Apple Laptop

Apple Laptop

Apple laptops currently come in MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13" and MacBook Pro 16" varieties. Each offers slightly different screen sizes and specifications. They all, however, run the same operating system which offers built-in accessibility in the form of a screen reader (VoiceOver), magnifier (Zoom), auditory feedback (Spoken Content), create content (dictation), locate items via voice (Siri) and customise features such as the text size and inverting the colours.

MacBook's offer similar content creation opportunities to other laptop types. Apple has its own suite of productivity apps, similar to that of Microsoft Office: Pages (word processor), KeyNote (presentation), Numbers (spreadsheet) and Mail (email). These are preinstalled on each MacBook. The Microsoft Office suite can also be purchased and installed if required.

MacBook's also offer access to the App Store to download additional apps and games as required. There is a huge range of apps that are available, some for free and some paid for, to suit just about every situation.

Unfortunately, not all assistive technology software works with MacBooks, for example JAWS, ZoomText and Fusion do not work. MacBook's can be 'dual booted' meaning they can have both the Mac operating system and Microsoft Windows installed. However, purchasing a MacBook just to install Windows is a very expensive way of accessing the features of Windows.

Not all school systems will work with MacBooks, however, some schools are MacBooks schools and this is all they run.

Classroom Applications

Laptops can be used in a huge variety of ways in the classroom. They can be used to create content in software programs such as Pages, Numbers or KeyNote. They can be used to access the internet, emails and school software management systems. Laptops allow students to have digital access to files in formats and sizes that suit their needs and via auditory methods. They can be very useful tools in a plethora of different contexts and are mainstream devices that are used throughout the world in workplaces and higher education settings.

Laptops can also be used as a tool to learn to touch type, a vital skill that the student will use throughout their life. Use of software such as the online TypingClub platform is a good examples of a program that help students to learn how to touch type effectively.

Ongoing monitoring of posture when using a device such as a laptop is vital, both at school and at home. If a student is leaning in towards the screen to access the visual materials, this can be the start of poor posture which can have some negative consequences later in life. An increase in font size, use of magnification software or a slope desk may help to improve posture.

Generally, laptops are not recommended for students under the age of 8, except in some specific situations.

Guides

MAC OS accessibility.pdf

Video Guides

Links