Operating system accessibility options

The major PC platforms come with accessibility features either built into the operating system itself or as default options that the user can customise at any time.

Microsoft have accessibility guides for various types of difficulties and impairments. Each guide provides a list of assistive technology products and links to Step by Step Tutorials for accessibility features that are helpful for specific types of difficulties and impairments (please note these will open to external links in a new window):

• Vision Difficulties and Impairments
• Dexterity Difficulties and Impairments
• Hearing Difficulties and Impairments
• Learning Difficulties and Impairments
• Language and Communication Difficulties and Impairments
• Aging Computer Users

Apple have accessibility options for the following disabilities (please note these will open to external links in a new window):

• Vision
• Hearing
• Physical/Motor
• Literacy and learning
• Language and Communication

(Adaptive Technology for Information and Computing at MIT 2007; Microsoft Accessibility 2007; Apple 2007)

Relevant Links

• Accessing the Internet
• using a computer

References

• Adaptive Technology for Information and Computing at MIT 2007, Operating System Accessibility Options, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts, viewed 1 December 2007, <http://web.mit.edu/atic/www/tools/os-accessibility.html>. 
• Microsoft Accessibility 2007, Microsoft Accessibility: Technology for Everyone, Microsoft Corporation, Australian Headquarters – North Ryde, viewed 1 December 2007, <http://www.microsoft.com/enable/guides/default.aspx?v=t>.
• Apple 2007, Accessibility, Apple Inc, Cupertino California, viewed 1 December 2007, http://www.apple.com/accessibility/.