MORE INFORMATION
Customization Options
There are many ways you can customize your operating system to
make your computer more accessible:
- Accessibility features have been built into Windows and
Windows NT since the introduction of Windows 95. These features are useful for
individuals who have difficulty typing or using a mouse, have moderately
impaired 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. Look up "accessibility" in the Windows Help Index for
information about installing and using these features.
- You also can use Control Panel and other built-in features
to adjust the appearance and behavior of Windows or Windows NT to suit varying
vision and motor abilities. These include adjusting colors and sizes, sound
volume, and the behavior of the mouse and keyboard.
- Some of the accessibility features built into Windows and
Windows NT can be added to earlier versions of those products, and to MS-DOS,
through Access Packs.
- 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.
The specific features available, and whether they are built-in
or must be obtained separately, depend on which operating system you are using.
For full documentation on the accessibility features available in
the operating system you are using, download the appropriate files listed
below. Accessibility features also are documented in the Microsoft Windows 95
Resource Kit, Windows 98 Resource Kit, and the Microsoft Windows NT Resource
Kit.
Documents on Customization
A Step by Step guide for customizing Windows 98 and Windows
Millennium Edition (Me) can be found at the following Microsoft Web
site:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/default.aspx.
You can download files to help you customize Windows 95, Windows for
Workgroups 3.1, Windows 3.1, Windows 3.0, Windows NT 3.5, and Windows NT 4.0.
To download any of these files, select the appropriate link in the "Downloading
Any of the Files Listed Above" section below.
- Customizing Microsoft Windows 95 for Individuals with
Disabilities
File name: Cst_w95.exe
The topics in this
document include:
- Accessibility Options in Windows 95
- Keyboard and Mouse Input Features for Windows 95
- Features for People with Visual Impairments
- Features for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
- Features for People with Seizure Disorders
- Other Ease-of-Use Features in Windows 95
- Help for Installing Windows 95
- Customizing Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 for Individuals with
Disabilities
File name: Cst_nt4.exe
The topics in this
document include:
- Accessibility Options in Windows NT 4.0
- Keyboard and Mouse Input Features for Windows NT 4.0
- Features for People with Visual Impairments
- Features for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
- Features for People with Seizure Disorders
- Other Ease-of-Use Features in Windows NT 4.0
- Help for Installing Windows NT 4.0
- Customizing Windows NT 3.x for Individuals with
Disabilities
File name: Cst_nt3x.exe
The document
included in this file provides information about Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5. The
file also includes Access Pack for Microsoft Windows NT, which provides
features for people who have difficulty using a keyboard or mouse, or who are
deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Topics in the document include:
- Access Pack for Microsoft Windows NT 3.5
- Keyboard Layouts for Single-Handed Computer Users
- Customizing Windows NT Without Additional Hardware or Software
- Customizing Microsoft Windows 3.1 for Individuals with
Disabilities
File name: Cst_w3x.exe
This document
provides information about Windows 3.1 and 3.11. Topics include:
- Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows more
accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities
- Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
wand
- Microsoft Mouse driver version 9.0
- Help installing Windows
- Customizing Windows without additional hardware or software
- Customizing Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1 for
Individuals with Disabilities
File name: Cst_wg3x.exe
This document provides information about Microsoft Windows for Workgroups,
versions 3.1 and 3.11. Topics include:
- Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows more
accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities
- Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
wand
- Microsoft Mouse driver version 9.0
- Help installing Windows for Workgroups
- Customizing Windows for Workgroups without additional hardware or
software
- Customizing Microsoft Windows 3.0 for Individuals with
Disabilities
File name: Cst_w30.exe
The topics in this
document include:
- Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows more
accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities
- Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
wand
- Microsoft Mouse driver version 9.0
- Customizing Windows without additional hardware or software
- Access Pack for Microsoft Windows 3.0 and 3.1
File name: Accp.exe
Access Pack for Microsoft Windows is add-on
software for Windows 3.0 and 3.1. Developed by the Trace R&D Center at the
University of Wisconsin at Madison, it provides additional features for people
who have difficulty using a keyboard or mouse, or who are deaf or hard-of-
hearing.
Access Pack features are built into Windows 95 and later
and Windows NT 4.0 and later. - Dvorak Keyboard Layouts
File name: Ga0650.exe
Dvorak keyboard layouts make the most frequently typed characters on
a keyboard more accessible to people who have difficulty using the standard
"QWERTY" layout. There are three Dvorak layouts: one for two- handed users, one
for people who type only with their left hand, and one for people who type only
with their right hand. The left- or right- hand keyboard layouts can also be
useful for people who type with a wand. You do not need to modify your hardware
keyboard to use these layouts.
These layouts can be used with the
following operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows NT 3.5
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups
- Microsoft Windows 3.0 or higher
- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 or higher
All three layouts are already included with Windows NT 3.51 and
higher and Windows 98.
Instructions for Downloading
The
following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download
Center:
For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.
Microsoft Documentation in Alternative Formats
In addition to the standard forms of documentation, many
Microsoft products are available in other formats to make them more accessible.
Many of the documents are also available as online Help, online
user's guides, or on a CD that comes with the package. If you have difficulty
reading or handling printed documentation, you can obtain many Microsoft
publications from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Inc. Recording for
the Blind & Dyslexic distributes these documents to registered, eligible
members of their distribution service, either on audio cassettes or on floppy
disks. The Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic collection contains more than
80,000 titles, including Microsoft product documentation and books from
Microsoft Press.
For information about eligibility and availability
of Microsoft product documentation and books from Microsoft Press, contact
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic at the following address or phone
numbers:
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Inc.
20 Roszel
Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 452-0606
Fax: (609)
987-8116
WWW:
http://www.rfbd.org/ You also
can download many of these books from the Microsoft Accessibility and
Disabilities Web site at
http://microsoft.com/enable.
Utilities to Enhance Accessibility
A wide variety of hardware and software products are available to
make personal computers easier to use for people with disabilities. Among the
different types of products available for the MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT
operating systems are:
- Programs that enlarge or alter the color of information on
the screen for people with visual impairments
- Programs that describe information on the screen in Braille
or synthesized speech for people who are blind or have difficulty reading
- Hardware and software utilities that modify the behavior of
the mouse and keyboard
- Programs that enable people to "type" by using a mouse or
their voice
- Word or phrase prediction software that allow users to type
more quickly and with fewer keystrokes
- Alternative input devices, such as single switch or
puff-and-sip devices, for people who cannot use a mouse or a keyboard
For more information about accessibility utilities, see the
next section.
Getting More Accessibility Information
In addition to the features and resources already described in
this document, other products, services, and resources for people with
disabilities are available from Microsoft and other organizations.
Microsoft:
Microsoft provides a catalog of accessibility aids that
can be used with the Windows and Windows NT operating systems. You can obtain
this catalog from our Web site or by phone:
Microsoft Sales
Information Center One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6393
WWW:
http://microsoft.com/enable/
Voice telephone: (800) 426-9400
Text telephone: (800) 892-5234
Macintosh Disability Solutions:
For more information on products and
services for the Macintosh for people with disabilities, contact:
Apple Worldwide Disability Solutions Group
WWW:
http://www.apple.com/disability/
Voice telephone: (800) 600-7808
Text telephone: (800) 755-0601
Trace R&D Center:
The Trace R&D Center at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison publishes a database of more than 18,000 products and other
information for people with disabilities. The database is available on their
site on the World Wide Web. The Trace R&D Center also publishes a book,
titled Trace ResourceBook, that provides descriptions and photographs of about
2,000 products. To obtain these materials, contact:
Trace R&D
Center
University of Wisconsin
S-151 Waisman Center
1500
Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705-2280
WWW:
http://trace.wisc.edu/ Fax:
(608) 262-8848
Assistive Technology Programs and Trained Evaluators:
Computers and other assistive devices can help persons with
disabilities to overcome a variety of barriers. For general information and
recommendations on how computers can help you with your specific needs, you
should consult a trained evaluator. For information about locating programs or
services in your area that may be able to help you, please contact:
National Information System
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
29208
Voice/text telephone: (803) 777-1782
Fax: (803) 777-9557
