Additional Technology Features

This post is a continuation of my previous post discussing the features of Windows and Mac Operating Systems.  There are several additional features that are available in both Windows and Mac Operating Systems that helps increase the usability of their products for people with disabilities. 

OS Features	Student Characteristics
Screen Magnification High contrast color scheme Voice feedback Enlarged mouse pointer	Visual Impairments or Blindness
Visual signals- replace auditory prompts and signals with visual signals, icons, or captions	Hard of Hearing and Deafness
Stickykeys-allows students to press keys sequentially to execute functions that typically require pressing the keys simultaneously. Slow keys- increase the amount of time a key must be depressed before registering a keystroke so that brief keystrokes will be ignored. Mouse keys- allows users to direct the mouse pointer and execute all mouse functions using the keyboard’s numeric pad. Onscreen keyboards- an interactive image of the keyboard is on the monitor and it allows the student to select a key by moving the mouse to the desired key and clicking on it.	Hand tremors Muscle weakness or fatigue Poor fine or gross motor control