My computer is running Windows XP 2002. This operating system comes with a number of pre-installed accessibility features that I was not aware of previously. These features can be accessed through the Control Panel >> Accessibility Options. The following dialogue appears:
As can be seen, there are four categories of accessibility options: Keyboard, Sound, Display, and Mouse.
The Keyboard and Mouse features would be beneficial to users with physical limitations - difficulty in using a typical keyboard or manipulating a standard mouse. The StickyKeys and FilterKeys options would be helpful for a user with an unsteady hand who either has difficulty pressing more than one key at once or who may press a key multiple times for one keystroke.
The Sound options allow the user to set up visual indicators when the system makes a sound. For instance, when a warning beep sounds, the active window or the desktop can blink to give a visual cue. Somebody who is deaf or hard of hearing would benefit from these features.
The Display options allow users to increase the size and/or contrast in icons, menus, windows, and other User Interface items. Here's what it looks like with high contrast and large fonts:
The Keyboard and Mouse features would be beneficial to users with physical limitations - difficulty in using a typical keyboard or manipulating a standard mouse. The StickyKeys and FilterKeys options would be helpful for a user with an unsteady hand who either has difficulty pressing more than one key at once or who may press a key multiple times for one keystroke.
The Sound options allow the user to set up visual indicators when the system makes a sound. For instance, when a warning beep sounds, the active window or the desktop can blink to give a visual cue. Somebody who is deaf or hard of hearing would benefit from these features.
The Display options allow users to increase the size and/or contrast in icons, menus, windows, and other User Interface items. Here's what it looks like with high contrast and large fonts:
After playing with all the options found inside the control panel, I discovered more accessibility options elsewhere. The Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard can be found through: Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Accessibility.
The Magnifier is a basic tool that magnifies the area around the mouse cursor, displaying the magnified image in a separate window. This tool would be very useful for a user with limited vision, as the magnification can be increased up to a powerful 9x.
Below is a screenshot of my desktop with high contrast, large icons, and the magnifier enabled (click to enlarge).
The Magnifier is a basic tool that magnifies the area around the mouse cursor, displaying the magnified image in a separate window. This tool would be very useful for a user with limited vision, as the magnification can be increased up to a powerful 9x.
Below is a screenshot of my desktop with high contrast, large icons, and the magnifier enabled (click to enlarge).
The Narrator is a very basic screen reader, meant to assist visually-impaired users in navigating windows and understanding dialogue messages. It has a very primitive interface and the voice is fairly difficult to understand, but it opens with a caveat-emptor message stating that most hearing-impaired users will probably need a more robust reader software; this is just to get them through the basics of Windows.
Finally, the On-Screen Keyboard provides an alternate method for input for users who may lack the dexterity to use a conventional keyboard but can successfully use a pointing device. This keyboard floats on top of all other windows and blinks to show which keys (if any) are being actively pressed on the physical keyboard. Below is a screenshot of the On-Screen Keyboard in high-contrast mode.
Finally, the On-Screen Keyboard provides an alternate method for input for users who may lack the dexterity to use a conventional keyboard but can successfully use a pointing device. This keyboard floats on top of all other windows and blinks to show which keys (if any) are being actively pressed on the physical keyboard. Below is a screenshot of the On-Screen Keyboard in high-contrast mode.
It is very helpful and responsible for Microsoft to include these features pre-installed with Windows. Most users with disabilities will need to find more robust and flexible assistive software solutions, but for the navigation and use of the basic functions of Windows, these features make things possible, as discussed by Judy Heumann: "For most of us, technology makes things easier. For a person with a disability, it makes things possible."