Accessibility features

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Accessibility features

Products in the Windows Server 2003 family include the following utilities to help meet your vision, hearing, or mobility needs:

  • Magnifier. Enlarges a portion of your screen display for easier viewing.

  • Narrator. Reads information on your screen, including dialog box names, menus, and contents. Narrator provides a minimum level of accessibility so that people who are blind or who have low vision can interact with products in the Windows Server 2003 family during configuration or emergency situations.

    Notes

    • Narrator is available only with U.S. English.

    • Narrator requires the Windows Audio service, which by default has a Startup Type of Disabled on computers running Windows Server 2003, Web Edition; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition. To use Narrator, make sure the Windows Audio service is started and set the Startup Type to Automatic. For more information, see Default settings for services.

  • On-Screen Keyboard. Allows a pointing device such as a mouse or a switch input device to type on a keyboard displayed on your screen. On-Screen Keyboard is compatible with many, but not all, keyboards and keyboard settings.

Products in the Windows Server 2003 family also offer customizable options for users who are blind, have motion disabilities, or are deaf or hard of hearing:

  • High-contrast desktop color schemes. Provide more ways to change the colors and font sizes on your screen.

  • Sound schemes. Give useful audio feedback for important on-screen events, such as the opening and closing of windows.

  • High-visibility mouse pointer schemes. Give you more options to help you keep track of the pointer visually.

For a list of links to other information about accessibility features, see Accessibility for People with Disabilities.