Making your PC more accessable

Windows has numerous settings to make using a computer easier for the blind and visually impaired.  These include narration so you know what you are typing, hear text read aloud, display changes and many more. 

I won't cover them all here but visit  Microsoft's help page to see how to change your settings, click here.

Quick tips:

• Click the Start Button (on the toolbar, bottom left)
• Click "Control Panel" from the menu
• Select "Ease of Use Centre"

From here you can change a number of settings including:

High Contrast mode:

• Click the "Turn on High Contrast when left ALT + left SHIFT + PRINT SCREEN is pressed"
• Holding down left ALT and left SHIFT and PRINT SCREEN buttons
  
  together will change between normal and high contrast modes.

Alternatively you can get quick links to the features of the Easy Access Centre by:

• Clicking the Start button
• Click "All Programs"
• Click "Accessories" from the menu
• Click "Ease of Use Centre"
• Choose the tool you require

Magnification:

In many programs, including Internet Explorer and Word, if you hold down the CTRL key and either scroll the mouse wheel or press "+" or "-" keys you can increase and decrease the size of the window contents.

Alternatively in the bottom right frame of Internet Explorer ther is a small image of a magnifying glass and a percentage number.  Clicking o n this gies you an option to change the size of the windows contents by a percentage of your choice.

Magnifier:

A window will open that shows an enlarged portion of the screen from where your mouse is pointing.

• Clicking the Start button
• Click "All Programs"
• Click "Accessories" from the menu
• Click "Ease of Use Centre"
• Choose "Magnifier"

RNIB Surf Right Toolbar (BETA)
A test version of the RNIB toolbar for Internet Explorer, with which you can, amongst other things,  change the size and colour of web pages is available for download by clicking here.

The RNIB has also published a book for blind and visually impaired people using Windows. click here for details.