Accessibility on My Computer

Accessibility Features On My Computer

Windows 7

Computers with Microsoft Windows 7 as the platform have many built-in accessibility features. Microsoft does a great job of describing them, so in addition to discussing all of them, I'm going to use some screen shots that show how to get to them. All of the accessibility features can be accessed by going to: All Programs - Accessories - Ease of Access. 

Ease of Access Center-In the Ease of Access Center there are descriptions of all of the accessibility tools, the ability to choose the options that would best suit the user's needs, and the ability to turn options on and off.

1. Optimize for Blindness-Use the computer without the display. This feature includes options to turn on a narrator which reads text and an option to hear descriptions about what's happening in a video.
2. Optimize Visual Display-Make the computer easier to see. The display settings can be changed in order to meet the individual visual needs of the user.
3. Set up Alternative Input Devices-Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard. Use the onscreen keyboard with a pointing device or mouse. Avoid using the mouse or keyboard by using speech recognition. Physical difficulties can be overcome by using input devices other than the mouse and keyboard.
4. Make the Mouse Easier to Use-The mouse settings can be adjusted, changing the mouse or other pointing device. The color and size of the mouse pointer can be changed. The numeric keyboard can be used to move the mouse. These settings will help out people with visual and physical difficulties.
5. Make the Keyboard Easier to Use-The following features can be adjusted on the keyboard in order to assist someone who has a physical difficulty that makes the normal functioning of a keyboard a challenge.
1. Make it Easier to Type
1. Sticky Keys
2. Toggle Keys
3. Filter Keys
2. Make it Easier to Use Keyboard Shortcuts
3. Make it Easier to Manage Windows

 Make the Keyboard Easier to Use (1)

Taken Directly From Microsoft

Fingerprint Reader

A feature that I have never used, which is available on my computer (a Lenovo ThinkPad), is a fingerprint reader. This feature, although not specifically included as an accessibility feature, would be useful for someone who has difficulty using a keyboard. One swipe of a finger would log them in to the computer.

Chrome Browser
Chrome has a whole help section referring to accessibility options that work and don't work on the browser. This is helpful to look at because some of the programs will not work on certain browsers.

The Chrome Web Store has many accessibility extensions to choose from. Read & Write for Google is fantastic and provides many accessibility features in one program. Read & Write has word prediction, text to speech, highlighting capabilities, and much more. It can help students struggling with reading, writing, comprehension and organization.

1.  (2013). Make the keyboard easier to use - Windows - Microsoft. Retrieved April 12, 2016, from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/make-keyboard-easier-to-use.
2. (2014). All Products and Features – Google Accessibility. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from https://www.google.com/accessibility/all-products-features.html.
3. (2011). Chrome Web Store - Accessibility - chrome.google.com. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/ext/22-accessibility.