Computer Access - Improved Access to the Windows Environment

• Go to: Start - Control Panel - Accessibility Options
• Sound - for visual warnings or captions when your system makes a sound
• Display - select High Contrast or white on black to change the contrast; change the width and blink rate of the cursor
• Mouse - enables mouse control by using the numeric keypad
• Keyboard - enable StickyKeys (to use Shift, Control or Alt key by pressing one key at a time); FilterKeys (for Windows to ignore repeated keystrokes); or ToggleKeys (if you want to hear tones when pressing Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock)

• Go to: Start - Settings - Control Panel - Display OR Start - Control Panel - Appearance and Themes - Display
• Background - this allows you to change the desktop Background and Wallpaper. For a very plain background (which may improve contrast) select None.
• Screen Saver - choose from a range of Screen Savers and the time before the Screen Saver turns on
• Appearance - select appropriate colours and sizes for a range of Items including desktop, icon spacing, icon size, menu text, scrollbar, title bar etc. Save the Settings as your own Scheme.
• Effects - choose or change icons; or apply the Use Large Icon option
• Settings - changing the Resolution will change the size of information displayed on the screen. Some resolution settings have the option to choose between small or large fonts.

• Go to: Start - Programs - Accessories - Accessibility - Accessibility Wizard and follow the prompts

Hot Keys

Hot Keys can be used to turn the Accessibility Options on and off.

• Go to: Accessibility Options - Display - Settings - Click in the box for Keyboard Shortcut
• If the shortcut key has been enabled, use left Alt + left Shift + Print Screen to turn this option on and off

Mouse Pointer (Cursor) The Mouse Pointer (cursor) type, size and colour can be customized. You can also make your mouse travel further around the screen with a smaller movement of your hand, have the mouse snap to the Default button in a dialog box, add a mouse trail to assist location or set the computer so that when you press the Control button the cursor is circled. Go to: Start - Settings - Control Panel - Mouse. Choose a Scheme and click Apply - OK. Install other Mouse Pointer software (eg Biggy, Large Cursor) if the pre-installed pointers are not suitable For example, you can download a variety of free large and/or coloured cursors for PC eg: Large Colour Cursor Big Bold Cursors for left and right handers Ace Centre Cursors includes 80 different kinds Top

• APHont: www.aph.org/products/aphont.html
• Tiresias Fonts: www.tiresias.org/fonts/index.htm 

• Go to: Start - Programs - Accessories - Accessibility - Narrator
• To use Narrator but hide the Narrator dialog box, click the Minimize button
• To turn off Narrator select Exit in the Narrator dialog box
• Key Commands: Display the Start menu by pressing Ctrl+Esc (or the Windows logo key )
  • Press R
  • Type narrator
  • Press Enter
  • A message box with a link to more information about Narrator may appear - to close the box, press Enter
  • To use Narrator but hide the Narrator dialog box, select Minimize by pressing Alt+Spacebar, N
  • To turn off Narrator, in the Narrator dialog box, press Alt+X, Y

• Right click on a blank area of the Quick Launch Taskbar and choose Open. Add and/or remove shortcuts.

• Right click Start and choose Open - Programs - File Menu - New - Folder. Type the name you want to use for the submenu and press Enter - File Menu - New - Shortcut and follow the instructions from the Create Shortcut Wizard.

• Go to: Start - Settings - Taskbar and Start Menu. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab. Click Add, then Browse. Locate the program you wish to add and click on it. Click Next. Double click the menu you want it to appear in. Type name. Click Finish.

• Go to: Start - Settings - Control Panel - Passwords - User Profiles - Choose the second option.
• Log on as a different user by choosing the “close all programs and log on as a different user?” option in Shut Down

Training Materials

There are a number of training materials for teaching Windows, accessibility features and access technology hardware and software, some written specifically for people with vision impairments, including:

• JAWS Tutorials for Windows - ATTO, Freedom Scientific, Quantum Technology
• Commonly Used Accessibility Features of Windows 98/Millennium/2000/XP - Microsoft
• “Computer My Way” assists users to personalise their Windows XP computer - AbilityNet 
• The Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO) provides tutorials on access technology software and hardware including JAWS, ZoomText, BrailleNote, Clicker4, Intellitalk - ATTO

• Maintain an uncluttered desktop – only have essential icons on the desktop
• Keep icons in a consistent location
• Your fifteen most recently used documents can be quickly found - go to: Start - My Recent Documents
• Add commonly used programs to your Quick Launch
• Select a plain background colour which offers good contrast
• Minimise the wording under the icons eg you don’t need the words “shortcut to” on your Shortcuts
• Increase the spacing between icons (particularly if they are enlarged) so that they do not overlap
• Move and resize your window
• Change the blinking rate and thickness of the cursor
• If you are working in two Programs simultaneously, you may wish to use a split screen. Open both programs and right click on a blank part of the Task Bar and choose Tile Windows Horizontally or Tile Windows Vertically.
• Increase the font size for the menu, title bars etc
• Use Key Commands where possible eg you can jump between items that you have open by clicking Alt + Tab
• Use Hot Keys
• There are many freeware or shareware options of enlarged and/or coloured pointers and cursors, magnifiers, voice output etc available to install on your computer
• Some mouses have features such as built in magnifiers, automatic scrolling etc

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Selected Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

For Key Commands in other Windows programs, go to Help (F1).

For other shortcuts and “cheat sheets” click here.

High Contast Settings and PDF files

Take these steps to view PDF files with high contrast settings:

• open the PDF file
• Go to Edit, Preferences (CTRL+K)
• Under Categories, click Accessibility
• In this window, tick of check the folowing items:
  • Replace Document Colors
  • Use High Contrast Colors
  • Change the color of line as well as text
• Now go to the drop down menu beside High Color Combination and choose your preference, eg white text on black

These preferences should load next time you open any PDF file.

See also Computer Access: Enlargement, Computer Access: Voice, Curriculum Access: Computer Skills and Keyboarding and Windows Cheat Sheets.