parenthesis, (
Number 0, SHIFT for close parenthesis, )
Dash (-), SHIFT for underscore (_) 
Equal sign (=), SHIFT for plus sign (+)
Back slash (\), SHIFT for vertical bar (|)
BACKSPACE.
Across the second row, this bank contains:
Tab (Backtab when shifted),
Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U, I, O, P,
open bracket ([), SHIFT for open curly brace ({),
close bracket (]), SHIFT for close curly brace (}).
Across the third row, the bank contains:
Caps Lock,
A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, L,
semicolon (;), SHIFT for colon (:),
right single quote (‘), SHIFT for double quote (“),
ENTER key.
Across the fourth row, this bank contains:
SHIFT, Z, X, C, V, B, N, M,
comma (,) SHIFT for Less Than sign (<),
period (.), SHIFT for Greater Than sign (>),
slash (/), SHIFT for question mark (?),
SHIFT.
Across the fifth row, this bank contains:
CONTROL, Start menu, ALT, SPACEBAR,
ALT, Start menu, Context menu, CONTROL.
To the right of this large bank of keys, there are two smaller sets of keys. The top set consists of six keys arranged in two rows of three:
INSERT, HOME, PAGE UP,
DELETE, END, PAGE DOWN.
Below this set of keys is a group of four keys. The top key is the up arrow; beneath it are the left, down, and right arrows.
Kurzweil 1000 Extras and Diags Folders
The Kurzweil 1000 product CD also includes some utilities, diagnostic programs, and speech engines. 
•	The "Extras" folder contains games and utilities. The "ReadMe.Txt" file in the folder lists the contents and a brief description of each item. Some of the items in the "Extras" folder are shareware. If you like an application, please register it according to the instructions provided.
Note: Kurzweil Educational Systems does not support the applications in this folder.
•	The "Diags" folder contains several utilities that help with system maintenance and Kurzweil 1000 diagnostics. Its "ReadMe.Txt" file provides an overview of the contents. To avoid unexpected results, use these utilities only as directed by Kurzweil 1000 support personnel. 
	Note: During installation, Kurzweil 1000 copies these diagnostic programs to your hard disk to "Program Files\Kurzweil Educational Systems\Diags".
Starting and Shutting Down Kurzweil 1000 
Before you begin working with Kurzweil 1000, here are three helpful procedures to know. 
To start Kurzweil 1000: Press CONTROL+ALT+K from the keyboard if Kurzweil 1000 is not set up to start automatically.
To shut down Kurzweil 1000 using menu mnemonics: Press the ALT+F, then Q.
To power off your computer using the keypad: Press the Cancel key three times, followed by the Accept key.
If You Need Technical Support
For technical support by phone, use 888-995-9905. Please have the following information ready when you call:
•	Your name and phone number.
•	The product serial number and version number.
•	A description of the problem, including the following:
	What you were doing right before the problem occurred. For example, were you scanning, reading, or saving a file?
	Whether the problem seems to be with our software, the Windows operating system, or the scanner software.
•	Your hardware configuration. Are you using a laptop?
•	The system hardware. Does your system meet these requirements?
	500 MHz Pentium III processor or faster. For VoiceText, a minimum of 700 MHz is required.
	128MB of RAM; 256MB if you're using VoiceText. 
	At least 500MB of available hard disk space; and an additional 625MB for VoiceText. 
	A supported TWAIN scanner.
•	Type of speech engine you are using (ETI-Eloquence, DECtalk, VoiceText or an alternate engine).
Kurzweil 1000 Listserv Signup
A good way to find help is through fellow users. You can do this by signing up for the Kurzweil 1000 e-mail listserv at www.kesi.com. In the main product page, find Listserv under Support in the right-hand bar.