Alphasmart AS 2000 User Manual page 34

Positioning of the AlphaSmart 2000
The AlphaSmart 2000 should be located in front of you and
at a comfortable distance so that your arms and hands are
resting in a relaxed and ready position at your sides. Choose
a work area that can accommodate your AlphaSmart 2000
and any additional materials.
Furniture and Posture
Adjust your workstation to be physically comfortable and to
allow your body to work in a relaxed and efficient manner.
If your table and/or chair is adjustable, adjust the height and
angle so that your forearms and wrists are straight and paral-
lel to the floor, and your feet are flat on the floor (use a
footrest if necessary). The back of your chair should be
adjusted to support your lower back while working. Position
your chair to avoid undue pressure on the underside of your
thighs near your knee and the backs of your lower legs.
In working, you should use a comfortable, upright position.
Try not to lean forward, backward, or to the side while work-
ing. Materials should be within reach and frequently needed
materials should not be located in an area where a twisting
motion is required.
Hand and Arm Position and Motion
In using your AlphaSmart 2000, you should keep a relaxed,
comfortable position that follows the suggestions discussed
in this section. While working , your elbows may lightly
touch your sides, but should not exert pressure against your
body. Your wrists should be in a comfortable, straight posi-
tion. Try not to arch or bend your wrists while typing as this
may place strain on your wrists. Rest your hands on a palm
rest or on the table (if you do not have a palm rest). When
typing, use a minimum degree of force and avoid hitting the
keys with more force than necessary.
Lighting
Like your workstation and posture, your lighting should be
adjusted to accommodate your use of the AlphaSmart 2000.
Adjust the lighting sources, shades, drapes, or blinds so that
glare on the screen is minimal, while still allowing comfort-
able viewing of the materials around you. You should use
several lighting sources to accommodate different tasks, such
as overhead lighting for viewing your AlphaSmart 2000 and
the overall workstation area, and more focused lighting for
closer desktop tasks.
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Vision Care
Work Habits
Health Habits and Exercise
Conclusion
AlphaSmart 2000 AlphaSmart 2000
Vision care is important, particularly if you are working for
extended periods of time. Your eyes may become irritated
and fatigued. Resting your eyes at regular intervals and
keeping your glasses, lenses, and display clean should reduce
the strain on your eyes. Also, it is advisable to have regular
eye check-ups by a vision care specialist.
General work habits are an important part of working in a
comfortable, relaxed, and efficient manner. Take note of
your work habits and positions during the day. Try not to
work for extended periods of time on a single task. By shift-
ing between several tasks you change the physical demands
placed upon you. In changing tasks, adjust your posture
somewhat to avoid extended strain on certain muscles. Try
to take several breaks during the day to stretch and exercise.
Your existing health conditions can affect your ability to
work in a comfortable manner. Health conditions which
may make it difficult to work and may place undue stress
upon your body include: Diabetes, excessive weight, hyper-
tension, smoking, stress, arthritis or other inflammatory dis-
ease, and conditions affecting hormone levels (including
pregnancy and menopause).
Each individual has a threshold level of physical stress that
they can comfortable and efficiently work under without
harm. However, it is important to keep track of your physi-
cal well-being and to avoid exceeding your threshold. If you
have any of the above mentioned physical conditions, you
should regularly and carefully keep track of how you feel as
you work.
By following the above recommendations and taking care of
your overall physical condition through regular exercise, the
use of your AlphaSmart 2000 should be more enjoyable and
productive.
Note: The above recommendations are to help you use your
AlphaSmart 2000 in a more enjoyable and productive manner.
However, you need to determine the best work conditions and
environment for your work, as each situation is specific to that
individual.
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