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Series: Simple accessibility hints
This entry is part 1 of 14 in the series Mac Accessibility 101I have realised the need for a series of simple posts explaining the built-in accessibility and usability features of OS X and commonly used Mac programs. These will be tips that anybody can use, things that are simple to do and don’t cost [...]
Simple: Enlarging Text
The keystroke ⌘+ (in other words command and shift and equals at the same time) will enlarge the text size in many OS X applications. If you’re using Safari to read this, try typing it now - the text on the web page should get bigger.
Simple: Bigger Mouse Pointer
The default size for the mouse pointer in OS X doesn’t suit everybody. Here’s how to make it bigger and easier to see.
Simple: Alert Sounds You Can See
Mac OS X makes an alert “beep” sound if you try to press a key that’s not recognised or do various other things that confuse it. Here’s how to set it up so you will get a visual screen flash instead of the audio beep.
Simple: Trackpad mouse clicks without using the buttons
Did you know you can generate mouse clicks using a laptop trackpad without using the trackpad buttons? If you have a fairly new MacBook, you can even use this method to generate right clicks without touching the buttons.
Simple: The Computer Tells You The Time
It’s easy for anybody to loose track of time when they’re using a computer, and if you have a neurological or attention problem then you may get even more lost than most. Here’s how to get your computer to regularly announce the time.
Simple: Show Icons in open/save dialag box
Did you know that the open dialog and save dialog boxes can show you files as icons just like the Finder can? If you are using Leopard, it even shows the icon previews like Finder. If you have trouble finding the right file with the usual list display, this can be very helpful.
Simple: Announce when application needs your attention
An application “needing attention”, in Apple’s language, is one that’s waiting for you to tell it something before it can keep going and isn’t the app you’re currently working with. Here’s how to set things up so the computer will use the system voice to tell you that an alert is being displayed.
Simple: Announce when application displays an alert
If an application displays an alert, Mac OS X will bounce its dock icon a few times - easy to miss. Here’s how to set things up so the computer will also use the system voice to tell you what’s going on.
Simple: Zoom without smoothing
When you use the zoom function Mac OS X automatically smoothes the zoomed image - this isn’t always what’s wanted.
