- From: Charles (Chuck) Oppermann <chuckop@MICROSOFT.com>
- Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 15:29:16 -0700
- To: w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
<< I also think it would do no harm to ask browser developpers to include an accessability section in their documentation explaining some of the things that can be done and how to do them that would optimize their browsers for diffferent needs. >> Both Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.x include such sections along with many other Microsoft products. Here is the text from the Internet Explorer 4.01 help file which has "Accessibility" as a top-level topic. There are 4 sub-topics: "Accessibility for people with disabilities" "Using Accessibility Features" "Specify Fonts and Colors" "Keyboard Shortcuts" In addition, there is a Resource document available at http://www.microsoft.com/enable/download/ie401ac.exe <http://www.microsoft.com/enable/download/ie401ac.exe> and general information is at http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/ie4.htm <http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/ie4.htm> . Here is the various portions of the help file pulled together. Note that some lines are links to generic pieces of information, I didn't include all of it: Accessibility for people with disabilities Microsoft is committed to making its products and services easier for everyone to use. This Help file provides information about the following features, products, and services that make Microsoft products more accessible for people with disabilities. Customizing Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Windows NT Microsoft Services for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Microsoft Documentation in Alternative Formats Utilities to Enhance Accessibility Other Products and Services for People with Disabilities Note This information applies only to Microsoft products in the United States. For products obtained outside the United States, you can contact your subsidiary to find out whether the products and services described in these Help topics are available in your area. For a list of worldwide subsidiaries, see Microsoft Technical Support Worldwide. Using accessibility features in Internet Explorer In addition to Microsoft Windows, Windows NT, and Windows 95 accessibility products and services, the following features make Internet Explorer more accessible for people with disabilities. Keyboard access All features in Internet Explorer are accessible to you by using the keyboard or the mouse. With Internet Explorer, you can explore the Web by using the keyboard. Just press TAB and SHIFT+TAB to move forward and backward between screen elements such as: Links that are text or images Hotspots on image maps The Address bar Frames For more information about keyboard access, look up "keyboard shortcuts" in the Help Index. Highlighting box As you move to or click a link or image, a one-pixel-wide border appears around it so you can see what is selected. Customize the font size, formatting, colors You can specify the font sizes, styles and colors, and foreground and background colors of Web pages displayed on your computer screen, even if the author of the Web page has already specified these. You can also specify the color used to indicate links in Web pages, or a special color for links that is used only when the mouse passes over the link. This is useful if you have low-vision, need larger fonts, or need high-contrast colors. You can set Internet Explorer to use the colors and fonts you specify, your default Windows colors and fonts, or the settings you specify in your own style sheet. For more information, see Customizing how Web pages are displayed. Advanced options which make Internet Explorer more accessible There are several options which you can select or clear which may make Internet Explorer more accessible. To get to these options, click the View menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Advanced tab. Move system caret with focus/selection changes If you use a screen reader, you may want to select this check box. Some screen readers or screen magnifiers use the system caret to determine which area of the screen to read or magnify. Always expand alternate text for images Select this check box if you rely on ALT text instead of viewing the actual pictures (you've cleared the Show pictures check box). This ensures that the text is not cut off if the amount of text exceeds the image area it represents. Launch Channels in full-screen window and Launch Browser in full-screen window If you use a screen reader, you may want to clear these check boxes. For some types of cognitive disabilities, you may want to select these check boxes. Use smooth scrolling and Enable page transitions If you use a screen magnification or screen reader program, you may want to clear these check boxes. If you use a voice recognition program, you may experience recognition errors during smooth scrolling and transitions, and may also want to clear these check boxes. Use Autocomplete If you have cognitive disabilites, you may want to clear this check box to avoid distractions. If you use a blind-access utility, you may want to clear this check box if your accessibility aid reads the suggestions as the appear, making typing difficult. Highlight links when clicked You may want to select this check box if you have cognitive disabilities, or have difficulty targeting the link with the mouse. However, if you use a blind-access utility, it may cause the utility to read the link aloud unnecessarily, and you may want to clear this check box. Show pictures, Play Animations, and Play Videos If you have low-vision, you may want to clear these check boxes to improve performance. If you are sensitive to screen flashing, you may also want to clear these check boxes. Play sounds If you have cognitive disabilites, you may want to clear this check box to prevent distractions. If you are blind, you may want to clear this check box or selectively download sounds so that they do not interfere with a screen reader reading text aloud. Print background colors and images If you have low vision, you may want to clear this check box to improve print legibility. Show font button If you have low vision, you may want to select this check box for quick access to the relative font size. Small icons If you are using a screen reader, you may want to select this check box to maximize the amount of screen space available for Web content. Specify Font and Colors To specify which font and color settings to always use On the View menu in the browser, click Internet Options. On the General tab, click Accessibility. Change the settings as needed. Note For Help on an item, click at the top of the dialog box, and then click the item. Related Topics Customizing how Web pages are displayed Controlling how fonts and background colors are displayed Keyboard Shortcuts Internet Explorer Web browser keyboard shortcuts You can use shortcut keys to choose commands and view documents. To do this Press this Go to next page ALT+RIGHT ARROW Go to previous page ALT+LEFT ARROW Display a shortcut menu for a link SHIFT+F10 Move forward between frames CTRL+TAB Move back between frames SHIFT+CTRL+TAB Scroll toward the beginning of a document UP ARROW Scroll toward the end of a document DOWN ARROW Scroll toward the beginning of a document in larger increments PAGE UP Scroll toward the end of a document in larger increments PAGE DOWN Move to the beginning of a document HOME Move to the end of a document END Refresh the current page F5 Stop downloading a page ESC Go to a new location CTRL+O Open a new window CTRL+N Save the current page CTRL+S Print the current page or active frame CTRL+P Activate a selected link ENTER Charles Oppermann Program Manager, Active Accessibility, Microsoft Corporation <mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com> mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com <http://microsoft.com/enable/> http://microsoft.com/enable/ "A computer on every desk and in every home, usable by everyone!"
Received on Thursday, 9 April 1998 18:30:19 UTC