Some Interesting Accessibility Features for Students with Disabilities

Both Macintosh OS X and Windows 7 are committed to universal access.  Both have a magnifier, keyboard modifications and flexibility with mouse control visual.

The Maginfier in both systems allow for students with impairments better ability to read the screen. 

Keyboard modifications like Sticky Keys, which allow students to not have to push keys at the same time (like Ctrl, Alt, Delete) but instead sequentially.  This helps students with CP or only the use of one finger. 

 

Mousekeys is a feature that allows movement that typically would be done with a mouse instead be via the numbers keyboard using the arrows that correspond with certain numbers.  This could be useful for students with difficulty tracking the mouse movements on the screen, those with some fine motor control with CP.

This is exciting for me to read about all these modifications as there are concrete already built-in aides to help my students with varying disabilities succeed.   Again, I have had students with varying types of challenges, and now instead of just going to the OT or Special education teacher, I have some tricks up my sleeve.