News & Articles

Press Releases about Accessibility at Microsoft

2012 Press Releases

Microsoft, City of Los Angeles Announce Program That Increases Activity and Well-Being of Seniors
Microsoft, the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging, Partners in Care Foundation, and St. Barnabas Senior Services unveiled an innovative program called the Exergamers Wellness Club, which combines technology with exercise, overall health monitoring, and evidence-based health education from Partners in Care. See also feature article, and blog.
(April 4, 2012)

Microsoft Imagine Cup Grants Awarded to Students to Help Create Businesses and Nonprofits Aimed at Global Change
At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Microsoft Corporation announced the winners of the inaugural year of the Imagine Cup Grants program, a three-year, $3 million competitive grant program for student technology and social entrepreneurs.
(January 27, 2012)

2011 Press Releases

Kinect for Xbox 360 Brings Gaming to Kids with Disabilities
Kinect controller-free gaming is helping children with disabilities play video games for the first time.
(July 20, 2011)

Arizona State University Students Win Top U.S. Spot at Imagine Cup, the “World Championships of Technology,” With Assistive Note-Taking Solution
Students from Arizona State University took the top prize in the U.S. finals of the 2011 Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition, with their project that enables low-vision students to take notes in class with the assistance of a custom-designed, portable camera, a touch-screen Tablet PC, and Microsoft OneNote.
(April 11, 2011)

Microsoft Announces Free Accessibility Tools and Training for Developers
Online training and resources can help corporations, governments and NGOs worldwide make their technology products and services more accessible to people with disabilities.
(March 17, 2011)

New STAMP and DAISY add-ins boost accessibility for Office 2010
Do you know anyone with hearing, sight, or reading disabilities? The public beta starts today for two add-ins that help make Office documents more accessible: STAMP, and DAISY:
March 17, 2011)

Office Announces Two New Accessibility Add-ins
Customers count on Microsoft Office to meet their productivity needs, including people with hearing or print disabilities. Today we are announcing the public betas of two Office add-ins that increase the accessibility of Office documents.
March 17, 2011)

2010 Press Releases

Accessibility Options in Windows 7 and Office 2010 Make It Easier for Everyone to See, Hear and Use Computers
Accessible technology, designed to help people with disabilities, enables aging workers and all other users to personalize and improve their computing experience.
(October 21, 2010)

Imagine Cup Winner Aims to Help Students with Hearing Impairments in Classrooms
Thailand's Team Skeek took first place in Imagine Cup 2010 in the software design category for their project eyeFeel. The software uses a number of technologies, including speech and facial recognition systems and a text-to-sign language translator, to facilitate real-time conversations with someone who is deaf. The team said its goal was to encourage more people with hearing difficulties to enter regular schools and universities.
(July 8, 2010)

Microsoft Unveils New Technology That Allows Batteries to Be Inserted in Either Direction
New Insta-Load technology serves a usability benefit for battery-operated accessibility devices designed for people with hearing, vision, or learning disabilities. Find out more.
(July 1, 2010)

Virtual Senior Center Connects Homebound Seniors to Community and Family
A demonstration project developed by Microsoft, the city of New York and Selfhelp Community Services shows how technology can reduce social isolation, increase wellness and enhance quality of life for homebound seniors.
(March 10, 2010)

2009 Press Releases

Baby Boomers Are Shaping the Future of Technology, AARP and Microsoft Research Shows
Baby boomers have a unique relationship to technology—different from any generation before or since—and they are actively shaping the devices, software and services of tomorrow by the choices they are making today, according to a new research report from AARP and Microsoft.
(December 1, 2009)

Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 Makes Everyday Tasks Easier with Smart Features for Windows 7
More than seven in 10 Americans have felt discomfort from computer use, so Microsoft Corporation debuted the ergonomist-approved Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, which utilizes a Comfort Curve layout that encourages natural wrist posture with a slight six-degree curve. This new desktop set combines the Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard layout with a soft-touch palm rest to make the PC experience more comfortable.
(August 4, 2009)

2008 Press Releases

Inclusive Innovation Showroom Illustrates Value of Accessible Technology
Microsoft Accessibility Group opens new showroom featuring home and office technology to help people with disabilities and the aging enjoy a digital lifestyle.
(October 14, 2008)

Imagine Cup 2008: Web-based Screen Reader Wins Top Accessibility Prize
Student designs technology that makes any computer usable by people who are blind.
(June 18, 2008)

Microsoft, DAISY Make Reading Easier for People With Print Disabilities
Using Office Open XML files, users of Microsoft Office Word can now produce content in the world's most widely used assistive technology format.
(May 7, 2008)

Microsoft Announces New Accessibility Tools and Resources for Developers
New website and open-source accessibility testing tools will help developers meet the growing worldwide demand for accessible technology.
(March 13, 2008)

Microsoft Provides Accessibility Programming Model to Industry Group Devoted to Interoperability and Accessibility
Microsoft makes its accessibility model freely available to help improve access to technology for people with disabilities.
(January 17, 2008)

2007 Press Releases

Industry Alliance Aims to Increase Accessibility, Interoperability and Innovation
Leading technology companies join forces to improve access to technology.
(December 10, 2007)

Microsoft Users to "Save As DAISY"
Collaborative development project aims to transform millions of Open XML documents into the world's most widely used accessible format for people with print disabilities.
(November 13, 2007)

Microsoft and DAISY Help Enhance Reading Experience for People with Print Disabilities
A tool for Microsoft Word, to be released as a downloadable plug-in at no charge early next year, will enable the translation of millions of Open XML documents into DAISY XML, the lingua franca of the globally accepted standard for digital talking books.
(November 13, 2007)

Microsoft and Novell Celebrate Year of Interoperability, Expand Collaboration Agreement
Customers continue to embrace bridge between Windows and SUSE Linux Enterprise; technical collaboration expands to create cross-platform accessibility framework to improve the way disabled individuals interact with computers.
(November 7, 2007)

Microsoft, Miami Offer Seniors Free Computer Training, Customized PCs
New technology packages from Microsoft, tailored to seniors, complement training at neighborhood senior centers in Miami.
(October 29, 2007)

Microsoft and the City of Miami Help Seniors Get Connected
New eSeniors program enriches seniors' lives with computer training at no charge and PCs customized for seniors.
(October 29, 2007)

Accessible Technology Can Help People with Multiple Sclerosis, but Too Few Use It
Research shows accessible technology can offer people with MS a wider range of life choices, yet relatively few are using accessible technologies that could help them overcome many of the visual, dexterity, mobility and cognitive challenges brought on by the disease.
(October 26, 2007)

Microsoft and AT Vendors Usher In Next Wave of Technology for People With Disabilities
Windows Vista, the 2007 Microsoft Office release and assistive technology companies bring customers unprecedented ease of use.
(January 23, 2007)