Word Inserting Columns
Columns in a Word document can be two or more on a page. You can have columns for the entire document, or after a given point in the document. Text, links, graphics such as pictures, and many other items can be put in a column. Writing in a column is exactly like writing in a blank document, with the exception that you are not crossing the entire page, but only the width of the column. Columns are seen in print magazines, newspapers, and in books. One common use for columns is the class, church or work "Newsletter." If you are simply writing and inserting items such as pictures, you will not need much, if any, sighted assistance. If you have to make text in one column line up with text in a second column, you may need someone with vision to tell you if the text is aligned. Do the following activity to create a Word document with two columns. There are headings on this page. Use the letter h to move forward through the headings, or Shift h to move backwards through the headings. When you hear a heading you want to work with, down arrow through the items in that heading. When you are finished move to the link at the bottom of this page titled "BACK" to go to the "Word Processor Lessons" web page.
1. Open Word. If you are using Word 2013 hit either the Escape key or the Enter key one time to open a blank document.
2. Hit the Alt key one time.
3. Right arrow over to the ribbon tab titled "Page Layout."
4. Down arrow one time.
5. Hit the Tab key again-and-again until you hear the "Columns" item.
6. Hit the Enter key one time and a list of column options will come up. They are, going down, "One Two Three Left Right and More Columns"--do not use the "More Columns" item in this activity. The "Left" item makes a narrow column on the left, with a wide column on the right. The "Right" item makes a wide column on the left and a narrow column on the right. The "One Two and Three" items make columns that are all equal in width.
7. Down arrow to the item you want.
8. Hit the Enter key one time and you have set columns for the entire document.
1. Open Word. If you are using Word 2013 hit either the Escape key or the Enter key one time to open a blank document.
2. Hit the Alt key one time.
3. Right arrow over to the ribbon tab titled "Page Layout."
4. Down arrow one time.
5. Hit the Tab key again-and-again until you hear the "Columns" item.
6. Hit the Enter key one time.
7. Down arrow to the "More Columns" item.
8. Hit the Enter key one time and you will be in a "Number of columns" combo box where you can use the up and down arrow keys to select the number of columns you want for your document.
9. Arrow to the "2" number in the "Number of columns" combo box.
10. Tab one time and you will be at a check box titled "Line between."
11. Hit the spacebar one time and a line will be placed between your columns.
12. Hit the Tab key one time and you will be in the "Col # Width" combo box.
13. Use your up or down arrow key to select the number for the width of your column.
14. Hit the Tab key one time and you will be in the "Spacing" combo box. This is for how much space there will be between your columns.
15. Up or down arrow to select the spacing between the columns.
16. Tab one more time and you will be on the "Equal columns width" check box It will be checked. If you desire to set your own column widths, hit the spacebar to uncheck this box, and then Shift Tab back to the boxes where you set the column width for both the left and the right columns. Remember, there is only so much space across the page, so there will be limits on widths.
17. Tab down to the "Apply to" combo box.
18. Down arrow and you will hear "Whole document."
19. Down arrow a second time and you will hear "This point forward."
20. Tab one time and you will be on the "Start new column" check box
21. Tab one more time and you will be on the "OK" button.
22. Hit the spacebar one time and your columns will be inserted or set for the open document.
23. Practice and experiment with the preceding activities until you understand and are quick and accurate.