Accessibility Features in Windows 7

Accessibility features of various operating systems provide individuals with various disabilities the opportunity to still have access to the same technology that others without the same disabilities have.  Accessibility features can be considered to be a type of assistive technology, which Roblyer and Doering (2013) define as, “extending the abilities of an individual in ways that provide physical access and sensory access (p. 400).”  Many laws, such as the Technology-Related Assistance Act for Individuals with Disabilities, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act require that some form of assistive technology be made available to those having disabilities that require their use.

Microsoft has made many accessibility features available through their Windows 7 operating system.  The accessibility features provide assistance to people who have a variety of disabilities.  The following information provides an overview of the accessibility features that Windows 7 supports.

To access the accessibility features of Windows 7, one must open the Ease of Access Center located within the Control Panel.  I was surprised to discover when I opened this on my own computer that the default function of the Ease of Access Center was to instantly begin audio that highlights some of the main accessibility features Windows 7 has.  The four main functions that were spoken upon opening were for the Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard, and High-Contrast.  This is what I decided to explore first.

The Magnifier did exactly what one would assume it would, it magnified the screen so that everything appeared larger.  I had some difficulty figuring out how to maneuver through the enlarged print, but it was a very minor difficulty that was overcome in less than a minute.  On the screen, a large magnifying glass allows the user to click on it to adjust the magnification settings.  The magnifying lens also allows a user to magnify a certain area as needed.  As you can see from the screenshot image, only about one-fourth of the screen is visible at the default magnification.  The information on the screen This would be a useful tool for those who have visual impairments that require larger print to be able to see materials accurately.

The On-Screen Keyboard allows a user to type without actually using the physical keyboard.  A keyboard appears on the screen and allows a user to type using the mouse attached to their computer, by hovering over the keys, by scanning, or in cases where touch-technology is available, users may type by actually touching the screen.  The On-Screen Keyboard also has the ability to complete words that you are typing, which increases the speed with which one can use the tool. I found it interesting as I was exploring the tool that when the On-Screen Keyboard is launched, but the user is using the physical keyboard, certain keystrokes were highlighted on the On-Screen Keyboard as well.  Not all of the keys, but the majority of the command keys were.  This can be seen in the screenshot image of the On-Screen Keyboard.  The On-Screen Keyboard is a tool that is useful for those who have limited use of their hands, or other disabilities limiting their use of the physical keyboard.  If a user is unable to use the keyboard or mouse due to their physical disability, Windows 7 also has a Speech Recognition accessibility feature that allows users to prompt certain commands by using a microphone and their voice.

The Narrator function of Windows 7 provides audio narration of the processes a user is completing on the computer, as well as reads menu items to the user as they are selected or scrolled over.  It can also provide audio notifications for certain error messages that appear on the computer screen.  The Narrator is a tool useful for assisting the visually impaired in using a computer.  In the same way that Narrator helps those who are visually impaired to hear notifications, Windows 7 also has a feature that allows those who are hearing impaired to receive a visual cue for audio notifications on their screen.

The final of the four main accessibility features that I was drawn to by the surprise audio upon entering the Ease of Access Center was the High-Contrast setting.  The settings for high-contrast allow a user to change the appearance of the display by providing different colors for the different aspects of the screen.  This creates a higher or lower level of contrast based on the selection chosen.  This accessibility feature is useful to users who may have visual impairments, such as color-blindness.  An example of one of the high-contrast settings can be seen in the image.

These are the main accessibility features I was able to easily explore on my Windows 7 computer.  The features all provide those with a auditory or visual impairments the ability to still utilize the computer in the same manner as those without the disability.

References:

Microsoft. (n.d.). Accessibility.  Retrieved from: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/accessibility

Roblyer, M.D. & Doerling, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.