Feb

22

Windows Options for Older Users

Posted by cameron

February 22, 2007 |

Most people don’t have a need for special features and probably don’t even know they exist in Windows. The simplest of these is to change font size. OK, I’m 60 and my eyes are weaker than they used to be so I do use large font and Icon sizes to make reading easier. But many people have more serious issues and may not know about those special features, which is why I’m writing this post. Windows XP has some great features for those with impairments such as vision, hearing or mobility. Maybe arthritis has set-in and typing is more difficult. These impairments are not limited to older people of course, but they do tend to occur more frequently as we age. There are many enhancement software packages on the market, but these are the simpler ones that come packaged in Windows. Following are the ones I am aware of:

The Magnifier

windows-magnifier.JPGThis is a feature that magnifies a part of the screen to make it more readable. Think of it as a super font size magnifier. Under “start” and “all programs”, go to accessories and accessibility, click on magnifier. A window will open at the top of the screen. Contents of the new window will follow the cursor position on the main screen, only magnified. It’s simple, yet effective. There are various options such as changing colors if color is a problem.

The On-Screen Keyboard

on-screen-keyboard.JPGThis will be useful for people who can move a mouse but are not able to type well. Maybe arthritis is a problem. The on-screen keyboard has a neat “hover” feature that enables windows to detect a key push by hovering over a key. No click required. You can get to this by “start”, “all programs”, “accessories”, “accessibility” and click “on-screen keyboard”. At this point a keyboard will appear on the screen. Hover mode can be set by going into “settings” at the top of the keyboard and enabling hover mode.

The Narrator

This is a feature designed to help those who have difficulty reading at all. This will “read” the on screen text to the user. It is extremely limited in reading and is best used as an audible feedback for keys typed. I have Navigator on as I’m typing this and it reads back to me every letter as I type it. This means I can focus on the typing and not worry about the screen. Turn Narrator on as for all the accessibility options; Start, all programs, accessories, and accessibility, Navigator. As I went through folders to save this document, Navigator read folder names and contents to me. It’s now driving me crazy so I’m turning it off.

For more information about accessibility and a list of software available go here.


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