Text that you type in Word 2003 may not appear when you use screen magnifier software or Braille display software

When you use screen magnifier software or Braille display software, text that you type in Microsoft Office Word 2003 may not appear on the Braille display or on the magnifier screen. Additionally, text may appear only occasionally or if you perform certain actions--for example if you save the document.

This problem was first fixed in a hotfix that is now contained in a service pack. If you installed the latest Office 2003 service pack, you do not have to install the hotfix.

Service pack information

This problem is corrected in Office 2003 Service Pack 2.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Office 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Word 2003 Hotfix Package that is dated August 20, 2004. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To activate this hotfix, follow these steps:

1. Quit Word 2003.
2. Click Start, and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
4. Locate and then click to select the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
5. After you select the key that is specified in step 4, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD.
6. Type WordAlternateDisplayMethodForScreenReaders, and then press ENTER.
7. Right-click WordAlternateDisplayMethodForScreenReaders, and then click Modify.
8. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
9. On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
This problem was first corrected in Office 2003 Service Pack 2.