Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0

Microsoft® Windows® 95 and Windows NT® Workstation 4.0 have a number of built-in accessibility features to help people with disabilities use computers more easily and effectively. Although more accessibility features are available in recent Windows releases such as Windows XP, many people with disabilities continue to use Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 on a daily basis.

Accessibility Features in Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0

Features for people who have difficulty seeing things on the screen

  • Scalable user interface elements. People with limited vision or eye strain can adjust the sizes of window titles, scroll bars, borders, menu text, icons, and other elements. These features are completely customizable through the Display icon in Control Panel.
  • Customizable mouse pointer. People who have difficulty seeing or following the mouse pointer can choose from normal, large, or extra-large pointer sizes. By using the Mouse icon in Control Panel, you can adjust the mouse color and add animation to increase the pointer's visibility.
  • High-contrast mode and schemes. Ready-to-use appearance schemes make it easier to see screen objects. You can also set a global flag to advise applications in Windows 95 and Windows NT to present high-contrast text, and to avoid black text on a gray background or text drawn over pictures. (Note: High-contrast mode is only available in Windows 95, not Windows NT Workstation 4.0.)

Features for people who have difficulty using the keyboard or mouse

  • StickyKeys. For people who type with a single finger or mouth stick, commands that require the simultaneous pressing of two or more keys (such as ALT+TAB) are a problem. With StickyKeys, you can press one key at a time and instruct Windows to respond as if the keys had been pressed simultaneously.
  • FilterKeys. People who inadvertently brush against keys will benefit from FilterKeys, which instructs Windows to disregard keystrokes that are not held down for a minimum period of time. Most keyboards allow users to repeat keys by holding them down. This can be a problem for people who have impaired dexterity. FilterKeys lets you adjust or turn off the repeat feature, and it allows people who accidentally bounce (or double-strike) keys to instruct Windows to ignore the extra taps.
  • MouseKeys. You can control the mouse pointer by using the keyboard instead of the mouse. Actions include clicking, double-clicking, and dragging and dropping.

Features for people who are deaf or have difficulty hearing sounds from the computer

  • SoundSentry. This feature tells Windows to send a visual cue, such as a blinking title bar or screen flash, whenever the system makes a sound. Turning on this feature allows you to see messages you might not hear.
  • ShowSounds. Some applications present information audibly by using digitized speech or other audible cues that might be unusable by a person who is deaf or hard of hearing. In Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can instruct applications to display closed captions for their sounds, but only if the application has closed-captions built in.
  • Chat. The Windows Chat utility allows up to eight people to hold a "conversation" by typing on their networked computers. This is a convenient alternative to telephones in work environments that include people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Customizable sound schemes. People who are hard of hearing or working in a noisy environment can adjust the sounds and volume associated with various onscreen events, making the events easier to distinguish. The sounds are completely customizable through Control Panel.

Features for people who need support for alternative input devices

  • SerialKeys. SerialKeys allows you to control the personal computer by using adaptive equipment such as alternative keyboards or augmentative communication devices that connect to the serial port.
  • Multiple pointing devices. The Plug and Play architecture in Windows 95 supports multiple cooperating pointing devices. This allows the seamless addition of such devices without the need to replace or disable the mouse.

More accessibility features

  • Online Help. Accessibility information is easy to find by looking up Accessibility in the Help index. This provides a quick reference and pointers to further information.
  • Automatic reset. Computers that are used by the public or by several people can be configured for automatic reset, which returns the computer to its default configuration after a specified idle time.
  • Emergency hot-key activation. Some people may not be able to control the accessibility features through Control Panel. In these instances, emergency hot keys make it easy to turn on any major accessibility feature. The hot keys won't get in the way of people who don't need them, and they can be turned off temporarily when people with different levels of ability share a computer.
  • Accessibility status indicator in Windows 95. The status of major accessibility features can be displayed on the taskbar or in a floating window. The indicator provides a clear visual signal of which features are active, and provides feedback on the keys and mouse buttons currently being "held down" by StickyKeys and MouseKeys features.
  • Cursor blink rate. Many people with epilepsy can have seizures that are triggered by flashing events on their computer screens. To avoid this, you can control the cursor blink rate in Windows 95. Also, the blink rate can be used as a system metric by software developers who can link it to their flashing events (for instance, in games).
  • User profiles. Several people using the same computer can use their login and password information to set custom preferences and desktop settings, including accessibility features. You can access this setting by using the Users and Passwords icon in Control Panel.

Related Accessibility Links:

Note to Assistive Technology Users
If you use assistive technology, and are considering an upgrade of your Windows operating system, be sure to contact your assistive technology manufacturer to check compatibility and to learn how to adjust your settings to optimize compatibility.