“Ease of Access” in Windows Guide
Accessibility to Computer
SPE 545: Assistive Technology
Click the Start button on the left bottom of your computer screen
Click Control PanelàEase of Access Center.
Make the Computer Easier to See
Click Make the computer easier to see. Play with each of the following accessibility features (remember to click on “Apply” button every time you make a choice):
- Click on Choose a High Contrast color scheme (the blue link under “High Contrast”).
This option allows you to set a high-contrast color scheme that heightens the color contrast of some text and images on your computer screen, making those items more distinct and easier to identify.
Go back to the Make the Computer Easier to Use window to try the following features.
- Click on Turn on Magnifier. Click on Apply button. This option sets Magnifier to run when you log on to your computer. Magnifier enlarges the part of the screen where the mouse is pointing and can be especially useful for viewing objects that are difficult to see. You can always access the Magnifier setting from the bottom of the computer screen.
- Click on Fine tune display effects. This option allows you to customize how certain items appear on your desktop.
- Set the thickness of the blinking cursor. This option allows you to make the blinking cursor in dialog boxes and programs (such as in Word files) thicker and easier to see.
Make the Mouse Easier to See
Back in Ease of Access Center , click Making the Mouse Easier to Use.
Select the options that you want to use, and always click APPLY to see changes:
· Under Mouse Pointers, change the color and size of mouse pointers. You can use these options to make the mouse pointer larger, or change the color to make it easier to see.
· Click on Mouse Settings at the bottom.
o Click on Buttons tab. Under Button Configuration, choose Switch primary and secondary buttons. What changes are you experiencing now in the way you use the mouse? How can this be beneficial?
o Select Turn on ClickLock. See what happens.
o Click on Pointers tab. Under the Scheme choice menu, choose several schemes to play with. Pick your mouse looks under Customize section. See the effect of different mouse schemes.
o Click on Pointer Options tab. Play with different mouse pointer speed.
o Select Display pointer trails button. Is this helpful to some students?
o Select or deselect Hide pointer when typing. Any difference?
o Play with Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key.
o Click on Wheel tab. Change the numbers in the boxes. See the results of the changes by scrolling the middle wheel of your mouse in a Word file or on something you are reading in an opened browser on the Internet.
o You can try One screen at a time choice and see the difference.
Make the Keyboard Easier to Use
In Ease of Access Center , click Making the Keyboard Easier to Use.
You can use your keyboard to control the mouse and make it easier to type certain key combinations. Try the following three features:
· Select the options that you want to use. After choosing one option, play with its features by opening the Word program and typing words in a new document:
o Turn on Sticky Keys. Instead of having to press three keys at once (such as when you must press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys together to log on to Windows), you can use one key by turning on Sticky Keys and adjusting the settings. This way, you can press a modifier key and have it remain active until another key is pressed.
o Turn on Toggle Keys. Toggle Keys can play an alert each time you press the Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock keys. These alerts can help prevent the frustration of inadvertently pressing a key and not realizing it.
o Turn on Filter Keys. This option sets Windows to ignore keystrokes that occur in rapid succession, or keystrokes that are held down for several seconds unintentionally.
Use the computer without the mouse or keyboard
Windows has two features to help you use the computer without using a mouse or keyboard: Speech Recognition (you can use voice commands to work with Windows) and On-Screen Keyboard (you can enter text by selecting characters on the screen).
· In Ease of Access Center, click Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard.
· Select the options that you want to use:
o Use On-Screen Keyboard. This option sets On-Screen Keyboard to run when you log on to Windows. On-Screen Keyboard displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys. You can select keys using the mouse or another pointing device, or you can use keys on the standard keyboard.
o Use Speech Recognition. [You can’t try it in the lab because you need a microphone.] Use this option to control the computer with your voice. With a microphone, you can speak commands that the computer will understand and respond to, as well as dictate text.
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