Microsoft Windows Accessibility Tools

by Michael Bolitho

Microsoft Windows includes accessibility tools to:
· change the size of the screen icons;
· alter various characteristics of the computer display screen
· flash the screen when sounds are generated;
· show captions for speech or sounds;
· increase the size of, and change the colour of, the mouse pointer;
· modify the operation of the keyboard;
· add sounds to indicate that certain keys have been pressed;
· use the keyboard's numeric keypad to replace the mouse; and
· magnify part of the screen.

STUDENT PROFILE

· Vision impaired - where increasing the size of the screen, or part of it, will assist students (not blind students- blind students require other assistance).
· Deaf or partially deaf - where visual aids to replace the warning sounds generated by Windows may be of assistance.
· Physical disability - where a student has limited manual dexterity to operate the mouse and/or keyboard.

BACKGROUND

For vision impaired students, the size of the mouse pointer, the icons and the scroll bars are often a problem. While there will always be other, frequently bigger, issues to be resolved, solving just these issues can make the difference between whether computers are an option or not for these students. There are two obvious solutions to this problem: increase the size of these objects, or provide a scalable magnification facility that can be panned around the screen. Microsoft Windows Accessibility Options provide both of these options.

Deaf, or partially deaf, students may not hear the audible warning signals given by Windows. Microsoft Windows Accessibility Options enable the screen to flash visible warnings as well as the audible tones.

Students with limited manual dexterity may have difficulty pressing multiple keys concurrently (e.g. SHIFT+ a letter or CTRL+ALT+DEL) or having keys repeat when the student doesn't require them to. Microsoft Windows Accessibility Options provide answers to these problems also.

Because they are part of the Windows platform, a full range of help and a 'wizard' to enable them to be set are provided on all PC's running Windows.

WHAT DOES IT OFFER?

The following files abbreviations have been used here:
Accessibility Options is in Start/Settings/Control Panel
Accessibility Wizard is in Start/Programs/Accessories/Accessibility
Magnifier is in Start/Programs/Accessories/Accessibility
Mouse Properties is in Start/Settings/Control Panel

Icons can be standard, medium or large. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard)
Font size for title bars, menus, and other features can be standard or large. This does not increase the size of text in windows. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard)
A range of high contrast colour schemes can be chosen. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
The display can be switched to a lower resolution. This will increase the size of everything visible. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard)
Visual warnings can be used for system sound warnings. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard)
Captions can be displayed for speech or sound from some programs. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard)
Combinations of CTRL, SHIFT and ALT plus another key can be pressed one key at a time. ("StickyKeys" - Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
Repeated occurrences of a key can be ignored. ("BounceKeys/FilterKeys" - Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
Acoustic warnings (and visual if required) can be given when you press Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock. ("ToggleKeys" - Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
Caption boxes for screen buttons can be displayed in some programs. ("keyboard help" - Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
The numeric keypad can be used instead of the mouse. ("StickyKeys" - Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
Mouse pointers can be standard size, medium or large, and can be standard or colour reversed. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Mouse Properties)
The mouse can be used left or right handed. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Mouse Properties)
The speed of the mouse can be adjusted. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Mouse Properties)
Mouse trails can be used to help identify the location of the mouse pointer. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Mouse Properties)
Accessibility options can be turned off if the computer has been idle for a defined period of time.(Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Accessibility Options)
Use a magnification window with a magnification factor between 1X and 9X. (Accessed from Accessibility Wizard or from Magnifier)

ADVANTAGES

Accessibility options are an integral part of the Windows Operating System.
They work with any program being run.
Online Help is always available.
They can be set and left for a single user, or set as required for different users and automatically cancelled when the computer is left idle.

DISADVANTAGES

None

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

The level of training required is a defined by the student's physical limitations.
The options are easy to set and use, and the time required to learn how to use them should be short.
The provision of online Help facilities should enable students to teach themselves.

INTEGRATION

· As an integral part of the Windows platform, the accessibility options are available from all programs and systems run under Windows.

SOURCE AND COST

Provided as a part of the Windows platform.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

· Windows 98/NT or later

Microsoft Accessibility Options