Hi,
We have created a free on-line video player, designed for the many people with CVI who have difficulties with crowding and clutter.
What are the benefits of video for people with CVI
Videos can be used in multiple ways, including the pure enjoyment of watching a programme, film or cartoon to relax or bring joy. They can also be used as an important learning resource, especially where classroom learning may be difficult to keep up with.
What are the difficulties watching videos for such people?
Many programmes are increasingly becoming fast paced, and visually complex, often with multiple sounds and images to process at the same time. There may be moving images all over the screen, all needing to be simultaneously processed so that the programme content can be understood and enjoyed. For people who do not have CVI, something as simple as watching a video seems effortless, but for the many with CVI, it can be very difficult, and for some impossible.
The next time you turn on your television set, or watch a video on your computer, think about how many things are going on at once.
We can’t do anything about the content unfortunately, but we can make the viewing experience easier, and have developed a video player called ZOOM to do just this.
What is ZOOM?
ZOOM is an on-line video player, designed to work on any device with a web browser and Wi-Fi access. This includes computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones and many televisions. ZOOM works with YouTube videos. You copy the link of any YouTube video onto ZOOM and it will open the programme in ZOOM’s specially designed window surrounded by a black background, which eliminates outer screen clutter. There are a number of settings, including:

• The screen size can be made larger or smaller.
• The speed of the video can be slowed down to match your needs.
• The surrounding colour can be set to your preference.

How does ZOOM work in relation to CVI and the brain?
Think about everything in your visual field right now, including to the outer edge all the way round, called your peripheral visual field. Everything is being mapped in a part of the brain called the posterior parietal lobes. That mapping process means you know accurately where things are in relation to where you are, and if you spot something or want to look at something in particular, you can do this, because it has been mapped, and you know what it is. This mapping ability is an unconscious but essential visual process. When it is limited, as it is for many with CVI, there can be visual difficulties, especially in complex, cluttered, crowded and noisy places. We explain this with further links in our ZOOM Information page (link below). 
The black background reduces the demand on that mapping part of the brain, meaning there is more brain processing power to focus on the video. It means that for many affected people the video becomes easier to see, hear, understand and enjoy.
ZOOM was inspired by children we know who watched YouTube and other videos on smaller screens, but struggled with the clutter on the rest of the screen. The full screen was too big for them to process, so they needed something that was small enough, ideally with an option to slow down the speed for more complex children, as well as lessening the screen clutter. That’s what we’ve made.
ZOOM can bring enjoyment and learning opportunities for the person with CVI, and it can provide teaching and observation opportunities for those supporting them. This is explained in the ZOOM Information page. ZOOM can be used with complex non-verbal children as part of a language development programme by providing looking and learning opportunities to develop knowledge and skills.
You can save your chosen videos and settings for future use, and you can plan in advance. If a child likes a particular video for example, you just need to go into ZOOM, click load settings and using an email address and a specific password, your saved settings will be retrieved and your chosen video selected.
We believe many who need a quiet calm environment and struggle with distractions will benefit from using ZOOM including some with dementia, even if they do not have a CVI diagnosis, so if you are such a person, or know someone with this difficulty, suggest they give it a go.
The best thing to do is have a play with it. We have incorporated a number of demonstration videos suitable for a range of ages and interests. 
Enjoy!
Best wishes
The CVI Scotland Team
PS Everything new can be found in our Updates section, and via Twitter @scotlandcvi and our Facebook page. You can also find us on Instagram. 
Quick Request  We all believe everyone affected by CVI, including those supporting people with CVI, should have access to optimal support and cost should not be a barrier, that is why we make everything free for everyone. ZOOM, like our lessons, resources and other free tools require no fee, contract or registration. We are all volunteers but CVI Scotland does of course have running costs. If you can manage a small donation it would be enormously appreciated. You can donate via the link below, from anywhere in the world, using a credit or debit card, or PayPal. From us all, thank you. 
In this issue...

• ZOOM
• ZOOM Information
• ZOOM Instructions
• CVI Scotland Free Tools
• Donate 

ZOOM

Direct link to the video player, if not used before have a play with one of the demonstration videos in settings, just click on the box under the owl’s feet to open the settings menu.

ZOOM Information

Explaining in more detail how ZOOM works and the many opportunities that come with using it, including both for more able learners, and complex children with language and learning difficulties.

ZOOM Instructions

How to use ZOOM including instruction and demonstration videos.

CVI Scotland Free Tools

LOOK E-Reader, COOL Games and ZOOM Video Player, all available from the homepage, just scroll down and look for the owls.

Donate

A small donation would be enormously appreciated to help cover essential running costs.