Accessibility settings
Imagine the car of your dreams. Imagine that you're about to take a spin in this car. What is the first thing you might need to do as you prepare to drive it? Would you adjust the seat so that you could reach the pedals comfortably? Would the side or rearview mirrors need to be modified to ensure a good line of sight? Sound and temperature settings are available to ensure that the driver is comfortable and can focus on driving safely.
Setting up a device for students can be thought of in a similar way. Personalizing a device sets up students for success as they utilize it. Giving them ownership of this is not only important, but imperative, as they navigate the challenges of using it for greater learning purposes. Students need to know how to access these options and be able to go back and change them if something isn't working the way they prefer it to work. The accessibility settings provide many tools for students to use their device to its optimal level.
The accessibility settings are the hub to help students make a device easier to use. Settings can make the screen easier to see, like high contrast and color filters. The cursor and pointer size can be increased. The Magnifier can be used to zoom in parts of the display and magnify the whole screen, or just used as a lens that follows the mouse pointer. Color filters change the color palette on the screen, helping to distinguish between things that differ only by color, and there are several choices based on the need of the user.
High contrast mode increases color contrast and colors become more distinct on the screen making it easier to see. The accessibility settings are also the place to change your audio settings, like volume or mono audio mode, which allows listening in one ear but keeps the ability to hear what is going on in the classroom. The accessibility settings are also where background images can be removed and unnecessary animations turned on and off. Keyboard specifications can be set to allow for sticky keys, toggle keys, and filter keys. Windows Narrator helps to read elements on a screen while being controlled by keyboard, touch, and mouse. This allows students to open and close programs or toggle between windows without the need to read the words on the screen.