
Information on the accessibility features of computer operating systems is readily available online for Windows and Mac users.

Training on the use of these accommodations may also be needed both for the employee requesting the modifications and for the IT professionals providing support. Depending on the nature and degree of an individual’s vision impairment, a combination of optimized hardware, an up-to-date operating system with accessibility features enabled, and assistive software may be needed to achieve an effective accommodation. For this reason, JAN’s sensory team routinely provides additional resources on screen magnification whenever a consumer requests information on external computer screen magnification and/or larger monitors. While this approach can work well for people with milder forms of a vision impairment, or who are in the early stages of a progressive condition, external magnifiers and larger monitors are rarely sufficient to provide an effective accommodation in the long term. People who try to combine these approaches are often particularly disappointed as external computer screen magnification is only typically available in sizes up to 24 inches. A similar type of first-line equipment for vision related accommodations is a larger monitor. People are usually interested in this option due to its relatively low cost. One of our most commonly requested resources is external computer screen magnification. Here at JAN, many of our assistive technology (AT) related vision calls continue to revolve around computer access.
