Jump To:
Leopard Reference Library: User Experience
User experience encompasses the visual appearance, interactive behavior, and assistive capabilities of software. Mac OS X provides a number of user interface technologies, such as speech recognition and speech synthesis, that can enhance the user experience for people with disabilities.

A guided introduction for developers who want to make their applications accessible to all users.  
Document Descriptions
On Off
Display

Sorted by
Title
Sort by
Resource Type
Sort by
Date
Accessibility (ApplicationServices/HIServices) Reference (HTML)
Describes the low-level API for making applications accessible to assistive applications.
Reference 2008-10-15
Accessibility Inspector Release Notes (HTML)
Release Notes 2005-04-29
Accessibility Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the accessibility features built into Mac OS X.
Guides 2008-03-11
Accessibility Programming Guidelines for Carbon (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to access-enable Carbon applications.
Guides 2007-02-08
Accessibility Programming Guidelines for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how Cocoa applications make their user interface available to external assistive applications.
Guides 2007-02-08
Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the Mac OS X user experience and explains how to design an application for Aqua.
Guides 2008-06-09
Carbon Accessibility Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for making Carbon applications accessible to assistive technologies.
Reference 2006-02-07
Force Feedback Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the public interfaces to the Force Feedback implementation in Mac OS X, including support for plug-ins.
Reference 2008-04-08
ImageMapExample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Implements a custom NSView, an image map, and accessorizes it (i.e. makes it work with accessibility).
Sample Code 2005-06-01
iTunesController (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
iTunesController allows you to control iTunes without having to bring it to the foreground.
Sample Code 2006-02-23
Mac OS X Technology Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces Mac OS X and its technologies.
Guides 2008-10-15
NSSpeechSynthesizer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Cocoa parser that converts text to speech.
Reference 2009-01-06
SetMouseAcclSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Find HID System Manager and get/set cursor acceleration
Sample Code 2006-11-28
SimpleSpeechRecExample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use the Speech Recognition Manager in a simple application.
Sample Code 2003-03-26
Speech (HTML) (PDF)
Explains Cocoa's interfaces to the speech synthesis and speech recognition technologies.
Guides 2003-08-08
Speech Recognition Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C interface for recognizing and accepting spoken input.
Reference 2003-02-01
Speech Release Notes (HTML)
New document that describes new features, notes, and known issues for speech synthesis on Mac OS X v10.5.
Release Notes 2007-10-31
Speech Synthesis Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for converting text into synthesized speech.
Reference 2009-04-08
UIElementInspector (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates using the Accessibility API introduced in Mac OS X 10.2, which allows manipulation of an application's UI.
Sample Code 2007-02-19
Universal Access: Computers That Everyone Can Use (HTML)
Learn how to make your applications usable by everyone, including those with disabilities.
Articles 2004-08-02