Operating System Features for Users with Disabilities

On my last post I talked about the universal design features found on computers. There are also some features that are geared solely toward individuals with specific disabilities. 
Here are some additional operating system features for users with disabilities:

• StickyKeys - Allows students to press keys sequentially to execute functions that typically require pressing the keys simultaneously. 
• Student Characteristics: Cerebral palsy

• SlowKeys - Increases the amount of time a key must be depressed before registering a keystroke so that brief keystrokes will be ignored. 
• Student Characteristics: Hand tremors, muscle weakness or fatigue, and poor fine or gross motor control. 

• MouseKeys - Allows users to direct the mouse pointer and execute all mouse functions using the keyboards numeric keypad.
• Student Characteristics: Physical disabilities

• Visual Signals - Instead of a beep to alert users of events, there will be a flashing caption bar.
• Student Characteristics: Hard of hearing and deafness 

• High-Contrast Color Scheme - Black background with white lettering
• Student Characteristics: Visual impairments or blindness 

• Screen Magnification - Enlarges the image on the monitor, to make the computer more accessible for users with low vision.
• Student Characteristics:  Visual impairments or blindness

• Enlarge the mouse pointer
• Student Characteristics: Visual impairments or blindness

• Voiced feedback -  Can read everything on the screen: menu bars and menu items, icons and dialog boxes, as well as text. 
• Student Characteristics: Visual impairments or blindness