Customizing Windows for People with Disabilities

Accessibility features have been built into Windows since the introduction of Windows 95. These features are useful for individuals who have difficulty typing or using a mouse, are blind or have low vision, or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The features can be installed during setup, or you can add them later from your Windows installation disks.

• Some of the accessibility features built into Windows can be added to earlier versions of those products, and to MS-DOS, through Access Pack files. You can download these files from the accessibility page on the Microsoft Web site.
• Dvorak keyboard layouts make the most frequently typed characters on a keyboard more accessible if you have difficulty using the standard QWERTY layout. There are three Dvorak layouts: one if you are a two-handed user, one if you type with your left hand only, and one if you type with your right hand only. You do not need to purchase any special equipment to use these features. You can download the Dvorak layouts from the accessibility page on the Microsoft Web site.
• In Windows 98 and later versions of Windows, the majority of accessibility settings can be set through the Accessibility Wizard or Control Panel. The Accessibility Wizard presents features sorted by disability, making it easy to customize Windows to each individualÆs needs. The Accessibility Wizard also enables you to save your settings to a file that can be used on another computer.

Step-by-Step Guides

Microsoft offers step-by-step guides that introduce you to some of the most commonly used accessibility features and show you how to use them to customize your computer.

The guides provide detailed procedures on how to accomplish the customization, generally by selecting options or changing settings. This information is presented in a side-by-side format so that you can see at a glance how to use the mouse, the keyboard, or a combination of both.

Visit the accessibility page on the Microsoft Web site to find step-by-step guides for the following products:

• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
• Microsoft Windows 2000
• Microsoft Windows 98
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5
• Microsoft Office XP
• Microsoft Word 2000
• Microsoft Outlook 2000
• Microsoft Help Menus

Accessibility features are also documented in the Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit, the Microsoft Windows 98 Resource Kit, the Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kit, and the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. For more information about installing and using these features, look up ôaccessibilityö in the Windows Help Index.