WebJunction

Windows accessibility features

You can adjust the appearance and behavior of Windows 2000 to enhance accessibility for some vision-impaired, hearing-impaired, and mobility-impaired patrons without additional software or hardware. Among the different types of products available for MS-DOS and the Microsoft Windows operating systems are:

• Programs that enlarge or alter the color of information on the screen for people with visual impairments.

• Programs that describe information on the screen in Braille, or synthesized speech for people who are blind or have difficulty reading.

• Hardware and software utilities that modify the behavior of the mouse and keyboard.

• Programs that let the user type using the mouse or voice.

• Word or phrase prediction software, that allows users to type more quickly and with fewer keystrokes.

• Alternate input devices, such as single switch or puff-and-sip devices, for people who cannot use a mouse or a keyboard.

The accessibility tools that ship with Windows 2000 are intended to provide a minimum level of functionality for users with special needs. Most users with disabilities, however, will need utility programs with higher functionality for daily use. For a list of Windows-based accessibility utilities, see Microsoft Accessibility at the Microsoft Web site.

Use the Accessibility wizard to help you set up the options and programs for your individual needs. Windows 2000 includes the following programs to enhance accessibility:

• Magnifier enlarges a portion of the screen for easier viewing.

• Narrator uses text-to-speech technology to read the contents of the screen aloud. This is useful for people who are blind or who have low vision.

• On-Screen Keyboard provides users with limited mobility the ability to type on-screen using a pointing device.

• Utility Manager enables users with administrator-level access to check an accessibility program's status, start or stop an accessibility program, and designate having the program start when Windows 2000 starts.

StickyKeys

• Using Accessibility Options in the Control Panel, you can easily set up how you want to use your keyboard, display, and mouse functions. StickyKeys enables simultaneous keystrokes while pressing one key at a time.

• FilterKeys adjusts the response of your keyboard.

• ToggleKeys emits sounds when certain locking keys are pressed.

• SoundSentry provides visual warnings for system sounds.

• ShowSounds instructs programs to display captions for program speech and sounds.

• High Contrast improves screen contrast with alternative colors and font sizes.

• MouseKeys enables the keyboard to perform mouse functions.

• SerialKeys allows the use of alternative input devices instead of a keyboard and mouse.

To turn on StickyKeys:

1. Open Accessibility Options in Control Panel.

2. On the Keyboard tab, under StickyKeys, select the Use StickyKeys check box.

To open Accessibility Options, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Accessibility Options. To change settings for StickyKeys, on the Keyboard tab, under StickyKeys, click Settings.

Keyboard commands

Input Options (Sending information to the computer)

• StickyKeys: Enables you to press a modifier key (Ctrl, Alt, or Shift) and have it remain active until a non-modifier key is pressed. This is useful for people who have difficulty pressing two keys simultaneously.

• FilterKeys: Instructs your keyboard to ignore accidental or repeated keystrokes. You can also adjust the keyboard repeat rate, which is the rate at which a key repeats when you hold it down.

• ToggleKeys: Instructs your computer to play a high-pitched sound when the Caps, Lock, Scroll Lock, or Num Lock key is toggled on, and a low-pitched sound when any of those keys is toggled off.

• MouseKeys: Enables you to use the numeric keypad to move the mouse pointer and to click, double-click, and right-click. To click the mouse, press the 5 key on your numeric keypad. To double-click, press the plus key (+). To right-click, press the minus (-) key, and then press the 5 key to click or the (+) key to double-click. To switch back to standard clicking, press the backslash (/) key.

Output Options (Receiving information from the computer)

Mac OS 10.2 (Jaguar), as well as earlier versions of Mac OS X, has a host of built-in accessibility features. The Universal Access section of the system preferences is divided into four main sections: Seeing, Hearing, Keyboard, and Mouse. Each tab allows you to check off whether you want to allow universal access shortcuts, enable assistive devices, or enable text-to-speech. The last option lets your computer read instructions aloud as you mouse over the options.

• Seeing

Under this tab, you can specify keyboard shortcuts to:

• Turn the zoom on and off, which lets you adjust screen magnification.

• Zoom in and out.

• Switch the screen to white text on black, or grayscale.

• Turn full keyboard access on and off.

• Hearing

Under this tab you can specify the screen to flash whenever an alert sounds. You can also adjust the system sound level.

• Keyboard

Under this tab, there is a Sticky Keys option for those who cannot press more than one key at a time. If you enable this option, it treats a sequence of modifier keys as a key combination. You can specify that the computer beep or show the key combination on screen.

Slow keys can be used by those who have trouble with repeating key stokes. Turning this option on sets a delay between when a key is pressed and when the command is accepted, and you can adjust the time lag of that delay. You also can set this option up to use sounds. A key repeat delay can also be set up in the keyboard preferences.

• Mouse

Under this tab you can find Mouse Keys, which lets you turn the mouse on and off and enable use of the keyboard's numeric keypad to control the position of the cursor.