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Benefits and
features
Accessibility
Windows Vista includes built-in accessibility settings
and programs that make it easier for you to see, hear, and
use your computer. The accessibility settings and programs
in Windows Vista are particularly helpful to people with
visual difficulties, hearing loss, pain in their hands or
arms, or reasoning and cognitive issues.
Ease of Access Center
The new Ease of Access Center in Windows Vista provides a
convenient, centralized place to locate accessibility
settings and programs to make your computer easier to use.
The Ease of Access Center includes quick access to common
tools, a questionnaire to get recommendations for
accessibility settings and tools, and the ability to explore
all accessibility settings in seven categories. The Ease of
Access Center can be found in the Control Panel in Windows
Vista or by selecting Windows logo key+U. The Ease of Access
icon is also available when you are logging into Windows
Vista. The Ease of Access Center replaces the Accessibility
Wizard and Utilities Manager in previous versions of
Windows.
Gain quick access to common tools
Start Narrator, Magnifier, On-Screen Keyboard, and High
Contrast quickly from Quick access to common tools in
the Ease of Access Center. When you start these tools from
the Quick Access section, the tools will turn off after you
log off or shut down. If you want these tools to start
automatically every time you log on, turn them on under the
Explore all settings categories.
Get recommendations for settings
The Ease of Access Center includes a new, optional
questionnaire (that replaces the Accessibility Wizard found
in previous versions of Windows). Based on your answers, a
custom list of recommended accessibility settings is
provided so you can choose which options you want to try.
You can take this questionnaire and adjust your settings as
often as you like. This new questionnaire takes the
guesswork out of selecting settings.
The questionnaire includes questions about performing
routine tasks, such as whether you have trouble seeing faces
or text on TV, hearing normal conversations, or using a pen
or pencil. Based on your answers, Windows Vista provides a
personalized recommendation of the accessibility settings
and programs that are likely to improve your ability to see,
hear, and use your computer.
The questionnaire asks questions that relate to:
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Eyesight
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Dexterity
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Hearing
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Speech
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Reasoning tasks
You can find the questionnaire in the Ease of Access
Center (in the Control Panel) by selecting Get
recommendations for settings.
Explore all settings by category
Instead of looking for accessibility settings in various
places on your computer, Windows Vista brings all those
settings together and organizes them into categories that
you can explore in the Ease of Access Center.
You can explore seven different categories of
accessibility settings and programs:
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Use the computer without a display.
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Make the computer easier to see.
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Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard.
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Make the mouse easier to use.
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Make the keyboard easier to use.
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Use text or visual alternatives for sounds.
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Make it easier to focus on tasks.
Make things on the screen larger with
Magnifier
Magnifier is a magnification program in Windows Vista
that enables you to enlarge a portion of your computer
screen in a separate window to make it easier to see. The
magnification quality has improved from previous versions.
Now you can choose magnification levels up to 16 times the
original size, and you can choose to track the mouse, the
keyboard, or text editing.
In Magnifier, you can choose to:
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Invert the colors
for better screen legibility.
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Move the Magnifier window anywhere on your
screen.
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Choose a docking position which places the
magnifier window at the left, top, right, or bottom of
your screen.
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Adjust the tracking focus so that it follows
the movement of the mouse cursor, keyboard focus, or
text editing.
Hear text read aloud with Narrator
Narrator is the text-to-speech program in Windows Vista
that reads what is displayed on your screen, including the
contents of the active window, menu options, or the text you
have typed. Narrator reads menus without leaving the active
window and includes a pleasant, natural-sounding voice.
Narrator has a number of options that allow you to
customize the way screen elements are read. You can:
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Read Narrator menus without leaving the active
window.
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Move around the desktop with the number keys using
virtual focus, which allows you to move through the
objects on the desktop and read aloud any content they
contain.
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Move around the desktop with the arrow keys using
virtual menus.
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Use bookmarks to find commonly used programs.
You can choose the type of text Narrator reads aloud,
such as keystrokes, system messages, and scroll
notifications, and you can choose voice settings. Plus,
Narrator is compatible with any SAPI-compliant voice for
users who can use a different voice.
Type with On-Screen Keyboard
On-Screen Keyboard in Windows Vista displays a visual
keyboard with all of the standard keys on the screen.
Instead of relying on the physical keyboard to type, you can
select keys using the mouse or another pointing device, a
small group of keys, or just one key. Several keyboard
layouts are available in On-Screen Keyboard, and views are
available to promote faster typing or to give access to the
maximum number of keys. You can choose the typing mode that
works best for you—clicking mode, hovering mode, or scanning
mode. To make the On-Screen Keyboard keys easier to see, you
can change the font, font style, and font size from the
Settings menu.
Interact with your PC by voice using
Speech Recognition
Speech Recognition in Windows Vista empowers you to
interact with your computer by voice, significantly reducing
the use of a mouse and keyboard, while maintaining or
increasing your overall productivity. Speech Recognition is
particularly useful for people who have difficulty with
dexterity or have limited use of their hands and arms,
because it reduces or eliminates their need for a mouse and
a keyboard while enabling them to maintain or increase their
productivity.
With Speech Recognition, you can dictate documents and
e-mail, fill out forms on the web, and command applications
and the operating system by saying what you see. Right from
the beginning, you are guided through an easy setup process
and an interactive training application that will
familiarize you with the voice commands. Whether it is
starting an application, selecting a word, or correcting a
sentence, you are always in control and guided toward a list
of smart choices.
Speech Recognition is fully integrated into Windows Vista
and is built on top of the latest Microsoft speech
technologies. It features state-of-the-art voice recognition
accuracy that is designed to improve as people use it,
adapting to their speaking style and vocabulary.
Find assistive technology products for
Windows Vista
Assistive technology products are innovative technology
solutions that empower people with physical and cognitive
difficulties to use computers more easily and effectively.
Microsoft worked closely with assistive technology companies
around the world to ensure specialized products—such as
voice recognition software, screen readers, screen
magnifiers, and on-screen keyboards—are compatible with
Windows. As a result, Windows Vista users have more choice
in the types of the technology solutions they can use to
meet their particular needs. Many assistive technology
products are compatible with Windows.
Find more
information on assistive technology products for Windows
Vista.
When selecting assistive technology products, it is
critical to find products that are compatible with your
existing software programs and that will address your
specific needs. This can be challenging, but experts are
available to help. A network of Microsoft Accessibility
Resource Centers can help you learn more about assistive and
accessible technology and determine which solutions are
right for you.
These experts can demonstrate both accessibility settings
in Windows Vista and specialty assistive technology
products. You can try accessibility settings while you're at
the center or take home a Microsoft Accessibility CD Set to
explore accessibility on your own. Some centers also have
lending libraries, so you may be able to try out an
assistive technology product before you buy.
Locate a
center near you.
Solutions Links
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