ELLALarge print
Large print is a document with bigger type and clearer spacing, made for readers with low vision. ELLA can make it as a Word file or a PDF.
What you can choose
- Size, from 12 to 36 point. See choosing a size.
- Font. ELLA offers Arial, Atkinson Hyperlegible, Calibri, Lexend, OpenDyslexic, Tahoma and Verdana in the accessibility profile.
- Line spacing, from 1 to 2.5 lines.
- Background: white, cream or dark.
Ask in your request, for example "large print, 20 point, Arial, double spacing, cream background". Or save your choices once in an accessibility profile. The request wins over the profile.
What ELLA does when it enlarges a document
Enlarging type is more than a zoom. Text that was a good fit in the source may need to flow onto more pages. ELLA aims for meaningful headings, readable spacing and contrast, and table headings that stay with their data. Pictures need thought, because shrinking a picture shrinks the labels inside it.
What to check
- Open the result and look at every page. Look for clipped text, tables that run off the page and pictures with tiny labels.
- Check headings, captions and equations at the final size.
- Read the chat reply for anything ELLA says it could not enlarge.
Page count
Large print has more pages. A 10 page handout at 24 point may run to 25 pages or more. Ask for a Word file if the reader or their teacher will want to adjust the type later.
Printing
Printing affects the result as much as the file does. See printing large print well.
Who asks for large print
Many people with low vision, and many people who do not use braille. Ask the reader before you decide. A QTVI can advise on size and font for a particular student.
- Choosing a large print size How to pick the right large print size for a reader, what the point sizes mean in practice, and how ELLA applies your choice.
- How to print large print documents well Printer settings and paper choices that keep large print readable: actual size, page size, single-sided printing, contrast and binding.
Still stuck?
Browse the help centre, or contact support and say what you were trying to do.