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Guide for Individuals with Learning Impairments

Microsoft products include accessibility features and options that can be adjusted to address learning preferences as well as difficulties and impairments ranging from dyslexia and attention deficit disorder to retardation. Many individuals with learning difficulties and impairments are perfectly capable of learning if information is presented to them in a form and at a pace that is appropriate to them individually. Providing a multisensory experience of audio speech paired with a visual representation, for example. And, reducing visual and auditory distractions can aid the learning process for many people.

This guide describes accessibility features built into Windows 7 and Office 2010 which are available at your option to address learning impairments and preferences. You can also learn about the types of assistive technology products available to further assist you.

In this section:

Make Windows 7 easier to use
Make it easier to focus on tasks
Use Office features to focus on tasks
Surf the Web more easily with Internet Explorer
Find assistive technology for learning impairments

More Information

Make Windows 7 easier to use

Adjust accessibility settings from the Ease of Access Center

The Ease of Access Center is a convenient, central location where you can set up all of the accessibility settings and programs available in Windows, and "get recommendations" for suggested settings to fit your individual learning needs and preferences.

Make it easier to focus on tasks

The Windows accessibility options most helpful for people with learning impairments and special needs are grouped in this section. A number of settings can help make it easier to focus on reading and typing. You can have Narrator read information on the screen, adjust how the keyboard responds to certain keystrokes, and control whether certain visual elements are displayed.

Hear text read aloud with Narrator

Windows comes with a basic screen reader called Narrator, that reads aloud on-screen text and describes some events such as an error message appearing on screen. This feature may be useful for people with learning impairments who benefit from both visual and auditory information being presented simultaneously.

Turn on Sticky Keys, Toggle Keys, and Filter Keys

Several options you can turn on in Windows can simplify the way you type information into your computer thereby making it easier to stay focused. These options include:

Sticky Keys Instead of having to press three keys at once (such as when you must press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys together to log on to Windows), you can use one key by turning on Sticky Keys and adjusting the settings. This way, you can press a modifier key and have it remain active until another key is pressed.
Toggle Keys Toggle Keys can play an alert each time you press the Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock keys. These alerts can help prevent the frustration of inadvertently pressing a key and not realizing it.
Filter Keys You can set Windows to ignore keystrokes that occur in rapid succession, or keystrokes that are held down for several seconds unintentionally.

Reduce visual distractions

Remove background images. This option turns off all unimportant, overlapped content and background images to help make the screen easier to see.
Turn off all unnecessary animations. This option turns off animation effects, such as fading effects, when windows and other elements are closed.
Choose how long Windows notification dialog boxes stay open. With this option, you can choose how long notifications are displayed on the screen before they close.
Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen. This option prevents windows from automatically resizing and docking along the sides of your screen when you move them there.

Use speech recognition to operate windows and programs

Speech Recognition in Windows 7 allows you to command your PC with your voice including the capability to dictate into almost any application. You can dictate documents and email and surf the Web—all by using verbal commands rather than the keyboard and mouse. An easy setup process and an interactive tutorial will familiarize you with the speech commands and train your computer to better understand you.

Screenshot of speech recognition microphone bar

Interact with your computer by touch

Using a keyboard and mouse is not always possible or desirable for many people. With Windows 7, if you've got a touch-screen monitor, you can just touch your computer screen for a more direct and natural way to work. Use your fingers to scroll, resize windows, play media, and pan and zoom.

Use Office features to focus on tasks

A number of accessibility options in Microsoft Office products make it easier for people with learning impairments to interact with their computers while creating Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and more.

Spelling and grammar checker in Office programs

Screenshot of Spelling and Grammar button on the Office ribbon All Microsoft Office 2010 programs come with the ability to check the spelling and grammar of your file. The spelling and grammar checker, often called spell check, is located in different places on the ribbon, depending on your program.

Use the Speak text-to-speech feature

Text-to-speech (TTS) is the ability of your computer to play back written text as spoken words. Depending upon your configuration and installed TTS engines, you can hear most text that appears on your screen in Word 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010 and OneNote 2010.

Use Full Screen reading view

Screenshot of Reading view button Full Screen Reading view is optimized for reading a document on the computer screen. In Full Screen Reading view, you also have the option of seeing the document as it would appear on a printed page.

Hear text read aloud with Mini Translator

With the Microsoft Office 2010 Mini Translator, you can point to a word or selected phrase with your mouse and the translation displays in a small window. The Mini Translator also includes a Play button so you can hear an audio pronunciation of the word or phrase, and a Copy button so you can paste the translation into another document.

Use Microsoft OneNote to stay organized

OneNote 2010 ribbon Microsoft OneNote can make taking and organizing notes a lot easier. Students with dyslexia, for example, can benefit from many features in OneNote that can help them take notes faster and in different ways, stay organized, and meet literacy challenges, such as spelling and grammar.

Internet Explorer accessibility features available in Web Apps

Because Office Web Apps run in the browser, you can use your web browser's features that help you focus on reading tasks. Find out about learning related accessibility features in Internet Explorer.

Move around webpages with the keyboard

With learning impairments and disabilities it's sometimes difficult to find links on webpages. Some people find it easier and quicker to move around webpages using the keyboard in Web Apps.

Word prediction programs allow the user to select a desired word from an on-screen list located in the prediction window. The program predicts words from the first one or two letters typed by the user. The word can then be selected from the list and inserted into the text by typing a number, clicking the mouse, or scanning with a switch. These programs help support literacy, increase written productivity and accuracy, and increase vocabulary skills through word prompting. See also text prediction available in Windows 7 On-Screen Keyboard.
Reading tools and learning disabilities programs include software designed to make text-based materials more accessible for people who struggle with reading. Options can include scanning, reformatting, navigating, or speaking text out loud. These programs help people who have difficulty seeing or manipulating conventional print materials; people who are developing new literacy skills, or who are learning English as a foreign language; and people who comprehend better when they hear and see text highlighted simultaneously.
Speech synthesizers (also known as text-to-speech (TTS) systems) speak information aloud in a computerized voice. Speech synthesizers can be helpful for people with learning, language, or vision impairments.
Speech recognition programs, (also called voice recognition), allow computer navigation by voice rather than entering data by keyboard or mouse. You can still use a mouse and keyboard as well as voice, to enter data, write text, and navigate applications. Students who have difficulty typing or reading text because of a learning, language, or mobility impairment can often successfully work on a computer with the use of speech recognition.