VISION ACCESSIBILITY BUILT INTO WINDOW 7/8/10 Scott Crawford Affiliated Blind of Louisiana MAGNIFIER Magnifier is the screen enlargement program built into the most resent versions of Windows.
-There are three different view modes available in Magnifier. (Full, Lens, Docked) To have access to all of the view modes, graphics hotkeys must be disabled in graphics options. If Lens and Full are grayed, the system theme needs to be changed back to an “AERO” theme.
-If the screen rotates 90 degrees when control-alt-arrow is pressed, the hotkeys are probably enabled.
-Disable Graphics Hotkeys By Mouse: 1. Right click on black space in the desktop. 2. Left click on graphics options. 3. Click on HotKeys. 4. Left click on disable.
By Keyboard: 1. Windows-d to navigate to the desktop. 2. Application menu key (may say “menu” or have picture of a square with horizontal lines across the middle. ) OR Shift-f10. 3. Arrow down to Graphics Options, enter. 4. Right arrow, then down arrow to HotKeys. 5. Right arrow, then down arrow to Disable, enter.
Magnifier can be turned on in the Ease of Access Center, but it is much easier to access it through keyboard commands.
-To start Magnifier, press Windows-+. A feint picture of a magnifier will appear on the screen. It stays in the same relative position on the monitor, no matter where in the magnified screen the user may be. The magnifier icon can be moved by click and dragging with the mouse.
To access the Magnifier Settings, -With Mouse: left click on the magnifier icon or click on the magnifier in the task bar. -Through the keyboard: press and hold alt, then press tab until the chooser is on Magnifier, then release alt.
View allows the user to switch between Full Magnification- The entire screen is magnified Lens – Like a magnifying glass that is moved around the screen. Only the box is magnified, the rest of the screen appears normal Docked – Like lens, but the magnification box does not move. As the user navigates around the screen, the area surrounding the mouse or curser is shown in the docked magnification box. The docked window can be positioned wherever the user wants, and can be moved/resized with the mouse.
Options (picture of a gear) shows differently depending on which view is being used. It includes a slider that will adjust how much the magnification will change with each press of Windows - +. It is suggested to set the slider to 25%, allowing the user more control of magnification level.
-“Turn on Color Inversion” takes the color currently used by the computer and switches it to its opposite. Many visually impaired users prefer reading with white or yellow print on a black background. If so, the user may want to use a white or other very light colored desktop background so that when inverted, the background becomes black (or very near black).
-Tracking tells the magnifier if it should follow the pointer, keyboard focus or the text insertion point (curser).
-“Fine tune what my screen fonts look like” allows the user to access “clear type”. Clear type will reduce the blurriness/pixalization that may occur at higher magnifications.
-“Control whether Magnifier starts when I sign in” opens the ease of access center. There is a check box that when checked will include magnifier in the start up process.
In Lens View, the options menu switches to show the lens size adjustment feature. Sliders will adjust the height and the width of the magnification lens. The tracking options are not available in this view.
Utilizing Magnifier via the Keyboard Start Magnifier….. Windows - + Increase Magnification….. Windows - +(plus). Decrease Magnification…… Windows - - (minus). Invert Colors…… Control-alt I Full Screen… Control-alt-F Lens…. Control –alt – L Resize Lens… Control-Alt-R Docked… Control-alt-D Panning (moving) Zoom Window… Control-alt – Arrow Keys.
Utilizing Magnifier by touch. -Use + and – symbols in the corners to change magnification amounts. At minimum, the – disappears. -Bars on sides of screens controls panning. Touch in bar and slide finger in desired direction. Once the magnified area has reached the edge of the screen, the bar on that side disappears.
TEXT ENLARGMENT WITHIN PROGRAMS Zoom Zoom is available in many programs. It magnifies the document or window, but not the ribbons, taskbar, etc.
-It can be controlled by using the slider in the bottom right corner of the screen. It is part of the status bar. If status bar is off, go to:
-Pinch zoom: Use two fingers on the touch pad or touch screen. Spread to enlarge, slide fingers together to make things smaller. Control + or – to zoom in and out in some programs like IE
-With the keyboard: f6 to move focus to the status bar. Right arrow to the zoom slider. On the minus, hit space to decrease print size. On the plus, hit space to increase print size. On percentage, hit space to open the Zoom dialogue box. Shift-f6 returns focus to the document.
-Through the Ribbon: Alt-W to open the view tab on the ribbon, Q to open the Zoom dialogue box, down arrow to the desired setting or tab to the percentage box. In the percentage box, type in the desired zoom amount. Hit enter. Focus is automatically returned to the document. To leave the ribbon without making a change, hit escape.
Changing Font Size -With the Keyboard 1. Select text to resize (Control A to select all text) 2. Control Shift Greater Than > makes selected text larger. Control Shift Less Than < makes selected text smaller. 3. Control-0 (zero) returns to normal size.
CHANGING APPEARANCE THROUGH SETTINGS CONTROL PANEL Personalization Themes: Changing themes changes multiple settings at the same time. They can changes colors, borders, backgrounds, text sizes, etc. There are specialized themes designed for the visually impaired. -There are several differently sized high-contrast modes. -Only Aero themes work fully with Magnifier.
-Below the themes are the settings for desktop background. If not using invert colors, having a dark background can make it easier for many low vision users to see. Solid colors are preferred over pictures. Pictures behind icon text can be very visually confusing. Display - Changes DPI (Dots per inch) -“Change Size of All Items” – has 3 presets or the user can click on custom sizing. Click or tab to the box with the percentage and type in the desired percentage. Custom becomes the fourth Radial button. -“Change Only The Size of Text” Allows the user to change the text size for Title Bars, Menus, Message Boxes, Palette Tiles, Icons and Tool Tips.
Taskbar -Allows the user to set what will appear in the taskbar.
Ease of Access Center -Provides access in a single location for numerous setting changes that can help people with disabilities. -Magnifier (discussed above) -Narrator vocalizes some of what appears on the screen. -Start on-screen Keyboard -Set up High Contrast
Mouse Properties -under Pointers tab, pick desired scheme. Extra large available. Can set how pointer changes or doesn’t change colors depending on what is behind it. -Under Pointers options tab, -Motion - Change the speed and relative distance the mouse moves. Slower may be better for Low Vision users. Faster may be better for people with limited movement. -Snap To – causes the pointer to automatically move to the default button in a dialog box. May be helpful, but some users want the mouse to stay where they left it, not move on its own forcing them to relocate it.
-“Display pointer trails” makes it easier to locate the mouse for many users. Circle the mouse and the trails make a circle that may be spotted. -“Show Location of Pointer When I Press Control Key” causes concentric rings to appear that encircle the mouse pointer and get smaller and smaller to help locate the pointer.
HOTKEYS
Control Z Undo
Control Y Redo
Shift – Arrow Keys to select text
Control –X cut Control – C copy Control – V paste
Control – S save
Control - P print
Windows – C opens Charms for Search, Share, Start, Devices, Settings
Windows-I goes directly to the Settings Charms for Control Panel, Personalization, Power, Brightness
Windows – P opens up device charms for display settings for dual monitor/projectors.
Alt-Tab switches between open programs. Keep alt down until desired program is selected, then release alt.
Control – Alt – Tab ------like alt-tab, but stays open allowing you to arrow to the desired program.
Shift – f10 same as right clicking on an element.
Windows E opens the File Explorer
Windows M minimizes all windows, leaving at desktop.
Windows – Shift M brings minimized apps back up “restores”.
Windows D goes to desktop
Windows – P presentation mode (mirror, one screen only, extend)
Windows – U opens ease of access center.
Windows – alt – number brings up the list of recent files from program in that position on task bar.
Windows – up arrow maximizes program
Windows – down arrow “Restore Down” (Makes the program only fill part of the screen.)
Windows Right arrow or Left arrow sets program to split half screen, to right or left.
NARRATOR
Narrator is Microsoft’s attempt at text-to-speech software. It has severe limitations that make it ineffectual for totally blind students, but it can work for emergencies, to expose students to computerized voices, or to provide relief for students that can’t read for long periods.
ON – Windows + Enter OFF – Caps Lock + Escape
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Narrator. Press this key To do this Spacebar or Enter Activate current item Tab and arrow keys Move around on the screen Ctrl Stop reading Caps Lock+D Read item Caps Lock+M Start reading Caps Lock+H Read document Caps Lock+V Repeat phrase Caps Lock+W Read window Caps Lock+Page Up or Page Down Increase or decrease the volume of the voice Caps Lock+plus (+) or minus (-) Increase or decrease the speed of the voice Caps Lock+Spacebar Do default action Caps Lock+Left or Right arrows Move to previous/next item Caps Lock+F2 Show commands for current item Caps Lock twice in quick succession Turn Caps Lock on or off Caps+Esc Exit Narrator