How to Configure Microsoft Windows XP for Hearing Impaired

One of the basic accessibility options included within Microsoft Windows is called SoundSentry. SoundSentry gives visual warnings instead of sounds notifications within Microsoft Windows. Learn how you can activate them within Microsoft Windows XP, 2000 and 95.

Windows can accommodate users with hearing impairments with the configuration of sound related accessibility features within the control panel. Microsoft Windows XP has SoundSentry for visual feedback on Windows sound signals and ShowSounds for visual feedback for audio signals within other programs that support this feature.

Both features flash the active windows, a title bar of a window or a part of the desktop when a audio signal is given by the program. Windows XP shows these options as Flash active caption bars, Flash active windows and Flash desktop.

Mouse actions to activate SoundSentry or ShowSounds

1. On the Start menu, select Control Panel
2. In Control Panel, select Accessibility Options.
   Be sure you are in Classic View (all Control Panel icons are showing).
   If not, under Control Panel in the left pane, select Switch to Classic View.
3. In the Accessibility Options dialog box, select the Sound tab.
4. On the Sound tab, turn on SoundSentry by selecting the Use SoundSentry check box.
   Note: To turn off SoundSentry, clear the Use SoundSentry check box.
5. Under Choose the visual warning, select the visual warning you want from the list of options and select OK.
6. On the Sound tab, turn on SoundShow and select the Use SoundShow check box.
   Note:To turn off SoundSentry, clear the Use SoundSentry check box.
7. To close Control Panel, select the Close button.

Keyboard actions to activate SoundSentry or ShowSounds

1. Display the Start menu by pressing CTRL+ESC (or the Windows logo key). 
   Select Control Panel by pressing C.
2. In Control Panel. Be sure you are in Classic View (you can cofirm this by checking of all Control Panel icons are showing, if not, under Control Panel in the left pane, select Switch to Classic View by pressing TAB.)
3. Press ENTER.
4. Press the RIGHT ARROW key, and then the LEFT ARROW key to select Accessibility Options.
5. Press ENTER.
6. In the Accessibility Options dialog box, select the Sound tab by pressing CTRL+TAB.
7. On the Sound tab, turn on SoundSentry by selecting the ‘Use SoundSentry’ check box by pressing S.
8. Move to Choose the visual warning by pressing TAB.
   Note  To turn off SoundSentry, clear the Use SoundSentry check box by pressing S.
9. Under Choose the visual warning: Select the visual warning you want by pressing the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key.
10. Press ENTER.
11. To close Control Panel, press ALT+F, C.

For Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows 2000 you can activate SoundSentry to do almost exactly the same as the Accessibility options in Microsoft Windows XP.

Source: Microsoft