Assistive Technology
Vista Operating System
Ease of Access Center
In Vista, to open the Ease of Access Center, press Windows logo key + U, or select:
Start > Control Panel > Ease of Access > Ease of Access Center
Under Explore all settings > Make the computer easier to see >
Personalize appearance and sound effects >Display settings
Under Resolution > Select a resolution between Low (screen elements appear larger) and High (screen elements appear smaller).
In Windows XP, display the Start menu by pressing CTRL+ESC (or the Windows logo key), then select > Control Panel > Display > The Settings tab > under Screen Resolution > Select a screen resolution value by moving the slider arrow. Lower resolution makes items appear larger. Higher resolution makes items on screen appear smaller but allows more items to show on screen.
The Ease of Access Center is a centralized location where you can adjust accessibility settings and manage accessibility programs. Get quick access to start common accessibility tools, get recommended settings based on answers to questions, or explore settings by category.
GUI options
Windows operating systems includes a wide array of options to increase visibility of items on the computer screen. Options that can be adjusted include:
Font style, color, and size of items on the desktop—using the Display options, choose font color, size and style combinations.
Icon size—make icons larger for visibility, or smaller for increased screen space.
Screen resolution—change pixel count to enlarge objects on screen.
High contrast schemes—select color combinations that are easier to see.
Cursor width and blink rate—make the cursor easier to locate, or eliminate the distraction of its blinking.
Mouse Keys—Instead of using the mouse, you can use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad to move the pointer.
Keyboard Shortcuts—Use keyboard shortcuts as an alternative to the mouse. Keyboard shortcuts can be found in the menus of programs, or, if a letter is underlined on a menu, that usually means pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key has the same effect as clicking that menu item.
Sticky Keys—Instead of having to press multiple keys at once (such as when you press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys simultaneously to log on to Windows), you can press one key at a time when Sticky Keys is turned on.
Filter Keys—Ignores keystrokes that occur in rapid succession and keystrokes that are held down for several seconds unintentionally.
Visual Notifications—Replace system sounds with visual
cues, such as a flash on the screen, so system alerts are announced with visual notifications instead of sounds.
Utilities
Magnifier—Enlarge a portion of the screen to make things easier to see with Magnifier. Choose a magnification level from 2 to 16 times the original and choose to track the mouse, the keyboard, or text editing.
Narrator—A text-to-speech program that reads aloud on-screen text and describes some events (such as error messages) that happen while you’re using the computer. Narrator in Windows Vista now reads Narrator menus without leaving the active window and has a natural sounding voice.
Speech options
Speech Recognition—Enables you to interact with your computer using only your voice, significantly reducing the use of a mouse and keyboard while maintaining overall productivity. Dictate documents and e-mail, browse the Web, and command programs by saying what you see. An interactive training guides you through an easy setup process and will familiarize you with the voice commands.
Captions—Turn on text captions for animations and video.
On-Screen Keyboard—A visual, on-screen keyboard with all the standard keys that you can use instead of a physical keyboard. On-Screen Keyboard also lets you type using an alternative input device.
Screen Resolution—In Vista, make the items on the screen larger and easier to see by adjusting the screen resolution
Freeware
Browser add ins
- RNIB toolbar - IE toolbar
- AIS toolbar - IE toolbar
- Firefox collection for Web Developers
(WAVE toolbar, IL Accessibility Extension, Web Developer, and eight more) - Firefox collection for individuals with low vision
(NoSquint, TidyRead, Ad Blocker, Colorful Tabs, and seven more) - Firefox collection for individuals with memory, focus, or organization needs
(ReminderFox, Breadcrumbs, DejaClick, Wired-Marker, Tea Timer, Read It Later, Evernote, and eighteen more) - Firefox Wrist Savers collection for individuals with mobility disorders, or problems of the hands and wrists. (Mouseless browsing, Fancy numbered tabs, Speed Dial, Autofill Forms, and seven more)
- Pacecar, a tool to view a smaller portion of the browser screen
- Readability, a tool to reformat text on websites automatically
- WebVisum, solve captchas automatically
- Wired-Marker, Firefox extension to highlight and save snippets of web text
igoogle Gadget - accessibility checkers
Software supported by EKU:
Useful free tools:
Writespace - MS Word add-in that provides large text on black background
Resolution Changer SX2 - make computer text larger or smaller quickly for computers with multiple users.
Phrase Express - word suggestion/prediction
If you need some assistive technology, or help setting up your system, contact Parker Owens at 622-2743 or parker.owens@eku.edu.
