This document lists some of the products which are available to make the Microsoft® Windows®, Microsoft Windows® for Workgroups and Microsoft Windows NT operating systems more accessible to people with disabilities. Products that are now coming to market for Windows® 95 are also listed, as well as their projected release dates. While Microsoft attempts to include all known products in these categories, the list may not be exhaustive, and Microsoft does not in any way endorse the products described nor take responsibility for the accuracy of this information. For references on how to obtain more information on this field, please see the last section of this document.
Products are listed according to the following categories:
Unless otherwise noted, all products designed for Microsoft Windows support Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups 3.1x. With one exception, all products herein are produced in English. Specific information regarding other languages is listed in the "Language" section of the product listing.
Screen enlargers (also called large print programs) allow the user to enlarge a portion of their screen. This effectively turns the computer monitor into a viewport showing only a portion of an enlarged virtual display. The user can then use the mouse or keyboard commands to move this viewport in order to view different areas of the virtual display. Most manufacturers have free demonstration copies available.
| Product: | LP-DOS 6.0 |
| From: | Optelec U.S. Inc., P.O. Box 729, 6 Lyberty Way, Westford, MA 01886 |
| Phone: | 800-828-1056 or 508-392-0707 |
| Fax: | 508-692-6073 |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows |
| Price: | $595 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail. |
| Notes: | LP-DOS 6.0 software is designed for people with low vision and is easy to use. Simple disk installation converts your software applications to large print. Magnifies text, spreadsheets and graphics 16x. SVGA compatible for Internet access in large print. Available in LP-Windows 95 or LP-Delux for MS-DOS and Windows applications. Compatible with any PC, PS/2, or laptop equipped with SVGA, VGA, EGA, MCGA, or CGA display adapters. |
| Product: | Lunar for Windows/ Lunar95 for Windows 95 |
| From: | Dolphin Systems, P.O. Box 83, Worcester WR3 8TU England |
| Phone: | +44-1905-754577 |
| Fax: | +44-1905-754559 |
| BBS: | +44-1905-457767 |
| Email: | dolphin@dolsys.demon.co.uk or 100024.2535@compuserve.com |
| System: | Windows 95 version is for r.4.00.950; SVGA and VGA versions are for Windows |
| Price: | Three models: £290 Windows 95; £290 SVGA Windows; £85 VGA Windows |
| Demo: | Available free by mail or downloadable from our BBS |
| Notes: | Supports up to 16x magnification in SVGA & Windows 95 and 8x magnification in VGA version. All features are accessible from the Control Panel or via hot keys. It intelligently "tracks" a nd magnifies dialog boxes, Windows controls, menus, highlight bars, pointers, and cursors. Available in all versions: Split Screen Mode magnifies anything from a single line to the whole screen; Line View Mode reviews the screen as a single scrolling li ne; customization of color schemes, mouse pointers and cursors. Available in Windows 95 version only: Font Smoothing. |
| Product: | MAGic and MAGic Lite |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| Email: | hware@microsys.com |
| Internet: | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, MS DOS |
| Price: | MAGic Lite $59.00; MAGic $349.00; MAGic for Windows NT $995.00* |
| Demo: | Via Internet (FTP), BBS or Mail |
| Notes: | Screen magnification software for MS DOS, Windows and Windows NT*(*second quarter, 1996). MAGic Lite magnifies 2x in Windows and MS DOS. MAGic magnifies up to 20x in Windows (12x MS DOS). Supports S VGA, 256 color display resolutions. Additional features include smooth panning, color contrast, attribute tracking, hot key remapping and advanced settings. |
| Product: | MagniPORT |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| hware@microsys.com | |
| Internet: | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT |
| Price: | $19 |
| Demo: | Via Internet (FTP), BBS or Mail |
| Notes: | Pop-up screen magnification window. Enlarges screen image up to 10x in Windows and Windows NT. Tracks mouse movements. Supports all display resolutions. |
| Product: | MAGNUM-GT or MAGNUM Deluxe |
| From: | Artic Technologies, 55 Park St., Troy, MI 48083 |
| Phone: | 810-588-7370 |
| Fax: | 810-588-2650 |
| BBS: | 810-588-1424 |
| System: | Windows, MS-DOS; Windows 95 version planned |
| Price: | MAGNUM-GT $295; MAGNUM Deluxe $495 |
| Notes: | MAGNUM-GT performs 2x magnification in Windows. MAGNUM Deluxe up to 32x. |
| Product: | 9FX Series and Imagine 128 |
| From: | Number Nine Corporation, 18 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 21730 |
| Phone: | 617-674-0009 |
| Fax: | 617-674-2919 |
| Cost: | $149 to $1499 |
| Notes: | Number Nine makes video adapters with a feature called "Hawkeye," hardware pan and zoom enlargement. It has most of the standard enlarger features, including the ability to track mouse and ins ertion bar. It also relocates dialog boxes to the zoomed area, and allows you to adjust the size and color of the mouse cursor. Unlike most software-only products, it works with screen resolutions higher than 640x480. |
| Product: | PANORAMA Window Bridge or POWERAMA Window Bridge |
| From: | Syntha-voice Computers Inc., 304 - 800 Queenston Rd., Stoney Creek, ON L8G 1A7 Canada |
| Phone: | 800-263-4540 (Ordering Hotline, Product Support) |
| 905-662-0565 (General Inquiries, Main Number) | |
| Fax: | 905-662-0568 |
| BBS: | 905-662-0569 |
| Internet: | FTP: synthavoice.on.ca |
| Email: | help@synthavoice.on.ca |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows, MS-DOS |
| Price: | Panorama: $495; Powerama: $695 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail, BBS, or Internet. |
| Notes: | PANORAMA allows typing, editing, and navigation of the cursor or mouse to be automatically tracked in user-definable large print. POWERAMA additionally allows these same functions to be spoken through a ny of 40 speech synthesizers. Both models magnify MS-DOS text up to 12x, graphics up to 16x. No magnification limitation in Windows. Smooth scrolling; character smoothing. Designed for IBM 80-386 based systems or better, with MS-DOS 3.3 or later. Original ly released July 1992; current version is 1.32. |
| Product: | Vista |
| From: | Telesensory Corp., P.O. Box 7455, Mountain View, CA 94039-7455 |
| Phone: | 800-804-8004 or 415-335-1800 |
| Fax: | 415-335-1832 |
| Internet: | http://www.telesensory.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95 version under development |
| Price: | $2495 |
| Notes: | Vista is a specialized video adapter that provides SVGA emulation with additional pan and zoom screen enlargement. The software is entirely mouse controlled. Plug a mouse into the adapter directly and i t will not be seen by applications, but only control the enlargement. When running Windows the user also has the option of having the Vista mouse switch back and forth between applications and enlarger control. |
| Product: | ZoomText for Windows, ZoomText for DOS or ZoomText Plus |
| From: | Ai Squared, P.O. Box 669, Manchester Center, VT 05255-0669 |
| Phone: | 802-362-3612 |
| Fax: | 802-362-1670 |
| Email: | ZoomText@aisquared.com |
| System: | ZoomText: Windows 95, Windows,
ZoomText for DOS: MS-DOS |
| Price: | ZoomText $395; ZoomText for DOS $395; ZoomText Plus $595 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail. |
| Notes: | ZoomText magnifies from 2x to 16x in full-screen and partial screen zoom windows. Windows versions display up to 6 zoom windows simultaneously and support edge-smoothing and color inverting. Three smo oth fonts in MS-DOS. Supports 16 and 256 color Windows display drivers, including high resolution, full-motion video and Windows accelerator cards. |
People who cannot use visual information use the computer with the aid of a screen review utility. Screen reader utilities take the information displayed visually on the screen and make it available through alternative media, such as synthesized speech or a refreshable Braille display. Screen review utilities often accept configuration files (also called set files or profiles) which tell it how to work correctly with particular applications. Most Windows screen review utilities provide access to MS-DOS.
| Product: | JAWS for Windows (JFW) |
| From: | Henter-Joyce, Inc., 2100 62nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702 |
| Phone: | 800-336-5658 or 813-528-8900 |
| Fax: | (813) 528-8901 |
| BBS: | (813) 528-8903 |
| Internet: | http://www.hj.com |
| Email: | info@hj.com |
| System: | Windows; Windows 95 compatible version in June 1996 |
| Languages: | Many languages available (worldwide distribution) |
| Price: | $795; discounts up to $300.00 for JAWS DOS users |
| Demo: | JWF Timed Evaluation (60 days) with all materials: $39.95. |
| Notes: | Originally released January 16, 1995. Easy to use with helpful Wizards and 3 user modes, beginner to advanced. Tutorial training set of seven 90-minute cassette tapes designed to teach JFW and Windows from the keyboard. Includes toll free technical support in North America. Also works with a wide variety of refreshable Braille. |
| Product: | outSPOKEN for Windows, brailleOUT for Windows |
| From: | Berkeley Access, 2095 Rose St., Berkeley, CA 94709 |
| Phone: | 510-883-6280 |
| TDD: | 510-540-0709 |
| Fax: | 510-883-6270 |
| Email: | osw@berksys.com |
| BBS: | Via the World Wide Web: http://access.berksys.com |
| System: | Windows; a Windows 95 version to be released in 1996 |
| Languages: | outSPOKEN: German, Italian, French, and Dutch; brailleOUT: English |
| Price: | outSPOKEN: $595; $295 competitive upgrade from all other Windows screen readers, as well as for outSPOKEN for Macintosh users; brailleOUT: $149 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail.; from dealers; by anonymous FTP download at access.berksys.com in /pub/osw/demo; and from Berkeley's WWW address. |
| Notes: | Both products are based on Berkeley's GUI Access Toolkit, available for third-party developers wishing to build screen readers or other utilities. They are interoperating products, made to work with eac h other. outSPOKEN supports more than 30 speech synthesizers and works with a variety of screen review packages for MS-DOS. Works in all screen modes, resolutions, and color settings. Original version released October 11, 1994; Version 1.2 will support Wi ndows 95 and TextAssist SoundBlaster cards. BrailleOUT is an interface to outSPOKEN for the ALVA, Navigator, and PowerBraille displays. Neither is copy protected. |
| Product: | Protalk32 |
| From: | Biolink Computer R&D Ltd., Suite 105, 140 W. 15th St.,
North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 1R6, Canada |
| Phone: | 604-984-4099 |
| Fax: | 604-985-8493 |
| BBS: | 604-985-8431 |
| System: | Windows 95/Windows, Windows NT |
| Languages: | French and German versions available |
| Price: | Windows 95/Windows: $995 (U.S.); Windows NT: $2495 (U.S.); replacement disks for Protalk are free for registered users; complete upgrade package is $150 (U.S.) |
| Demo: | Available via download from their BBS. |
| Notes: | Protalk32 is a 32-bit replacement of Biolink's version 1.0 screen reader, which was released in 1993. This new version works on the 16-bit Windows 3.1, plus 32-bit Windows 95. There is a separate 32-bit Windows NT version. Protalk32 works with any sound card supported by Windows, and with most hardware speech synthesizers and Braille displays. Utilizes hardware copy-protection key. |
| Product: | Screen Reader/2, Screen Reader/DOS |
| From: | IBM |
| Phone: | 800-426-3388 (Ordering); 800-426-4832 (Information) |
| System: | IBM® OS/2® 2.1 |
| Price: | $600 software only; $700 with external keypad |
| Status: | Version 1.2.1 for SRD/DOS and SRD/2 was released March 1995. Screen Reader/2 was released November 1995. |
| Notes: | Provides access to Windows-based applications when run under IBM's operating system. Screen Reader/2 version 1.2.1 can be used with both OS/2 and Windows applications. It requires a hardware speech synt hesizer. |
| Product: | ScreenPower® for Windows |
| From: | Telesensory Corp., P.O. Box 7455, Mountain View, CA 94043 |
| Phone: | 800-286-8484 or 415-960-0920 |
| Fax: | 415-969-9064 |
| BBS: | 415-335-1819 or 415-335-1820 |
| Email: | tele@netcom.com or 71545.213@compuserve.com |
| Internet: | http://www.telesensory.com |
| System: | Windows; a Windows 95 version to be released second quarter 1996 |
| Price: | $995 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail. |
| Notes: | ScreenPower for Windows provides complete tactile and audio access to Windows for blind users. With a Braille display and/or integrated speech output, each Windows element is identifiable and accessibl e. Element appearance, location, purpose, selection status, and relationship to other elements is accessible. SPWin's Explore Mode provides a consistent, easy-to-use interface, with the numeric pad and Braille display substituting for a mouse. Click, cut , drag, and paste screen items. SPWin lets users access hidden icons or windows without moving or closing applications. The system facilitates Windows Help by underlining hyperlinks for clear identification. Supports all synthesizers compatible with SSIL specification, and the SpeechPlus Prose board and Telesensory's BrailleMate. Plus, all Telesensory Braille displays, including Navigator and the PowerBraille line. |
| Product: | SLIMWARE Window Bridge |
| From: | Syntha-voice Computers Inc., 304 - 800 Queenston Rd., Stoney Creek, ON L8G 1A7 Canada |
| Phone: | 800-263-4540 (Ordering Hotline, Product Support) |
| 905-662-0565 (General Inquiries, Main Number) | |
| Fax: | 905-662-0568 |
| BBS: | 905-662-0569 |
| Internet: | FTP: synthavoice.on.ca |
| Email: | help@synthavoice.on.ca |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows, MS-DOS |
| Price: | $695 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail, BBS, or Internet |
| Notes: | Screen review program for the blind or deaf-blind. Works on all of the above operating systems with a single set of commands. Supports more than 40 speech synthesizers and more than 20 models of Braille displays. Designed for IBM 80-386 based systems or better, with MS-DOS 3.3 or later. Compatible with VGA video cards or better. System must have 4 MB of RAM, minimum. Requires hardware speech synthesizer or Braille display. Originally released July 1992; current version is 2.21. |
| Product: | VIRGO, VIRGO 2 |
| From: | BAUM Products GmbH, Schlos Langenzell, 69257 Wiesenbach, Germany |
| Phone: | +49 6223 49090 |
| Fax: | +49 6223 490999 |
| Email: | 100041.1215@compuserve.com |
| System: | VIRGO: Windows 3.1 and 3.11; VIRGO 2 (available in 1996): Windows 95
Recommended: 486 PC, 8MB RAM |
| Languages: | German, French, Italian, Swedish (translatable to others through LNG files) |
| Price: | VIRGO: DM4,750,-; VIRGO 2: unknown |
| Demo: | VIRGO: Free; request via email or fax |
| Notes: | The VIRGO screen review software provides a hierarchical, logical access to Windows. Compatible with all PC-based Braille lines via the optional VIRGO-Link package, and with all SSIL speech outputs. Us
er friendly package includes information lines, path function, synchronization of speech output, support of Drag & Drop, sorting options, and bookmarkers. Content of Braille display can be shown on the screen, for cooperation with sighted users. Sup
ports most graphic adapters/resolutions (VGA, SVGA, Hires).
The upcoming VIRGO 2 product provides extended functionality such as an interactive user configuration and improved user friendliness through optimal multimedia capabilities. It is 16- and 32-bit compatible, supports MS-SAPI and uses Visual Basic as its m acro language and VB for Applications.Data interchange through DDE and OLE Automation; all applications supporting macro and OLE Automation can be made VIRGO aware. |
| Product: | WINDOTS |
| From: | F.H. Papenmeier GmbH & Co. KG, Reha Div., P.O. Box 16 20, D-58211 Schwerte, Germany |
| Phone: | +49-2304-946-0 |
| Fax: | +49-2304-946-246 |
| Email: | fhp@rehatec.un.eunet.de |
| System: | Windows; a Windows 95 version to be released mid 1996 |
| Languages: | German and other European |
| Demo: | Demo is available free of charge. |
| Notes: | WinDOTS is a software package that allows blind people to access programs running under Windows. With its unique spatial access concept, WinDOTS transfers all elements needed for working with the graphi cal user interface - texts, icons, command buttons, etc., or the different windows in their frames - into a format which may be presented on a Braille display. The structure and the layout of the original Windows screen remain unchanged. WinDOTS works bes t with Papenmeier's two-dimensional Braille displays ( BRAILLEX-2D Screen with 80-cell Braille display, or BRAILLEX-2D Lite with 40-cell Braille display; both display units have a vertical display representing the structure of the screen data). A portable solution is also available with BRAILLEX Compact, a notebook computer with integrated 40-cell Braille display. A speech synthesizer can be added. Full mouse emulation is supported through routing keys. |
| Product: | Window-Eyes |
| From: | GW Micro, Inc., 725 Airport North Office Park, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 |
| Phone: | (219) 489-3671 |
| Fax: | (219) 489-2608 |
| BBS: | (219) 489-5281 |
| Email: | support@gwmicro.com |
| System: | Windows; a Windows 95 version is planned |
| Price: | $495 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail, BBS, or UUENCODED Email |
| Notes: | Window-Eyes is a flexible and configurable Windows-based screen reader. The design philosophies of the Vocal-Eyes screen reader for MS-DOS have been integrated as a base for Window-Eyes, and Vocal-Eyes users will appreciate the consistent user interface. Window-Eyes supports many speech synthesizers and is compatible with a variety of MS-DOS-based screen readers. It does not require any special screen or keyboard device driver and is not copy protected. |
| Product: | Windows Master |
| From: | Blazie Engineering, 105 E. Jarrettsville Rd., Forest Hill, MD 21050 |
| Phone: | 410-893-9333 |
| Fax: | 410-836-5040 |
| Price: | $495 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail. |
| Notes: | Allows you to control the PC using your personal digital assistant products from Blazie Engineering. Works with Braille Lite for speech and Braille access, or Braille 'n' Speak or Type 'n' Speak for voi ce access. |
| Product: | WINKLiNE |
| From: | Speech Systems for the Blind, 76 Wheaton Dr., Attleboro, MA 02703-6623 |
| Phone: | 508-226-0447 |
| Email: | 73030.3644@compuserve.com or s.theberge@genie.com |
| System: | Windows; a Windows 95 version is planned |
| Price: | $45 |
| Demo: | Available for $5 or downloadable from many information systems. |
| Notes: | Provides text-to-speech using any multimedia sound card supported by Windows. Identifies icons, menus, and controls, and echoes words as typed or as written to the screen. |
| Product: | WinVision |
| From: | Artic Technologies, 55 Park St., Troy, MI 48083 |
| Phone: | 810-588-7370 |
| Fax: | 810-588-5260 |
| BBS: | 810-558-1424 |
| System: | Windows |
| Price: | $495 |
| Demo: | Customers with Business Vision can get a demo version of WinVision at no charge. |
| Notes: | Originally released July 12, 1993, WinVision works as an interface to Artic Business Vision, so will work on any system supported by that product. WinVision, is currently under development as a standalo ne product. |
The following screen review utilities are not yet available but have been announced:
| Product: | ASAP for Windows |
| From: | MicroTalk, 917 Clear Creek Dr., Texarkana, TX 75503 |
| Phone: | 903-832-3471 |
| Fax: | 903-832-3517 |
| BBS: | 903-832-3722 |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95 |
| Languages: | Supports multiple languages |
| Price: | $595 |
| Demo: | A free demo copy will be available via their BBS. |
| Status: | In development, no release date announced. |
| Notes: | It will work with multimedia sound cards or hardware speech synthesizers and be highly configurable. |
| Product: | HAL5 for Windows 95 |
| From: | Dolphin Systems, P.O. Box 83, Worcester WR3 8TU England |
| Phone: | +44-1905-754577 |
| Fax: | +44-1905-754559 |
| BBS: | +44-1905-457767 |
| Email: | dolphin@dolsys.demon.co.uk or 100024.2535@compuserve.com |
| System: | Windows 95 version to be released at end of 1996 |
| Price: | Not announced |
| Demo: | Not currently available |
Some individuals with motion impairments cannot use a standard keyboard, but they may be able to use one or more switches or point using a mouse or headpointer. An on-screen keyboard is a program which displays a list of choices to the user and allows them to select those choices using a point-and-click, point-and-dwell or simple clicking interface. A common use of this technique is to display a representation of a keyboard in a window, and allow the user to choose keys which will be typed into the current application, allowing even a user with a single switch to do anything that one could do with a keyboard. Variations in this category include Morse-code input systems and single- or double-switch systems.
| Product: | Eek! |
| From: | OMS Development, 610-B Forest Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091 |
| Phone: | 800-831-0272 or 708-251-5787 |
| Fax: | 708-251-5793 |
| System: | Windows |
| Price: | $120 |
| Demo: | Demo version available for $5, applicable towards purchase. |
| Notes: | Eek! Can be used in click mode and can be customized for specific applications. |
| Product: | HandiKEY and HandiKey Deluxe |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| Email: | hware@microsys.com |
| Internet: | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, MS DOS |
| Price: | HandiKEY $395.00; HandiKEY Deluxe $495.00 |
| Demo: | Via Internet (FTP), BBS or Mail |
| Notes: | On-screen keyboard which also includes word prediction, sticky keys and text to speech output. HandiKEY can be used in direct select mode with a mouse, joystick or trackball or in manual or automatic s canning mode. Also supports three or five switch interface. The Deluxe version includes HandiCHAT augmentative communication software. |
| Product: | Mouse Keys |
| From: | World Communications, 245 Tonopah Dr., Fremont, CA 94539 |
| Phone: | 510-656-0911 |
| Fax: | 510-656-3005 |
| System: | Windows; Windows 95 version is under development |
| Languages: | French, German, Spanish and Italian |
| Price: | $395 |
| Notes: | Onscreen keyboard includes word prediction. Can be used in either click or dwell mode. |
| Product: | My-T-Mouse |
| From: | Future Technologies, 829 Single Tree Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89123 |
| Phone: | 800-551-3926 |
| Fax: | 800-546-3926 |
| Email: | 73061.647@compuserve.com |
| System: | Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1; a Windows 95 version will be released by the end of 1995 |
| Notes: | My-T-Mouse provides the user with complete access to the computer using only a pointing device. It includes many features optimized for mouse access, such as keystroke macros, built-in calculator, fast controls for common editing operations, and fully functional 101-key keyboard with 20 international keyboard layouts. Adjustable to nine size ranges. |
| Product: | SAW (Switch Access to Windows 3) |
| From: | ACE Centre, Ormerod School, Waynefleet Rd., Headington, Oxford OX3 8DD England |
| Phone: | +44-18865 63508 |
| Fax: | +44-1865 750188 |
| Email: | acecent@dircon.co.uk |
| System: | Windows; Windows 95 version will be available at the end of 1996 |
| Price: | $150 (Runtime) $500 (Designer) |
| Demo: | Demo version available at no charge. |
| Notes: | Provides access to Windows using switch, mouse, trackerball and optical pointers through on-screen "selection sets," grids of icons, letters or words which, when selected, carry out a full ran ge of internal or external commands. Pre-designed selection sets for some popular applications are available, along with sets for CD-ROMs and text accelerators. A version for Windows 95 will be available in December 1996. |
| Product: | SofType |
| From: | Origin Instruments Corp., 854 Greenview Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75050 |
| Phone: | 214-606-8740 |
| Fax: | 214-606-8741 |
| Email: | sales@orin.com |
| Internet: | http://www.orin.com |
| System: | Windows 95 and Windows |
| Price: | $295.00 |
| Demo: | Downloadable from Web site |
| Notes: | SofType on-screen keyboard has word completion; integrated dwell selection (AutoClick) for left and right mouse button clicks, double clicks, and drag operations; can be completely reconfigured. Require s a mouse, Origin Instruments HeadMouse, or other mouse emulator. |
| Product: | WiViK2® Windows Visual Keyboard |
| From: | Prentke Romich Company, 1022 Heyl Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 |
| Phone: | 800-262-1984 or 216-262-1984 |
| Fax: | 216-263-4829 |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows |
| Languages: | Shipping product includes 18 international keyboards |
| Price: | $290 base; $415 with word prediction and abbreviation expansion; $520 with scanning |
| Notes: | Compatible with all Windows 3.1 and 16-bit Windows 95 applications, it works in either click or dwell mode. An on-screen keyboard with word completion and word prediction, the latter can be extended fro m any text file. Totally configurable, including buttons for macros, and works with non-Windows-based applications when displayed in a window. Displays up to 400 keys per page, up to 50 pages of keys (limited by memory), and any key can have up to 750 key -strokes. Macro language is very similar to WordBasic. WiViK2 with Scanning is designed for people who can only access a switch. Text entry and mouse operation can be achieved using up to five switches; a variety of scanning methods are supported. WiViK 2 features and Rate Enhancement Package are included. |
Voice input utilities allow users to control their computer by recognizing spoken commands. Some products are designed for command and control, meaning that they allow you to perform commands, switch between windows and so forth. Some products also support dictation, which allows you to enter large amounts of free-form text such as a letter. Most products recognize discrete speech, meaning that you must pause briefly between words, but some products support continuous speech which does not require such pauses.
| Product: | DragonDictate® for Windows |
| From: | Dragon Systems®, Inc., 320 Nevada St., Newton, MA 02160 |
| Phone: | 800-825-5897 or 617-965-5200 |
| Fax: | 617-527-0372 |
| Email: | info@dragonsys.com |
| BBS: | GO DRAGON on CompuServe |
| Languages: | Available in seven languages |
| Price: | $395 and higher for different configurations |
| Notes: | DragonDictate for Windows is a large-vocabulary dictation system that lets one use most Windows-based applications entirely by voice. Compatible with many popular multimedia sound cards, end-users can c ontrol the mouse, dictate text and enter data, and navigate quickly within Windows commands and controls without touching the keyboard. DragonDictate for Windows quickly adapts to the user's voice, vocabulary, and environment to achieve an accuracy rate o f over 95%. A high-quality, noise-canceling microphone is included. |
| Product: | IBM VoiceType Application Factory |
| From: | IBM |
| Phone: | 800-TALK2ME for information; 800-342-6672 to order |
| Price: | $399 |
| Notes: | A high-accuracy speech recognition toolkit. It is a command-and-control utility supporting up to 1,000-word vocabulary. Comes with microphone and uses a SoundBlaster-compatible adaptor. Can be used on a laptop.. |
| Product: | IBM VoiceType Dictation for Windows |
| From: | IBM |
| Phone: | 800-TALK2ME for information; 800-342-6672 to order |
| Languages: | French, German, Italian, Spanish, UK and US English |
| Price: | $999; $1,099 if for laptop; 30-day money-back guarantee if purchased directly from IBM |
| Notes: | IBM VoiceType Dictation is a large-vocabulary system supporting up to 32,000 words at a rate of 70-100 words per minute with 95% accuracy. Comes with adapter card with microphone and digital signal proc essor. Can be used on a laptop. |
| Product: | IN CUBE Voice Command |
| From: | Command Corp. Inc., 3761 Venture Dr., Duluth, GA 30136 |
| Phone: | 770-813-8030 |
| Fax: | 770-813-0113 |
| Email: | in3@commandcorp.com |
| BBS: | URL: http://www.comandcorp.com/incube_welcome.html |
| Price: | Two versions: $495 for Windows NT; $395 for Windows 3.x and Windows 95 |
| Demo: | Downloadable from their Website. This is a locked version of the actual program, which can be unlocked into the full version by calling Command Corp. and paying for In Cube. |
| Notes: | IN CUBE PRO is a continuous speech-recognition system which can be used without modification by people with disabilities for full voice control of the Windows interfaces. To use a Windows utility or ap plication, the user just speaks its name. In Cube's powerful functions locate applications that are already running and pop them to the front of the display. If the application called is not running, In Cube launches it. Within applications, In Cube has v oice macro input. |
| Product: | Kurzweil VOICE for Windows |
| From: | Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, Inc., 411 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02154 |
| Phone: | 800-380-1234 or 617-893-5151 |
| Fax: | 617-893-6525 |
| Email: | info@kurz-ai.com |
| Internet: | http://www.kurz-ai.com |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows 3.1x |
| Price: | $695 |
| Notes: | Kurzweil VOICE Release 2.0 is an easy to use, speaker-independent product which provides full command and control capabilities integrated with robust dictation capabilities for text creation. Release 2.
0 includes command lists for Windows 95, Windows 3.1x and the most recent versions of leading Windows software applications, as well as 30K and 60K word vocabulary options. It works with Windows-compatible, 16-bit sound boards, and includes a Telex Nomad microphone. |
| Product: | Listen for Windows |
| From: | Verbex Voice Systems, Inc., 275 Raritan Center Parkway, Edison, NJ 08837 |
| Phone: | 800-ASK-VRBX or 908-225-5225 |
| Fax: | 908-225-7764 |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows |
| Price: | $99; $139 with microphone or headset |
| Notes: | Verbex provides speaker-independent, continuous speech recognition solutions for Windows users. Listen for Windows 2.0 isn't intended for dictation applications, but allows users to navigate, command an d control Windows applications with normal conversational speech. No training is needed for most North American voices. It comes with robust speech interfaces for over 30 of the most popular Windows applications and automatically generates speech interfac es for virtually any other Windows app. User-friendly Command Editor allows easy customization of voice commands. |
| Product: | VoiceServer for Windows |
| From: | Applied Voice Technology, Ltd., 26 Danbury St. Islington, London N1 8JU. |
| Phone: | +44-171-454 1224 |
| Fax: | +44-171-454 1225 |
| Email: | 100113.2672@compuserve.com |
| System: | Windows |
| Price: | £249 |
| Notes: | A speaker dependent hardware/software discrete word recognition system for controlling Windows apps. Not only can menu options and buttons be voice-activated, but listbox items can be selected, other ap ps executed and switched between, apps' interfaces externally customized etc. It also includes a comprehensive voice- driven macro recorder, where mouse and keyboard operation can be interleaved with spoken commands in a completely voice-driven environmen t. VoiceKit PRO for Windows is a complete API allowing C programmers to incorporate AVT's voice recognition into their own software seamlessly and flexibly. VoiceKit VB offers the same functionality to developers using Microsoft Visual Basic ® programming system. |
| Product: | VoiceUser |
| From: | Cylogic, 348 W. Olympic Place, Suite 9., Seattle, WA 98119 |
| Phone: | 206-283-8800 |
| Fax: | 206-282-2616 |
| Email: | skidata@luckydog.com |
| System: | Windows; a Windows 95 version is planned that won't be dependent on Windows Sound System, which is no longer available from Microsoft |
| Price: | $49 |
| Demo: | Available free by mail; assumes user has Windows Sound System |
| Notes: | A speaker-independent command and control interface. Version 2.1 features vocabularies for seven of the most popular Windows word processors, plus vocabularies for the accessory applications included wi th Windows. Pre-configured vocabularies and macros allow virtually anyone to start using the program with little or no voice training. Windows Sound System and a SoundBlaster-compatible sound card are required. |
Keyboard enhancement utilities are products which modify the behavior of the Windows keyboard to make it easier to use for individuals with disabilities.
| Product: | Access Packs for Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Windows NT |
| From: | Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6393 |
| Phone: | 800-426-9400 (Microsoft Sales Information Center) |
| BBS: | 206-936-6735 |
| TDD: | 800-892-5234 |
| Price: | Available at no charge by mail or via numerous download services. |
| Notes: | Access Pack for Microsoft Windows provides a variety of features for people with limited dexterity or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. These features include:
Access Pack for Microsoft Windows is available as file ACCP.EXE, and Access Pack for Microsoft Windows NT is available as file WN0789.EXE. |
| Product: | Aurora for Windows |
| From: | Aurora Systems, Inc., 2647 Kingsway, Vancouver B.C., V5R-5H4, Canada |
| Phone: | 800-361-8255 or 604-436-2694 |
| Fax: | 604-436-2695 |
| Email: | aurora@cyberstore.ca |
| Internet: | http://www.scbc.org/hinet/business/CoProf/Aurora/aurora.htm |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows |
| Price: | $430; $195 upgrade from Aurora for MS-DOS |
| Demo: | Full documentation and software, 20 minute per-run time limit, $15, demo price refunded on purchase of any Aurora Systems product. |
| Notes: | Word prediction with unlimited dictionary size (150,000+ words), grammatical rule support and spelling assistance. Learns and predicts phrases as well as individual words. Can be used with a single finger or headstick. Works with speech synthesizers to echo keystrokes and speak words as you type. One minor feature currently doesn't work under Windows 95. Optional Aurora Imageine onscreen scanning keyboard now available. |
| Product: | Dvorak Keyboard Layouts |
| From: | Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6393 |
| Phone: | 800-426-9400 (Microsoft Sales Information Center) |
| BBS: | 206-936-6735 |
| TDD: | 800-892-5234 |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows |
| Price: | Available at no charge by mail or via numerous download services. |
| Notes: | Microsoft distributes three Dvorak keyboard layouts that make the most frequently typed characters on a keyboard more accessible to people who have difficulty using the standard "QWERTY" layo ut. No special equipment is needed in order to use these features. A layout for people who type with two hands is included with each operating system; consult the online help about keyboard layouts for installation instructions. Two additional layouts for people who type with only one hand are distributed as Microsoft Application Note GA0650 and available as a file called GA0650.EXE on many download services. |
| Product: | HandiWORD and HandiWORD International |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| Email: | hware@microsys.com |
| Internet: | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, MS DOS |
| Languages: | International version supplies foreign language dictionaries |
| Price: | HandiWORD $295.00; HandiWORD International $395.00 |
| Demo: | Via Internet (FTP), BBS, or Mail |
| Notes: | Word prediction/abbreviation expansion software aiding users with limited keyboarding capability. Supplied with default dictionary file. Supports speech output of prediction choices. Dictionary maint enance utility allows user to modify existing or create new dictionaries. Software is statistically weighted with frequently used words appearing first. Sticky-key utility built into software. |
| Product: | HandiSHIFT For Windows |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| Email: | hware@microsys.com |
| Internet: | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, MS DOS |
| Price: | $49 |
| Notes | Sticky key utility. Allows serial depression of Control, Shift, and Alt keys. Adjusts key repeat rate. Includes SeeBEEP visual beep utility. |
| Product: | KeyREP |
| From: | Prentke Romich Company, 1022 Heyl Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 |
| Phone: | 800-262-1984 or 216-262-1984 |
| Fax: | 216-263-4829 |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows |
| Price: | $290 |
| Notes: | KeyREP Rate Enhancement Package for keyboard users provides word prediction and abbreviation expansion. KeyREP works with any keyboard and any application running under Windows 3.1 except MS-DOS windows . |
| Product: | StickyKeys and MouseKeys |
| From: | Hitachi, Ltd., Accessibility Promotion Section, Information Systems Group, Hitachi Omori 2nd Bldg. 6-27-18 Minami Oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 140 Japan |
| Phone: | +81-3-5471-8918 |
| Fax: | +81-3-5471-2565 |
| Email: | k-ozawa@comp.hitachi.co.jp |
| Internet | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows |
| Languages: | Japanese only |
| Price: | Free; download it from NiftyServe |
| Notes: | StickyKeys can start and close Japanese FEPs by pressing two keys and can convert from the KANA input mode to the Alphabet input mode, and vice versa, by pressing three keys. MouseKeys enables the user to control the mouse cursor by using the keyboard. |
The following products are also designed for use by individuals with disabilities:
| Product: | Dragger |
| From: | Origin Instruments Corp., 854 Greenview Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75050 |
| Phone: | 214-606-8740 |
| Fax: | 214-606-8741 |
| Email: | sales@orin.com |
| Internet: | http://www.orin.com |
| System: | Windows 95 and Windows |
| Price: | $95.00 |
| Demo: | Downloadable from Web site |
| Notes: | Program for generating mouse click functions throughout the Windows environment using "dwell" (AutoClick) selection techniques. Left and right single clicks, double clicks, and drag operations are all possible. Dragger for Kids is a special mode for use with children's programs. Dragger requires a mouse, Origin Instruments HeadMouse, or other mouse emulator. |
| Product: | HandiPHONE |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| Email: | hware@microsys.com |
| Internet | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, MS-DOS |
| Price: | Windows/Windows 95: $295; MS-DOS: $595 |
| Demo: | Via Internet (FTP), BBS or Mail |
| Notes: | Hands-free access to the telephone. PopDIAL software stores up to 10,000 names / 30,000 phone numbers allowing the user to dial out, receive calls, and access voice mail systems, paging, call transfer, call waiting, and other popular services. Complete system includes a specially-modified modem, a hands-free speakerphone or headset, and cables. |
| Product: | Open Book Unbound |
| From: | Arkenstone, Inc., 1390 Borregas Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94089 |
| Phone: | 800-444-4443 or 408-752-2200 |
| Fax: | 408-745-6739 |
| TDD: | 800-833-2753 |
| Email: | info@arkenstone.org |
| Internet: | http://www.arkenstone.org |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, MS DOS |
| Price: | $995 |
| Demo: | Call 800 number for the dealer nearest you |
| Notes: | Reading software for people with vision impairments or reading difficulties. Combined with a scanner, it turns a talking PC into a complete reading machine. Open Book makes reading print material as eas y as pressing a single button. By automatically adjusting for skew, contrast, and page orientation, Open Book reads the page as accurately as possible. Open Book works under Windows 95 but is not recommended. An upgrade is underway. |
| Product: | SeeBEEP For Windows |
| From: | Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 |
| Phone: | 800-828-2600 or 508-879-9000 |
| Fax: | 508-879-1069 |
| BBS: | 508-875-8009 |
| Email: | hware@microsys.com |
| Internet | http://www.handiware.com |
| System: | Windows, Windows 95, MS DOS |
| Price: | $20 |
| Demo: | Via Internet (FTP), BBS or Mail |
| Notes: | Visual beep utility for persons with hearing impairments. Will flash screen in reverse video or present visual beep bitmap on-screen each time the computer makes a sound. |
| Product: | VisAbility |
| From: | Ai Squared, P.O. Box 669, Manchester Center, VT 05255-0669 |
| Phone: | 802-362-3612 |
| Fax: | 802-362-1670 |
| Email: | zoomtext@aisquared.com |
| System: | MS-DOS (PIF included to run from Windows) |
| Price: | $495 ($395 for registered ZoomText users) |
| Demo: | Available free by mail. |
| Notes: | VisAbility is a low-vision reading and form-filling program. It works in conjunction with a scanner to enlarge printed or handwritten material, from 4x to 32x, on your computer screen. Hands-free readin g modes pan smoothly through the entire image or within columns. Printed forms can be scanned and filled-in, while being enlarged on the screen. The completed form can be printed at normal size or a magnified size, up to 8x. |
| Product: | WiVox |
| From: | Prentke Romich Company, 1022 Heyl Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 |
| Phone: | 800-262-1984 or 216-262-1984 |
| Fax: | 216-263-4829 |
| System: | Windows 95, Windows 3.1 |
| Price: | $160 |
| Notes: | Enhances writing and reading by providing auditory feedback of text entered into any Windows or Windows 95 application. Works with standard keyboard, and with the WiVik2 series of on-screen keyboards, i ncluding KeyREP. Set it to speak characters, partial words, full words, or sentences. Requires an external speech synthesizer. |
Microsoft Windows 95 includes a variety of features for people with limited vision or dexterity, color-blindness, or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. All the Access Pack features are now integrated into the operating system, and are found in the Control Panel under Accessibility Options. (See Access Pack entry under "Keyboard enhancement utilities" for a description of those features.)
| Product: | Microsoft Windows 95 |
| From: | Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6393 |
| Phone: | 800-426-9400 (Microsoft Sales Information Center) |
| BBS: | 206-936-6735 |
| TDD: | 800-892-5234 |
| Price: | $99 |
| Notes: | New helpful features included in areas of the Control Panel other than Accessibility Options:
System improvements to Windows 95 that are useful for people with disabilities include:
|
The above is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of all accessibility products. There are literally thousands of products on the market, and the user ultimately needs to determine the best fit for his or her needs. Two sources for more comprehensive listings of available products are listed below:
| Product: | CO-NET CD |
| From: | Trace R&D Center, S-151 Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705-2280 |
| Phone: | 608-263-2309 |
| Fax: | 608-262-8848 |
| TDD: | 608-263-5408 |
| Email: | info@trace.wisc.edu |
| Internet | http://www.trace.wisc.edu |
| System: | Any system with a CD-ROM |
| Price: | $27 |
| Notes: | Officially the Cooperative Electronic Library on Disability, this compact disc from the Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides a database of more than 18,000 product s and other information for people with disabilities. It is issued twice a year. Trace R&D also produces a resource guide that describes products that help people with disabilities use computers. The book, titled Trace ResourceBook, provides de scriptions and photographs of about 2,000 products. |
| Contact: | National Information System (NIS) |
| At: | Center for Developmental Disabilities, Benson Bldg., University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208 |
| Phone: | 803-777-4435 |
| Fax: | 803-777-6058 |
| TDD: | 803-777-4435 |
| Notes: | For general information and recommendations on how computers can help specific people, the end user should consult a trained evaluator who can best match his or her needs with the available solutions. A n assistive technology program in the local area will provide referrals to programs and services that are available. To locate the nearest assistive technology program contact the NIS. |
© 1994, 1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, MS-DOS and Visual Basic are registered trademarks and
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. IN CUBE is a
trademark of Command Corp., Inc. Kurzweil VOICE is a trademark
of Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, Inc. Dragon Systems and DragonDictate
are registered trademarks of Dragon Systems, Inc. IBM and OS/2
are registered trademarks and Windsurfer is a trademark of International
Business Machines Corporation. WiViK2 is a registered trademark
and KeyREP is a trademark of The Hugh MacMillan Rehabilitation
Center.
This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.
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