# Using the Accessibility Preference Tools

This chapter describes how to use the Accessibility preference tools to customize your desktop.

## Opening an Accessibility Tool

You can open an Accessibility preference tool in the following ways:

- From the Desktop Preferences menu

  Choose Applications Desktop PreferencesAccessibility . Choose the preference tool that you require from the submenu. The dialog for the tool is displayed.

- From the Start Here location

  Open a Nautilus window, then choose Go Start Here. Alternatively, double-click on the Start Here object on the desktop background. The Start Here location is displayed. Double-click on the Preferences object in the Nautilus window, then double-click on the Accessibility folder.

## Configuring Keyboard Accessibility Options

Use the Keyboard accessibility preference tool to set the keyboard accessibility preferences. The Keyboard accessibility preference tool is also known as AccessX.

lists the keyboard accessibility settings that you can modify.

### Keyboard Accessibility Settings

Option | Function
--- | ---
Enable keyboard accessibility | Select this option to enable keyboard accessibility features. When you select this option, the other options in the preference tool become available.
Beep when enabling/disabling keyboard accessibility features | Select this option for an audible indication when a feature such as sticky keys or slow keys is activated, or deactivated.
Disable if unused for | Select this option to enable you to deactivate the keyboard accessibility preferences. Specify the period of time that must pass before timeout occurs.

Enable Mouse Keys

Select this option to make the numeric keypad emulate mouse actions. You can specify the following mouse key settings:

- Maximum pointer speed: Use this setting to specify the maximum speed that the pointer moves across the screen.

- Time to accelerate to maximum speed: Use this setting to specify the duration of the acceleration time of the pointer.

- Start moving this long after keypress: Use this setting to specify the period of time that must pass after a keypress before the pointer moves.

Enable Slow Keys

Select this option to control the period of time that you must press-and-hold a key before acceptance. You can specify the following slow keys settings:

- Only accept keypress after: Use this setting to specify the period of time that you must press-and-hold a key before acceptance.

- Beep when key is pressed: Select this option for an audible indication of a keypress.

- Beep when key is accepted: Select this option for an audible indication of key acceptance.

- Beep when key is rejected: Select this option for an audible indication of key rejection.

Enable Bounce Keys

Select this option to accept a key input and to control the key repeat characteristics of the keyboard. You can specify the following bounce keys settings:

- Ignore keypresses within: Use this setting to specify the interval to wait after the first keypress before the automatic repeat of a pressed key.

- Beep when key is rejected: Select this option for an audible indication of key rejection.

Enable Sticky Keys

Select this option to perform multiple simultaneous keypress operations by pressing the keys in sequence. You can specify the following sticky keys settings:

- Beep when modifier is pressed: Select this option for an audible indication when you press a modifier key.

- Turn off Sticky Keys when two keys pressed simultaneously : Select this option to specify that when you press two keys simultaneously, you can no longer press keys in sequence to perform multiple simultaneous keypresses.

Toggle and Repeat Keys | Select this option for an audible indication of a toggle keypress. You hear one beep when a toggle key is turned on. You hear two beeps when a toggle key is turned off.
Testing Area | The test area is an interactive interface so you can see how the keyboard settings affect the display as you type. Type text in the test area to test the effect of your settings.
Import CDE AccessX file | Click on this button to import a CDE AccessX configuration file.