The CICA Windows Explosion!/The CICA Windows Explosion! - Disc 2.iso/nt/wn0789.zip/WN0789.TXT

Text File | 1994-03-21 | 21KB | 485 lines

======================================================================
  Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
 WN0789: CUSTOMIZING WINDOWS NT 3.1 FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
======================================================================
                                                  Revision Date:  3/94
                                                      No Disk Included

The following information applies to Microsoft Windows NT(TM), version
3.1.

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| INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY     |
| ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an             |
| Application Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY       |
| KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO     |
| THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A      |
| PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The user assumes the entire risk as to the      |
| accuracy and the use of this Application Note. This Application     |
| Note may be copied and distributed subject to the following         |
| conditions:  1) All text must be copied without modification and    |
| all pages must be included;  2) If software is included, all files  |
| on the disk(s) must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R)   |
| utility diskcopy is appropriate for this purpose);  3) All          |
|components of this Application Note must be distributed together;    |
| and  4) This Application Note may not be distributed for profit.    |
|                                                                     |
| Copyright(C) 1993 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.      |
| Microsoft, BallPoint, Microsoft Press, and MS-DOS are registered    |
| trademarks and Windows and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft   |
| Corporation.                                                        |
| CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc.            |
| GEnie is a trademark of General Electric Corporation.               |
| Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.               |
| MIPS is a registered trademark of MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.       |
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     CUSTOMIZING WINDOWS NT 3.1 FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
     ============================================================

This Application Note provides information about the following
products and services available for computer users with special needs:

 - Support services for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing

 - Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows
   more accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities

 - Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
   wand

 - Microsoft documentation on audio cassettes and floppy disks

 - Products available for individuals who are blind or have low vision

 - Information about customizing Windows NT without additional
   hardware or software

 - More information about products and services for people with
   disabilities

     NOTE: The information in this Application Note applies to Windows
     NT users in the United States only. If you are outside the United
     States, your Windows NT package contains a subsidiary information
     card listing product support telephone numbers and addresses.
     Contact your subsidiary to find out whether the types of products
     and services described in this Application Note are available in
     your area.


 MICROSOFT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD-OF-HEARING
 =====================================================================

Through text telephone (TT/TDD) services, Microsoft provides people
who are deaf or hard-of-hearing with the same technical product
support and customer service as hearing customers.

For sales information and nontechnical customer service, you can
contact the Microsoft Sales Information Center on a text telephone at
[phone] between 6:30 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. Pacific time. For
technical assistance, you can contact Microsoft Product Support
Services (PSS) on a text telephone at [phone] between 6:00 A.M.
and 6:00 P.M. Pacific time. Microsoft support services are subject to
Microsoft's prices, terms, and conditions in place at the time the
service is used.


                   ACCESS PACK FOR MICROSOFT WINDOWS
                   =================================

Microsoft distributes Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, which
provides people with movement or hearing disabilities better access to
computers running Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, and Windows for Workgroups
3.1. Access Pack for Microsoft Windows does not work with Windows NT
3.1, nor does Windows NT contain Access Pack for Microsoft Windows
functionality. However, Microsoft is researching the possibility of
including this technology in a future release of Windows NT.

Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, which was developed by the Trace
R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, is available on
the Microsoft Windows Driver Library in the file ACCP.EXE.

If you have a modem, you can download Windows Driver Library
components from network services, including CompuServe(R), GEnie(TM),
Microsoft Online, various user-group bulletin board services (BBSs)
(including BBSs on the Association of PC User Groups [APCUG] network),
and the Microsoft Download Service (MSDL). The MSDL is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week at (206) 936-MSDL (936-6735). The modem
settings are:

   1200,n,8,1
   2400,n,8,1
   9600,n,8,1 (V.32, V.32bis, V.42, V.42bis)
   14,400,n,8,1 (V.32, V.32bis, V.42, V.42bis)

     NOTE: If you cannot connect at 14,400, lower the baud rate to
     9600 and try again.

Customers who do not have a modem can obtain disks by calling PSS at
[phone] (voice telephone) or [phone] (text telephone).


           KEYBOARD LAYOUTS FOR SINGLE-HANDED COMPUTER USERS
           =================================================

Microsoft distributes software to modify your keyboard layout. These
keyboard layouts can be useful for people who have difficulty using
the standard QWERTY layout. You can use these drivers to change your
keyboard configuration without adjusting your physical keyboard.

Windows NT has built-in support for the two-handed Dvorak keyboard
layout, which may be useful for preventing or coping with some types
of repetitive motion injuries associated with typing. To use this
layout, choose the International icon in Control Panel. Two additional
layouts are designed for people who type with the left hand only or
with the right hand only. These layouts can also be useful for people
who type with a single finger or a wand.

The single-handed layouts are included with the PSS Application Note
GA0650, "Dvorak Keyboard Layouts." If you have a modem, you can
download the self-extracting file GA0650.EXE from the network services
listed in the previous section.

  NOTE: The single-handed layouts are designed for computers using
  Intel(R) x86-based processors and are not compatible with MIPS(R) or
  other non-Intel-based machines running Windows NT.

Customers who do not have a modem can obtain GA0650 by calling the
Microsoft Sales Information Center at [phone] (voice telephone)
or [phone] (text telephone).


           DOCUMENTATION ON AUDIO CASSETTES AND FLOPPY DISKS
           =================================================

People who cannot use printed documentation can obtain many of
Microsoft's publications from Recording for the Blind, Inc. (RFB). RFB
distributes these documents on audio cassettes and floppy disks to
registered members of its distribution service. RFB's collection
contains more than 80,000 titles, including Microsoft product
documentation and books from Microsoft Press(R). You can contact
Recording for the Blind at the following address and phone and fax
numbers:

   Recording for the Blind, Inc.
   20 Roszel Road
   Princeton, NJ  08540

   [phone]    Voice telephone
   [phone]    Fax


       PRODUCTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION
       =========================================================

If you are blind or have low vision, many products are available to
help you use Windows. For persons with low vision, there are several
screen-enlargement utilities. For blind individuals, there are screen
readers that provide alternative output by synthesized voice or
refreshable Braille displays. At the time this Application Note was
written, these types of products were not yet available for Windows
NT. However, Microsoft is working in conjunction with third-party
companies to have these products available for Windows NT in early
1994.


    CUSTOMIZING WINDOWS NT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE
    ==============================================================

There are many ways you can adjust the appearance and behavior of
Windows NT to suit varying eyesight and motor skills without any
additional software or hardware. For example, by changing settings in
the Registry, you can control screen colors, font sizes, and mouse
behavior. You can change these settings in Control Panel or by
directly modifying the Registry. The following sections describe how
to identify which settings to modify to achieve the desired results
and how to safely modify the Registry.

MODIFYING THE REGISTRY
======================

The Registry contains information about your system environment. You
can configure Windows NT and Windows-based applications to meet your
needs and preferences by modifying the information stored in the
Registry. You must have Administrator privileges to modify the
Registry. If you do not, contact your system administrator. For more
information about the Registry, refer to Windows NT Resource Kit.

You can use the following procedure to make Registry changes described
later in this Application NOTE:

1. Create a backup copy of the Registry. If you do not have backup
   privileges, contact your system administrator for assistance.

2. Run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

3. Edit the specific values in the String Editor dialog box by
   selecting the value.

   Many of the Registry entries discussed below are not present in the
   Registry by default. To add them:

   a. Select the subkey you want to modify.

   b. From the Edit menu, choose Add Value.

   c. Type the value name in the Value Name field.

   d. Ensure the Data Type is REG_SZ.

   e. Choose OK.

   f. Type the values in the String box of the String Editor dialog
      box.

4. Save the Registry.

5. Restart Windows NT so that the changes take effect.

  NOTE: When you add the values specified in this Application Note,
  always choose REG_SZ as the Data Type.

Changing Colors
---------------

 - If you have trouble differentiating the system colors, or if they
   cause eyestrain, you can adjust them in the Colors dialog box of
   Control Panel.

 - If the desktop pattern or wallpaper causes eyestrain, you can
   adjust them in the Desktop dialog box of Control Panel.

 - If you have trouble differentiating the colors used by Windows
   Help, you can adjust them by using the following subkey under the
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive:

      \Software\Microsoft\Windows Help registry

   This key allows you to control the following Help features:

    - IFJumpColor=red <value> green <value> blue <value>

      Specifies the color of text that, when chosen, leads to a new
      panel of information in another Help file.

    - IFPopupColor=red <value> green <value> blue <value>

      Specifies the color of text that, when chosen, displays a pop-up
      panel (the type of panel used for glossary definitions) located
      in a different Help file.

    - JumpColor=red <value> green <value> blue <value>

      Specifies the color of text that, when chosen, leads to a new
      panel of Help information. For example, entering 000 000 000 as
      values results in black text on a white background.

    - MacroColor=red <value> green <value> blue <value>

      Specifies the color of text that, when chosen, runs a Help
      macro.

    - PopupColor=red <value> green <value> blue <value>

      Specifies the color of text that, when chosen, displays a pop-up
      panel (the type of panel used for glossary definitions).

   The valid values are 000 to 999, with 999 giving the highest
   intensity. You must include three digits for each value, and you
   must include each color value. You can experiment with this setting
   to create a color that works best for you. The following table
   lists some colors you can work with:

   Setting          Resulting color
--------------------------------------

   000 000 999      Blue
   000 999 000      Green
   999 000 000      Red
   999 999 000      Yellow
   999 000 999      Magenta

Changing Fonts
--------------

 - If you have trouble locating the text-selection cursor (also known
   as the caret or insertion point) in your applications, you can
   adjust the rate at which it flashes. To do this, choose the Desktop
   icon in Control Panel.

 - If you have trouble reading the Windows NT system fonts (which are
   used to display window titles, menus, and dialog boxes), you can
   increase the font size by editing the Registry. You can change the
   FONTS.FON value in the following subkey under the
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive to the font of your choice:

      SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\GRE_Initialize

    NOTE: You must use a font file with the .FON extension.

 - If you have trouble reading the titles of icons, you can adjust
   their appearance by editing the Registry. To do so, go to the
   following Registry subkey:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

   Change IconTitleSize and IconTitleFaceName to the size and name
   (respectively) of the font you desire. For example:

      IconTitleFaceName=Arial
      IconTitleSize=12

    NOTE: The icon title font changes for group icons only-it does not
    change for program icons.

 - If you have trouble reading the small fonts used by some
   applications, you can restrict the fonts available to Windows-based
   applications by removing the fonts you do not want in the Fonts
   dialog box of Control Panel. You do not need to actually delete the
   font files. If you remove all the fonts, only the system fonts
   remain available to applications.

    NOTE: To make all your icon titles visible, you may also need to
    adjust the icon spacing in the Desktop dialog box of Control Panel
    and choose Arrange Icons from the Window menu in Program Manager.


 - If you have trouble reading the file and directory names in File
   Manager, you can adjust the font settings by choosing Font from the
   Options menu.

Changing Schedule+ and Mail Settings
------------------------------------

 - If you have trouble reading the text in Schedule+, you can adjust
   the fonts and colors by choosing Display from the Options menu.

 - If you have trouble reading the text in Microsoft Mail, you can
   adjust the fonts using the FixedFont, NormalFont, and PrintFont
   values in the following subkey under the \HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive:

      \Software\Microsoft\Mail\Microsoft Mail

   Each value has four parts separated by commas: the font name, point
   size, a flag for bold (0 or 1), and a flag for italic (0 or 1).

    - FixedFont=<facename>, <size>, 0|1, 0|1

      This value identifies a fixed-pitch font you can substitute for
      the one supplied with Microsoft Mail. This font serves as an
      alternative to the Microsoft Mail default (Helvetica 10 point).
      This entry affects only the message body text, not the message
      envelope text or folder lists. In Microsoft Mail, the default is
      Courier New, 9, 0, 0 (Courier New, 9-point, not bold, not
      italic).

    - NormalFont=<facename>, <size>, 0|1, 0|1

      This value identifies the proportionally spaced default font
      used to display Mail messages. This entry affects only the
      message body text, not the message envelope text or folder
      lists. The default value is Helv, 10, 0, 0.

    NOTE: To switch between the normal font and the fixed font, choose
    Change Font from the View menu.

    - PrintFont=<facename>, <size>, 0|1, 0|1

      This value identifies the default proportionally spaced font
      used to print Mail messages. The default value is Helv, 10, 0, 0.

Changing Mouse Behavior
-----------------------

 - If you have difficulty controlling the Microsoft Mouse, you can
   adjust its speed in the Mouse dialog box of Control Panel.

 - If you have trouble double-clicking the mouse, you can adjust the
   sensitivity using the Double-Click Speed setting in the Mouse
   dialog box of Control Panel.

 - If you have trouble positioning the mouse on window frames so that
   you can adjust the size of the windows, you can increase the window
   border width setting in the Desktop dialog box of Control Panel.

Changing Keyboard Behavior
--------------------------

 - If you have trouble using the keyboard because of the speed at
   which it repeats or the delay time before it begins repeating, you
   can adjust these settings in the Keyboard dialog box of Control
   Panel.

 - You can use two methods to reduce the number of keystrokes required
   to switch between applications. You can use Task List to display a
   list of all applications currently running, or you can assign a
   shortcut key to each application. Task List can be invoked by
   pressing CTRL+ESC, or by choosing Switch To from any application's
   Control menu. Application shortcut keys can be assigned by creating
   an icon for the application in Program Manager and using the
   Properties command on the File menu. For more information on Task
   List and shortcut keys, see the Microsoft Windows NT "System
   Guide."

     NOTE: Application shortcut keys work only when Program Manager is
     the active application.


                       GETTING MORE INFORMATION
                       ========================

INFORMATION FROM MICROSOFT
==========================

For more information on Microsoft products and services for people
with disabilities, contact the Microsoft Sales Information Center at
one of the following numbers:

   [phone]      Voice telephone
   [phone]      Text telephone

THIRD-PARTY PRODUCT INFORMATION
===============================

The Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison produces a
book and a compact disc (CD) that describe products that help people
with disabilities use computers. The book is titled "ResourceBook" and
contains nearly 500 pages of descriptions and photographs of
approximately 2,000 aids. The CD provides a database of more than
12,000 products and other information for people with disabilities. It
is issued twice a year and is also available in many public libraries.
You can contact the Trace R&D Center at the following address and
phone and fax numbers:

   Trace R&D Center
   S-151 Waisman Center
   1500 Highland Avenue
   Madison, WI  53705-2280

   [phone]     Voice telephone
   [phone]     Text telephone
   [phone]     Fax

ASSISTANT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS
=============================

For general information and recommendations about how computers can
help specific individuals, you should consult a trained evaluator who
can best match your needs with the available solutions. An assistive
technology program in your area can provide referrals to programs and
services available to you. To locate the assistive technology program
nearest you, contact the Center for Developmental Disabilities at the
following address and phone and fax numbers:

   National Information System
   Center for Developmental Disabilities
   University of South Carolina
   Benson Building
   Columbia, SC  29208

   [phone],   Voice or text telephone, outside South Carolina
    extension 301
   [phone]    Voice or text telephone, in South Carolina
   [phone]    Voice or text telephone, outside the United States
   [phone]    Fax