A platen assembly in an image-forming device is designed to assist visually impaired users in situating a document into the home corner of the platen. The platen assembly has a pair of placement-assisting thermal strips disposed extending along intersecting sides of the platen. A temperature gradient is established in the thermal strips, by a warming source provided at common ends of the thermal strips, by the thermal strips being an electrical-resistance heating material and a cooling structure or device being provided at common ends of the strips, or by the thermal strips substantially consisting of a thermoelectric material. To further assist a user in situating a document on the platen, the assembly may feature a raised edge extending from the home corner of the platen, along where the pair of placement-assisting thermal strips meet, as well as Braille written strategically on the thermal strips to direct toward the document-orienting corner.