You can adjust the appearance and behavior of Windows 2000 to enhance accessibility for some vision-impaired, hearing-impaired, and mobility-impaired users without requiring additional software or hardware.
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 -level access to check an Accessibility program's status, start or stop an Accessibility program, and designate to have the program start when Windows 2000 starts.
Using Accessibility Options in Control Panel, you can easily set up how you want to use your keyboard, display, and mouse functions.
The accessibility tools available in Accessibility Options in Control Panel perform various 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.
You can use the Accessibility wizard to help you set up the options and programs for your individual needs. Please see Related Topics for information on using these Accessibility aids.
A wide variety of hardware and software products are available to make personal computers easier to use for people with disabilities. 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 enable the user to type using a mouse or his or her 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 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 (http://www.microsoft.com/).
Related Topics