PhotoDraw 2000 Version 2 now includes support for Microsoft Active Accessibility.

Exactly what is Active Accessibility?

Active Accessibility is a developer technology that makes computer programs more accessible to people who use assistive technology. Although this technology isn't visible to the end user, Microsoft programs that support Active Accessibility are more easily used by accessibility aids such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech input tools. Ultimately, Active Accessibility helps people with disabilities by improving the way their tools work with software programs like PhotoDraw.

How does PhotoDraw support Active Accessibility?

PhotoDraw 2000 Version 2 supports the Active Accessibility initiative by:

Exposing keyboard focus   An accessibility aid can now track the focus within the PhotoDraw workspace as the user selects commands or switches between controls in workpanes or dialog boxes. Tracking focus helps accessibility aids identify exactly where a user is working within the program. For example, by tracking keyboard focus, a screen enlarger can automatically center its view.

Exposing screen elements   By supporting Active Accessibility, PhotoDraw allows accessibility aids to identify and manipulate custom user interface elements such as:

• The visual menu.
• The Picture List and object list.
• The PhotoDraw background and scratch area.
• The Pan and Zoom window.
• Floating toolbars.
• Menus accessible from toolbar buttons.
• Galleries and color boxes in workpanes.

Sending notifications when the user interface changes   Developers of accessibility aids need to know what is on the screen and how it is changing, so that they can reflect those changes through their products. For instance, they need to know when a control is grayed out or when a text string changes. By implementing Active Accessibility, PhotoDraw has made the programmable objects underlying it accessible and improved access to information that was not previously available to these developers.

To learn more about Microsoft Active Accessibility, see the Microsoft Accessibility Web site.