Windows 2000 includes several features to help users who
have certain physical requirements more easily access and use their PCs. These
accessibility features are installed by default and are available through the
Accessories/Accessibility menu on the Start menu. These tools include the
following:

  • Accessibility Wizard: Configures
    the system’s fonts for window titles, menus, and other features; disables
    personalized menus; and enables or disables other features for the mouse,
    keyboard, and display.
  • Magnifier: Uses a portion of the
    desktop to display a magnified view of the area under the cursor. You can
    set magnification level and other properties.
  • Narrator: Converts text to speech.
    The Narrator can announce on-screen events, and read typed characters,
    menu commands, dialog box options, and so on.
  • On-Screen Keyboard: Acts as a
    keyboard in place of the physical keyboard attached to the computer.
  • Utility Manager: Controls the
    Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard tools. You can start and stop
    each tool and configure them for automatic startup.

The accessibility features included with Windows can
significantly improve usability by themselves, but
they’re even more useful when used in conjunction with alternative input
devices and other accessibility hardware designed to address specific user
interface needs.

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