Magnifier (XP and Vista)

Function

To Use

Indicator

Note

For computer
users who have
low vision.

The Magnifier can enlarge a portion of the screen to help with reading the screen, tracking the mouse, or tracking typed text from the keyboard.

To activate:
Press the Windows logo key + U to open the Ease of Access Center. Choose the Start Magnifier option near the top of the list.

To deactivate:
Close the Magnifier window.

The magnified portion of the screen can be moved anywhere on the screen to meet needs.

In XP:
Magnification can range from a power of 1 to a power of 9.

In Vista:
Magnification ranges from a power of 1 to a power of 16.

Narrator (XP and Vista)

Function

To Use

Indicator

Note

For computer
users who have
low vision.

The Narrator can be used to read text in an active window, text as it is being typed, and commands found in menus.

To Activate:
Press the Windows logo key + U to open the Ease of Access Center. Choose the Start Narrator option near the top of the list.

To Deactivate:
Close the Narrator window.

A synthesized voice will be heard through the computer’s speakers.

Narrator is designed to work with the programs installed with the operating system. Other software packages installed by the user may not work correctly with Narrator.

On-screen Keyboard (XP and Vista)

Function

To Use

Indicator

Note

For computer users who have an impairment that prevents the use of a keyboard.

On-screen Keyboard provides the option to use a pointing device or joystick to type on a virtual keyboard.

To activate:
Press the Windows logo key + U to open the Ease of Access Center. Check the On-screen Keyboard option near the top of the list.

To deactivate:
Close the On-screen Keyboard window.

The on-screen keyboard supports three typing modes:
Clicking–click the desired key with the mouse.
Scanning–when the row and desired key are highlighted, click with the mouse.
Hovering–select the desired key by hovering over it for a predefined period of time.

Speech Recognition (Vista)

Function

To Use

Indicator

Note

For computer users who have a mobility impairment.

Speech Recognition can be used to dictate text into documents and control a computer with voice commands.

To Activate:
Press the Windows logo key + U to open the Ease of Access Center. Access Speech Recognition under the “Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard.”

To Deactivate:
Close the Speech Recognition window.

A properly set up microphone is required to use Speech Recognition effectively.