Using the Ease of Access Center

The Ease of Access Center (New!) allows you to check the status of and start or stop the Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard accessibility programs. Magnifier is a utility that enlarges an area of the screen. Narrator is a text-to-speech utility that gives users who are blind or have impaired vision access to the computer. On-Screen Keyboard is a utility that displays a keyboard on the screen where users with mobility impairments can type using a mouse, joystick, or other pointing device. If you have administrator access to your computer, you can specify how the accessibility programs start when you log on, lock the desktop, or start the Ease of Access Center.

Use the Ease of Access Center

Press +U to start the Ease of Access Enter.

Timesaver:

The Windows key is located in the lower-left corner of the keyboard.

• You can also start the Ease of Access Center in the Control Panel. Double-click the Ease of Access icon.
  
  

To get recommendations on what to use, click Get recommendations to make your computer easier to use, and then follow the instructions.

To provide quick access to common tools, select the Always read this section aloud and Always scan this section check boxes.

Click the utility program or the settings you want to manage.

Select or clear the check boxes you want to specify how you want the selected program to start or a setting to be applied.

Click Save or exit the window.

When you’re done with the Ease of Access Center, click the Close button.

[View full size image]

Use the Magnifier

Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Ease of Access, and then click Magnifier.

Click the Scale factor list arrow, and then click a level.

Select or clear the check boxes with the presentation options to invert colors, start minimized, or show Magnifier.

Select or clear the check boxes with the tracking options to follow the mouse cursor, keyboard focus, or text editing.

Click Hide to use the Magnifier program, or click the Close button to close the program. (Restore the Magnifier window, if necessary.)

Use the On-Screen Keyboard

Open the program in which you want to type.

Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Ease of Access, and then click On-Screen Keyboard.

Position the cursor, if necessary.

Type the text you want, or type keyboard commands.

When you’re done, click the Close button.

[View full size image]