Learning Operating Systems Features on my Journey...

Students who have disabilities struggle with using the computer. After learning about accessibility features the computer provides for students with disabilities, I have used some of these to help students within my classroom. These accommodations can be accessed through the Ease of Access Center in the computer control panel. These features include:

• Sticky Keys:

“Stickykeys allows students to press keys sequentially to execute functions that typically require pressing the keys simultaneously” (Dell, 168). Disabilities that would benefit from this feature are cerebral palsy and children who have weak fine motor skills.

• Slow Keys:

“Slow Keys increases the amount of time a key must be depressed before registering a keystroke so that brief keystrokes will be ignored” (Dell, 168). It is also useful in eliminating frustration with typing too many letters, which increasing productivity. This feature would benefit students with hand tremors, muscle weakness or fatigue, and poor fine or gross motor skills.

• Mouse Keys:

“Mouse Keys is an accessibility feature that allows students to direct the mouse pointer and execute all mouse functions using the keyboard’s numeric keypad” (Dell, 169). Students who have poor fine or gross motor skills would benefit from this feature.

 

 Example of Mouse Keys (rockingtipz.blogspot.com)

For other accessibility features for disabilities such as sensory impairments, look through your computers Ease of Access in the control panel to help your students with disabilities.

 References:
Dell, A. G., Newton, D. A., & Petroff, J. G. (2012). Assistive technology in the classroom: enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.