Introducing Microsoft Disability Answer Desk
Microsoft needs little introduction. The world’s largest software maker, over 1.4 billion people and businesses use Microsoft products and services globally.
The brand is best known for its Windows operating systems software, Office applications suite and the Internet Explorer web browser, but it’s also a leading provider of cloud computing services, video games, computer, and gaming hardware.
Over the years, Microsoft has been building inclusion into its products and services. Three years after launching the first version of Windows in 1985, the company introduced ‘Access Utility for Windows 2.0’ – a programme that improved the accessibility of Windows for users with hearing impairments and/or limited dexterity.
Since then, the brand has released a slew of accessible programmes, tools and products to support a wide range of needs and disabilities - the most recent being the Xbox Adaptive controller. And the latest incarnation of Windows (Windows 11) is being marketed as the ‘most accessible version of Windows yet’.
Microsoft Disability Answer Desk
If you have a disability, you may be well-versed in Microsoft’s vast array of accessible products and tools, but did you know about their Disability Answer Desk?
If not, here’s the lowdown.
Launched in 2013 as part of the brand’s commitment to ‘bridge the disability divide’, the Answer Desk is a free resource disabled customers can use to:
Troubleshoot issues with Windows products, tools, and accessories.
Learn how to use Microsoft’s accessibility features.
Ask questions about assistive technologies.
Available 24/7, the support line is manned by a team of assistive technology experts, who undergo mandatory disability awareness, etiquette, and sensitivity training.
Fielding around 150,000 enquiries a year, they help customers with products such as Office 365, Xbox, Windows, and Skype, as well as third-party assistive technologies, such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech recognition software.
Accessibility Help and Learning Centre
In addition to the helpline, Microsoft’s Accessibility help and learning centre lists all the accessibility tools available in Windows (grouped by disability). There are also a series of simple how-to guides, explaining how to access and use each tool.
In addition to mobility, vision, hearing, and neurodiversity tools, there are guides on how to use Microsoft’s learning tools to improve your writing and reading, and their mental health tools, that can help you improve your mental focus and minimize distractions.
Final Word
If you’re confused by live captions, flummoxed by colour filters, or stumped by keyboard shortcuts, the Disability Answer Desk can help.
There are a number of ways to contact them. You can call on 0800 026 0584, or speak to them on live chat.
If you’re visually impaired, you can get support through Be My Eyes - a free app that connects blind and low-vision users with volunteers for visual assistance via a live video call.