SuperNova Access Suite Case Study: Lloyds TSB bank on SuperNova to be DDA compliant - Part 2

Rose is no longer “stuck on reception,” at the bank where she works, thanks to the new flexibility that Dolphin SuperNova gives her. And her employers Lloyds TSB have a software solution that both supports partially sighted workers and complies with the Disability Discrimination Act.

ROSE Woodward has found a new lease of life in her job at a bank, since her employers had new Dolphin SuperNova screen magnification software installed on eight workstations for her.

As a result, partially sighted Rose, 47, is no longer confined to sitting on reception at the Nottingham branch of Lloyds TSB, and can now take on more varied duties.

She says: “SuperNova is brilliant. I don’t know what I would do without it.

“Wherever I am working, SuperNova appears on screen as soon as I sign in. It is on the PCs in all six of the small offices in the banking hall, as well as on one in reception and on the till.

“This means that instead of being stuck on reception, I can now take customers into the offices to open accounts or to handle enquiries for them - working as flexibly and efficiently as anybody else.”

The upgraded SuperNova was part of an infrastructure refresh at the bank. And Lloyds TSB were happy to see it installed on a range of PCs because the programme now only appears on screen when the primary user signs in.

That means that other staff can work at the same PCs without noticing any difference – while the primary user can access her settings wherever she needs to sit.

SuperNova now also includes fractional magnification, which allows for small increases in type size, as required.

This means Rose can tailor her magnification to a setting that she can work with comfortably (1.66x), without having type that is too large to handle on screen.

And there is also a new hotkey that can be used to magnify the screen even before she signs in. This is good for security as bank employees are required to change their password regularly and Rose can do this without having to ask a colleague to read the screen for her.

The new version is the fastest, most stable yet, with a range of easy-to-use new features. And Rose says it is great to work with.

“It has better magnification than ever, with excellent font and colour quality. It is fast and easy to use and doesn’t crash. And it gives me a lot more flexibility — I wouldn’t be able to do as much as I do without it.”

Rose sometimes uses a yellow background that’s easier on the eyes — there are various glare-reducing colour combinations to choose from. And she finds SuperNova’s split screen facility useful to look at account details on one side and call up other relevant information from the bank’s intranet on the other.

The bank and her line manager had the new software put in place swiftly, after calling in Access to Work to make an assessment of Rose’s needs when the bank was eradicating Microsoft NT4 platforms.

Rose adds: “The bank’s decision to get me this great software has made such a difference. I was always using a magnifying glass before, but now I don’t have to.

“It makes me feel more efficient, confident and happy. Without it I would be lost, so SuperNova really is brilliant for me.”

Dolphin SuperNova includes a wide range of features such as a screen reader and Braille support that are helpful for those with a full range of sight impairments. Users simply make use of the features that assist them best.

And importantly, choosing Dolphin SuperNova also means that Lloyds TSB can regard itself as compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act when it comes to providing solutions for visually impaired employees.

Lloyds TSB worked closely with Dolphin and its technical support team. The bank’s Senior Manager, IT Accessibility, Graeme Whippy says:

"We believe that every member of staff has the right to make a valid contribution to our business and to have a rewarding and fulfilling career. People with visual impairments should be able to concentrate on doing their work rather than struggling to use their computer. We have found Supernova to be a feature rich tool that can be configured by an individual to meet their own specific needs and hence work more effectively on their PC. Furthermore, the broad range of Dolphin products and innovations like the Dolphin Pen make it easier for us to implement adjustments for members of staff and help ensure that impairments are not a barrier to a great career at Lloyds TSB."

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