Customizing Windows for Individuals with Disabilities

ID: Q165486

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.1
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0

SUMMARY

Microsoft is committed to making its products and services easier for everyone to use. This document provides an overview of how you can customize your operating system to make your computer more accessible, and includes links to files that provide more details. You also can get more information at the Microsoft Accessibility and Disabilities Web site at http://microsoft.com/enable.

Topics in this document include:

Customization Options

Documents on Customization

To Order the Files by Phone

Microsoft Services for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

Microsoft Documentation in Alternative Formats

Utilities to Enhance Accessibility

Getting More Accessibility Information

MORE INFORMATION

Customization Options

There are many ways you can customize your operating system to make your computer more accessible:

Accessibility features have been built into Windows and Windows NT since the introduction of Windows 95. These features are useful for individuals who have difficulty typing or using a mouse, have moderately impaired vision, or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The features can be installed during setup, or you can add them later from your Windows installation disks. Look up "accessibility" in the Windows Help Index for information about installing and using these features.

You also can use Control Panel and other built-in features to adjust the appearance and behavior of Windows or Windows NT to suit varying vision and motor abilities. These include adjusting colors and sizes, sound volume, and the behavior of the mouse and keyboard.

Some of the accessibility features built into Windows and Windows NT can be added to earlier versions of those products, and to MS-DOS, through Access Packs.

Dvorak keyboard layouts make the most frequently typed characters on a keyboard more accessible if you have difficulty using the standard QWERTY layout. There are three Dvorak layouts: one if you are a two- handed user, one if you type with your left hand only, and one if you type with your right hand only. You do not need to purchase any special equipment to use these features.

The specific features available, and whether they are built-in or must be obtained separately, depend on which operating system you are using.

For full documentation on the accessibility features available in the operating system you are using, download the appropriate files listed below. Accessibility features also are documented in the Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit and the Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kit.

Documents on Customization

You can download the following files to help you customize Microsoft operating systems. To download any of these files, select the appropriate link in the "Downloading Any of the Files Listed Above" section below.

Customizing Microsoft Windows 95 for Individuals with Disabilities

File name: Cst_w95.exe

The topics in this document include:


    - Accessibility Options in Windows 95
    - Keyboard and Mouse Input Features for Windows 95
    - Features for People with Visual Impairments
    - Features for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
    - Features for People with Seizure Disorders
    - Other Ease-of-Use Features in Windows 95
    - Help for Installing Windows 95

Customizing Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 for Individuals with Disabilities

File name: Cst_nt4.exe

The topics in this document include:


    - Accessibility Options in Windows NT 4.0
    - Keyboard and Mouse Input Features for Windows NT 4.0
    - Features for People with Visual Impairments
    - Features for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
    - Features for People with Seizure Disorders
    - Other Ease-of-Use Features in Windows NT 4.0
    - Help for Installing Windows NT 4.0

Customizing Windows NT 3.x for Individuals with Disabilities

File name: Cst_nt3x.exe

The document included in this file provides information about Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5. The file also includes Access Pack for Microsoft Windows NT, which provides features for people who have difficulty using a keyboard or mouse, or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Topics in the document include:
```
    - Access Pack for Microsoft Windows NT 3.5
    - Keyboard Layouts for Single-Handed Computer Users
    - Customizing Windows NT Without Additional Hardware or Software 
```

Customizing Microsoft Windows 3.1 for Individuals with Disabilities

File name: Cst_w3x.exe

This document provides information about Windows 3.1 and 3.11. Topics include:


    - Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows more
      accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities
    - Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
      wand
    - Microsoft Mouse driver version 9.0
    - Help installing Windows
    - Customizing Windows without additional hardware or software

Customizing Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1 for Individuals with Disabilities

File name: Cst_wg3x.exe

This document provides information about Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, versions 3.1 and 3.11. Topics include:


    - Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows more
      accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities
    - Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
      wand
    - Microsoft Mouse driver version 9.0
    - Help installing Windows for Workgroups
    - Customizing Windows for Workgroups without additional hardware or
      software

Customizing Microsoft Windows 3.0 for Individuals with Disabilities

File name: Cst_w30.exe

The topics in this document include:


    - Access Pack for Microsoft Windows, a product that makes Windows more
      accessible for people with movement or hearing disabilities
    - Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with a single hand or
      wand
    - Microsoft Mouse driver version 9.0
    - Customizing Windows without additional hardware or software

Access Pack for Microsoft Windows 3.0 and 3.1

File name: Accp.exe

Access Pack for Microsoft Windows is add-on software for Windows 3.0 and 3.1. Developed by the Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, it provides additional features for people who have difficulty using a keyboard or mouse, or who are deaf or hard-of- hearing.

Access Pack features are built into Windows 95 and later and Windows NT 4.0 and later.

Dvorak Keyboard Layouts

File name: Ga0650.exe

Dvorak keyboard layouts make the most frequently typed characters on a keyboard more accessible to people who have difficulty using the standard "QWERTY" layout. There are three Dvorak layouts: one for two- handed users, one for people who type only with their left hand, and one for people who type only with their right hand. The left- or right- hand keyboard layouts can also be useful for people who type with a wand. You do not need to modify your hardware keyboard to use these layouts.

These layouts can be used with the following operating systems:
```
    - Microsoft Windows 95
    - Microsoft Windows NT 3.5
    - Microsoft Windows for Workgroups
    - Microsoft Windows 3.0 or higher
    - Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 or higher 
```
All three layouts are already included with Windows NT 3.51 and higher.

Downloading Any of the Files Listed Above:

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

~ Cst_w95.exe
~ Cst_nt4.exe
~ Cst_nt3x.exe
~ Cst_w3x.exe
~ Cst_wg3x.exe
~ Cst_w30.exe
~ Accp.exe
~ Ga0650.exe

For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

General Instructions for Downloading:

The files Microsoft posts on online services are usually compressed, self-extracting files.

NOTE: Small files may not be compressed. These files appear with their original extensions and are not self-extracting.

Files designed for Windows have an .exe extension. These files are compressed, self-extracting files that are automatically installed once the extraction process is complete. When the file is installed, the files that were extracted are automatically removed, leaving only the original .exe file.

To correctly download and extract these .exe files, follow these steps:

Locate the file you want to download using one of the methods provided in the "Specific Instructions for Online Information Services" section of this article.

If you are downloading to a floppy disk, you need a formatted, blank disk. If you are downloading to your hard disk, create a new folder in which you can temporarily place the file and extract it.

CAUTION: Do not download files directly into your Windows folder. Doing so could overwrite files essential to the proper operation of your computer.

Follow the downloading procedure used by your service to retrieve the file you identified in step 1. Download it to a floppy disk or to a new folder.

Locate the file in the location that it was downloaded to, and then double-click it to begin the installation process.

Downloading a File from the World Wide Web (WWW) on the Internet:

To download a file from the World Wide Web, follow these steps:

Connect to Support Online at the following address:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/default.asp

If you know the name of the file you want to download, select your product, type the file name in the "My question is" box, and then click Find.

If you don't know the file name, follow these steps to find and download the file:

Connect to Support Online at the following address:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/default.asp

On the menu bar on the left, click Drivers And Other Downloads.

On the Drivers And Other Downloads page, click the product area in which you are interested.

Some product areas have additional categories. If the product area you selected has more categories, select the category in which you are interested.

The file names and the corresponding descriptions are displayed. Click the file you want to download.

If your browser asks you if you want to save the file, click the save option. Select the destination folder (the floppy disk drive or the folder to which you want to download the file) and click Save.

Microsoft Anonymous FTP Server on the Internet:

If you are connecting using an Internet Browser:

In the address area of your Internet browser, type the following and press ENTER:
ftp.microsoft.com

Click the Softlib link and then click the MSlFiles link.

Scroll through the list of files to locate file you want to download.

NOTE: The files are listed in alphabetical order.

Click the file name link <Filename.ext> to download the file, where <Filename.ext> is the name of the file you want to download.

If you are connecting using the MS-DOS prompt:

Type the following at the ">" prompt:
ftp ftp.microsoft.com

When prompted for a user name and password, type Anonymous. Use your email address for the password.

Change to the Softlib/Mslfiles folder. To download a file, type the following at the ">" prompt
Get <Filename.ext>
where <Filename.ext> is the name of the file you want to download.

Type bye to exit ftp.

Microsoft Documentation in Alternative Formats

In addition to the standard forms of documentation, many Microsoft products are available in other formats to make them more accessible.

Many of the documents are also available as online Help, online user's guides, or on a CD that comes with the package. If you have difficulty reading or handling printed documentation, you can obtain many Microsoft publications from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Inc. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic distributes these documents to registered, eligible members of their distribution service, either on audio cassettes or on floppy disks. The Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic collection contains more than 80,000 titles, including Microsoft product documentation and books from Microsoft Press.

For information about eligibility and availability of Microsoft product documentation and books from Microsoft Press, contact Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic at the following address or phone numbers:

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Inc.
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 452-0606
Fax: (609) 987-8116
WWW: http://www.rfbd.org/

You also can download many of these books from the Microsoft Accessibility and Disabilities Web site at http://microsoft.com/enable.

Utilities to Enhance Accessibility

A wide variety of hardware and software products are available to make personal computers easier to use for people with disabilities. Among the different types of products available for the MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT operating systems are:

Programs that enlarge or alter the color of information on the screen for people with visual impairments

Programs that describe information on the screen in Braille or synthesized speech for people who are blind or have difficulty reading

Hardware and software utilities that modify the behavior of the mouse and keyboard

Programs that enable people to "type" by using a mouse or their voice

Word or phrase prediction software that allow users to type more quickly and with fewer keystrokes

Alternative input devices, such as single switch or puff-and-sip devices, for people who cannot use a mouse or a keyboard

For more information about accessibility utilities, see the next section.

Getting More Accessibility Information

In addition to the features and resources already described in this document, other products, services, and resources for people with disabilities are available from Microsoft and other organizations.

Microsoft:

Microsoft provides a catalog of accessibility aids that can be used with the Windows and Windows NT operating systems. You can obtain this catalog from our Web site or by phone:

Microsoft Sales Information Center One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6393
WWW: http://microsoft.com/enable/
Voice telephone: (800) 426-9400
Text telephone: (800) 892-5234

Macintosh Disability Solutions:

For more information on products and services for the Macintosh for people with disabilities, contact:

Apple Worldwide Disability Solutions Group
WWW: http://www.apple.com/disability/
Voice telephone: (800) 600-7808
Text telephone: (800) 755-0601

Trace R&D Center:

The Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison publishes a database of more than 18,000 products and other information for people with disabilities. The database is available on their site on the World Wide Web. The Trace R&D Center also publishes a book, titled Trace ResourceBook, that provides descriptions and photographs of about 2,000 products. To obtain these materials, contact:

Trace R&D Center
University of Wisconsin
S-151 Waisman Center
1500 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705-2280
WWW: http://trace.wisc.edu/
Fax: (608) 262-8848

Assistive Technology Programs and Trained Evaluators:

Computers and other assistive devices can help persons with disabilities to overcome a variety of barriers. For general information and recommendations on how computers can help you with your specific needs, you should consult a trained evaluator. For information about locating programs or services in your area that may be able to help you, please contact:

National Information System
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Voice/text telephone: (803) 777-1782
Fax: (803) 777-9557


Keywords          : kbenable kbfile kbui win31 win95 win30 wfwg winnt 
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11,95; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform          : WINDOWS winnt 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: May 24, 1999