This chapter contains the following information:

• Overview
• Access to Software
• Access to the Desktop
• Other Utilities and Assistance

This chapter will explain the concepts behind providing greater access, especially in media-rich applications.

Overview

Other enhancements to the general operating environment of a Windows workstation are often necessary to provide the greatest level of accessibility for any individual, regardless of disability. For instance, further configuration of Windows Media Player to show captions (if available) by default are necessary to prevent complications to a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual. Since this option is not on in a default installation, further instructions and information are necessary for technology managers to customize a workstation to provide the greatest level of accessibility. Since the purpose of this guide is not to just provide instructions on installing Assistive Technology, but also to help Technology Managers provide the greatest accessibility, as well as understand it themselves, sections on other pieces of technology are provided as a supplement to the previous information.

Access to Software

The software on any given computer at OSU can be incredibly diverse. Much of this software is highly specific to a certain academic discipline, and therefore, may be difficult to customize to provide accessibility, or at the least, to interoperate with assistive technologies. Even further, some of this software may not be able to be made accessible, as accommodations for disabilities do not require that a “fundamental alteration” or a significant change to the very nature of a program or service be made. For example, a visual Graphical Information System or architectural design studio package may not be compatible with assistive technologies, and in fact, it may not be possible to make this software compatible, due to the highly visual nature of the software. However, it is important to realize that phrases like “fundamental alteration”, “undue burden” and other terminology used to explain a lack of possible accessibility are hard to prove and should only be reserved for extreme or extenuating circumstances, at best. On a case by case basis, please contact our office for further advice regarding these issues. We can much more easily determine the exact nature of the situation with all the details.

Ultimately, however, several common software packages for the Windows PC have features that increase accessibility to individuals with disabilities. This section of the guide hopes to provide instructions for making the best use of these features.

Access to the Desktop

Microsoft Windows has, and still does, offer several features for increasing access to individuals with disabilities. However, it should be noted that these features are stop-gap measures at best, and wholly ineffective for individuals with disabilities at worst, depending on the nature and severity of the disability. While it is good to make these available, they should not be considered alternatives to the Assistive Technology currently available at no charge to the entire OSU-System. Instead, these utilities should only be considered useful in environments were severe extenuating circumstances prevent the deployment of the more robust and complete technologies. Therefore, if you choose to utilize any of these utilities, ensure that better accessibility is provided as well, if at all possible. More information on how to install these features if available further in this section.

While OSU has no Assistive Technology licensed for Apple Macintosh computers, built-in Assistive Technology for the Mac is actually significantly more powerful and robust. The latest version of Mac OSX (Tiger) includes a robust and powerful screen-reader, on par with JAWS, WindowEyes, and other popular third-party screen readers. There are other features as well that enhance the experience of users with disabilities. Again, however, it may be necessary to provide third-party AT applications, as some of these features are not robust enough to support an individual with a severe disability. Additionally, the Mac OSX environment may need to be customized somewhat to be truly accessible. Please contact our office for more information and instructions.

Linux, while relatively unsupported on the OSU campuses (except in enterprise environments) has several free assistive technologies available for it. Additionally, due to the open nature, several emulation platforms have been built for it that allow many Windows-based applications the ability to run in Linux in a kind-of compatibility sandbox. As these features are well beyond the scope of this document, please contact our office for more information on providing access to Linux in a desktop environment.

Other Utilities and Assistance