Microsoft welcomes October with a Windows 10 update

THE WINDOWS 10 October 2018 update is focused on accessibility. By designing features that make the operating system easier to use, Microsoft hopes that its technology will “reflect the diversity of the people that use our products.”

The new update for Windows 10 included a wave of accessibility features designed to make the operating system easier to see, to use without a screen, and to read and write on.

Ease of Access has been updated to allow the customisation of text size across the entire platform. The text can either be globally enlarged or can be inflated with DPI scaling which will, in turn make everything bigger, not just text.

To accompany these settings, the Magnifier has gained flexibility with the update. Instead of losing the cursor when navigating through an augmented page, you can choose to centre it on the screen while you scroll. Furthermore, the magnifying glass can be adjusted in smaller increments: by 5% zoom levels rather than 10%.

Microsoft Narrator, a screen reader utility that reads aloud dialogue boxes and controls, was improved with the October update by means of two main changes: a modified Narrator Quickstart and an improved keyboard. Quickstart provides a brief instructional about how the utility works, such as keyboard functioning and how to navigate and edit.

The keyboard has been renovated to be more recognisable to those already accustomed to screen readers. Modified commands are designed to be more intuitive. For example, you can now search for content with a Narrator Find command that allows the user to search for specific text, not unlike control + f.

In addition to enhanced navigation of the screen reader, reading and writing on the utility have been improved. Microsoft Edge, the replacement of Internet Explorer, has gained a learning tool called read aloud and a second grammar tool that can be used while browsing the web. — Relaxnews