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This paper examines the goal of providing transparent computer access to people with disabilities, especially those with visual impairments. First, four basic strategies to provide this population with access to technology are identified: (1) building features into the computer, operating system, or application programs; (2) using adaptive interfaces comprised of standard software or hardware products that provide modifications or alternate interfaces for accessibility; (3) establishing connectivity to personal assistive devices; and (4) developing custom adaptations. Application of these strategies is illustrated and discussed in case studies of people with visual impairments, physical impairments, and hearing impairments. Among the approaches reviewed in these case studies are Braille printers and computers, the Optacon, the Kurzweil Reading Machine, speech synthesizers, speech output software, magnification software, single-switch input systems, screen-based optical head pointing systems, voice recognition systems, StickyKey software, telephone devices for the deaf, the KEY plus keyboard system, and C-print. Discussion of future challenge considers the need to make graphic icons more accessible to the visually impaired in graphical user interface systems. (Contains 34 references.) (DB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document