How to use the
. Zoom in on anything . Speed up your computer . Talk instead of type
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How to use the
Accessiblity Features on your Computer
by Justin Pot , staff writer at Zapier , based in Hillsboro , Oregon . Zapier is an automation tool for small businesses
. Zoom in on anything . Speed up your computer . Talk instead of type
You know those dips in curbs at crosswalks ? Those exist because of decades of advocacy by accessibility advocates , but today they benefit anyone who pushes a stroller or just enjoys not tripping . This universal benefit is called the curb cut effect , and it ’ s not only for sidewalks .
Maybe , if you ’ re American , you ’ ve turned on closed captions on your TV to understand British accents — those captions are also the direct result of disability advocacy . Texting , arguably , evolved from telecommunications devices for the deaf . Features initially designed for accessibility end up improving life for everyone , which in turn makes those features stick . It ’ s a virtuous cycle that , at its best , helps everyone .
The accessibility features on your computer are similar : they were designed with particular needs in mind , but they benefit everyone . And they ’ re worth exploring . I ’ ve written about how you can catch typos by making your computer read to you . There are so many more similar tricks , if you ’ re willing to dig .