Enabling the accessible user interface

The Accessible User Interface in Quickplace 3.01 enables anonymous blind and low-vision users to read content and participate in a place through accessibility-enabled custom skins.

In addition, customized Accessibility Mode user interfaces provide better support to low-vision and blind users for reading, authoring, and managing a place. This allows low-vision users to use QuickPlace features with high-legibility skin and keyboard shortcuts, and allows blind users to access the QuickPlace features through screen-reader software attached to the browser. In Accessibility Mode, QuickPlace provides the same feature set that is supported for all Mac users. The mode can be enabled by the user or by a manager on behalf of the user by setting specific preferences. Accessibility Mode allows the user to have full access to the following:

• A special user interface mode (or modes) optimized for blind or low-vision QuickPlace members who are using IE5 and IE6.
• All reader-level features.
• The same authoring features as provided to Mac client users and Windows users whose QuickPlaces are ActiveX and Java disabled.
• A plain text editor.
• A high-contrast display mode (Place theme) and keyboard shortcuts for all supported features.
• Accessibility Mode allows low-vision and blind users to:
• The ability to Import pages (Office, HTML, etc.) and Office forms.
• The ability to go offline.
• The ability to participate in online chat.

Note Administrators or managers can enable or disable the special accessibility mode on behalf of the user.

To enable accessibility mode

Accessibility Mode can be enabled by the user or by any QuickPlace manager.

To enable Accessibility Mode, do the following:

1. Add the individual as a user of the place.
2. In your place, goto the user's Member Information page and click Edit to edit the user's member information and preferences.
3. Under Preferences, you will see the option "Enable Accessibility Mode. Displays a high-contrast theme and enhances keyboard/screen reader accessibility.
4. To enable Accessibility Mode, click Yes for this option.
5. In the drop down menu next to this option, choose Default, Black on white, White on black, or Yellow on black.
6. Click Next.

Note Response time in Accessibility Mode is equal to that of Standard Mode.