Microsoft Corporation Step by Step Tutorials for Microsoft ®

Overview

Display and Readability

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  Font style, color, and size of items on the desktop—using the Display options, choose font color, size and style combinations.
  
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  Icon size—make icons larger for visibility, or smaller for increased screen space.
  
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  Screen resolution—change pixel count to enlarge objects on screen.
  
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  High contrast schemes—select color combinations that are easier to see.
  
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  Cursor width and blink rate—make the cursor easier to locate, or eliminate the distraction of its blinking.
  
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  Microsoft Magnifier—enlarge portion of screen for better visibility.
  

Sounds and Speech

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  Sound Volume—turn computer sound up or down.
  
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  Sound Schemes—associate computer sounds with particular system events.
  
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  ShowSounds—display captions for speech and sounds.
  
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  SoundSentry—display visual warnings for system sounds.
  
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  Notification—get sound or visual cues when accessibility features are turned on or off.
  
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  Text-to-Speech—hear window command options and text read aloud.
  

Keyboard and Mouse

Mouse Options:

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  Double-Click Speed—choose how fast to click the mouse button to make a selection.
  
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  ClickLock—highlight or drag without holding down the mouse button.
  
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  Pointer Speed—set how fast the mouse pointer moves on screen.
  
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  SnapTo—move the pointer to the default button in a dialog box.
  
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  Cursor Blink Rate—choose how fast the cursor blinks—or, if it blinks at all.
  
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  Pointer Trails—follow the pointer motion on screen.
  
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  Hide Pointer While Typing—keep pointer from hiding text while typing.
  
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  Show Location of Pointer—quickly reveal the pointer on screen.
  
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  Reverse the function of the right and left mouse buttons—reverse actions controlled by the right and left mouse buttons.
  
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  Pointer schemes—choose size and color options for better visibility.
  

Keyboard Options:

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  Character Repeat Rate—set how quickly a character repeats when a key is struck.
  
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  Dvorak Keyboard Layout—choose alternative keyboard layouts for people who type with one hand or finger.
  
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  StickyKeys—allow pressing one key at a time (rather than simultaneously) for key combinations.
  
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  FilterKeys—ignore brief or repeated keystrokes and slow down the repeat rate.
  
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  ToggleKeys—hear tones when pressing certain keys.
  
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  MouseKeys—move the mouse pointer using the numerical keypad.
  
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  Extra Keyboard Help—get ToolTips or other keyboard help in programs that provide it.
  

Accessibility Wizard and Utilities

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  Using the Accessibility Wizard
  
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  Windows XP Accessibility Utilities:
  
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  Magnifier—a display utility that makes the computer screen more readable by creating a separate window that displays a magnified portion of the screen.
  
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  Narrator—a text-to-speech utility that reads what is displayed on the screen—the contents of the active window, menu options, or text that has been typed.
  
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  On-Screen Keyboard—displays a virtual keyboard on the computer screen that allows people to type data by using a pointing device or joystick.
  
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  Utility Manager—enables administrator-level users to check an accessibility program's status and start or stop an accessibility programs—automatically, if required.
  

Using Assistive Technology

Using the Accessibility Wizard

Step by Step Tutorials for the Accessibility Wizard are:

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  Set Options for People Who Are Blind or Have Difficulty Seeing Things on Screen
  
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  Set Options for People Who Are Deaf or Have Difficulty Hearing Sounds from the Computer
  
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  Set Options for People Who Have Difficulty Using the Keyboard or Mouse
  
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  Disable Personalized Menus