Accessibility Features

Every computing device has accessibility features that allow people to interact with the technology more easily. Some of these features are especially helpful to people with disabilities. Even people without a documented disability might benefit from some of these features.

To make text larger, most browsers use a combination of keys with the + and - symbol to make the text bigger or smaller. Some browsers and applications also include a View menu that can control the size of a window and the information on it.

• Macintosh OS: Use the command key and the + to increase the size of text and images on the display. Command - decreases the size of text and images. Devices with a trackpad or touchscreen can zoom in or out by pinching or stretching your fingers on the trackpad or screen.
• Windows OS and Chromebooks: Use the control key and the + to increase text and images. Control - decreases text and images. Windows also has a Magnifier feature.
• iPad: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. There are various settings there you can change. Pinching and stretching on the touchscreen works on iPads.
• Phones: Visit Settings>Accessibility

For people with low vision you may want to adjust these settings:

• Change display text and size
• Use computer or phone buttons to zoom in on text (Command or Control + and -)
• Cut on dark mode (black background with white text) or invert colors on computer
• Increase contrast
• Change text or pointer size

For people with hearing issues, you may want to adjust these settings:

• Cut on hearing aid compatibility
• Add voice isolation- cuts out background noise
• Use subtitles on webpages or youtube videos
• Live Captions- will listen for sounds and type out what is being said
• Play stereo audio as mono- puts the same thing in both ears

For people who can't speak:

Cut on Live Speech and it will read what you typeThere are other accessibility settings you may want to look at that could help your participants. Some of these might include having text read to them, being able to type with their voice, or accessing voice assistants (like Siri or Alexa). Video sites have close captioning but some adults may need to know how to turn them on or off. Tools like Microsoft's Natural Reader can display computer-generated live captions. You will find that each device is a little different but you can always find accessibility options under accessibility settings. Review the accessibility settings below and consider what other features might be helpful to someone you know--or even you!

• iPad Accessibility Settings
• Mac Accessibility Settings
• Smart Phone Accessibility Settings are found in Settings>Accessibility on the Phones (iPhone | Android)
• Windows Accessibility Settings

After looking at the accessibility settings on these devices, which ones do you think would be able to help older adults when using their devices? This would be a great topic for a one-pager and will help you if you encounter these issues in your training.