Answers

Microsoft 365 includes a variety of features to improve productivity for users with all abilities. In the first few sections of this page, we will review Microsoft's feature and support pages by accommodation type, then follow with a few sections about other support outlets on campus.

Blindness, color-blindness and low vision

Visit the Microsoft 365 Vision accommodations page to learn about keyboard shortcuts, brighter screens, removing color or increasing contrast, enlarging text, narrated text (more about Narrator here), typing commands with Tell Me instead of using menus, and more.

Here is a great support page for optimizing your screen reader device for Microsoft 365. You will find links to a support page for each Microsoft 365 application, in alphabetical order. If you click Word for example, you will be presented with information about keyboard shortcuts and using a screen reader to format text, work with tables, save a document and other detailed tasks within that application.

Deaf or hard of hearing

Visit the Microsoft 365 Hearing accommodations page to learn about automated closed captioning and using Presentation Translator to automatically generate subtitles in over 60 languages, adjusting notification preferences to include more visualized alerts or longer duration, changing audio from stereo to mono so that both speakers play the same sounds, or fine tuning display preferences for captions.

Focus, writing assistance and reading comprehension

Visit the Microsoft 365 Neurodiversity accommodations page and Learning accommodations page to learn how Tell Me helps you complete tasks with simple, natural language text commands instead of having to remember menus and toolbars, learn how to use Focus Assist to block distracting system notifications, or discover how Reading View eliminates visual distractions from your screen.

You can use suggested text or text-to-speech to help with writing, or change system fonts to suit your reading preferences. Additionally, Learning Tools enables you to separate text into syllables or highlight a line of text as you read while dimming all others.

Mobility

Visit the Microsoft 365 Mobility accommodations page to learn about speech-to-text using Dictate, how to accomplish tasks with simple text commands using Tell Me instead of clicking through menus, and about how this suite of apps has been better designed for seamless keyboard-only navigation.

An on-screen keyboard option is available if you prefer to use only your pointing device, and with the right hardware, Windows 10 supports eye tracking and navigation.

For Instructors

Looking to improve accessibility within your course content? Visit The Office of Information Technology's Accessibility Resources for Microsoft 365 page to learn how to auto caption, to find accessible templates and accessibility checkers, review guidelines for inclusive interfacing in Microsoft Teams, and more.

Accessibility and Eugene McDermott Library

Visit the Library's Accessibility Service Policy webpage for information about the equipment and software at the adaptive workspace and additional support services available to students with physical or sensory disabilities.

Additional Electronic and Information Resources (EIRs)

Contact the Office of Student AccessAbility (OSA) to learn about additional academic accommodations available at UT Dallas.