Tips and Tricks
for students with disabilities
The
information in this guide is for students with disabilities. The contents
include software recommendations, JAWs instruction,
Blackboard tips, disability resources, and information specific to EKU. This
information is in addition to the Blackboard Student Guide.
Helpful Browser, Reader, and Operating System Tips
Suggestions
for Deaf or hard-of-hearing users
Suggestions
for blind or low vision users
Suggestions
for mobility impaired users
Suggestions
for cognitively impaired users
More
information on accessibility features
EKU Services for Students with Disabilities
Interpreting and note-taking services at EKU
Other misc. information about EKU
Zoomtext (Magnifier) and Read & Write Gold (Screen reader)
The EKU
learning community has access to two, specialized pieces of assistive
technology; Zoomtext (for the visually impaired), and
Read&Write Gold (for LD, ADHD and other cognitive
impaired individuals) in the Richmond campus student computer labs in the SSB
and the Library Lab ( behind Java City). All individuals are welcome to learn
how to use this special software. If interested in a demo, call the
Disabilities Office to set up an appointment with a technology specialist.
Accessibility of various software
programs http://www.accesswatch.info/review.php
Where to find the new commands in Office 2007 http://blog.kellyford.org/archives/2007/01/finding_the_ele.html
Online Search Engine
‘Google Accessible Web
Search for the Visually Impaired’ returns a list of websites with priority
given to the most accessible.
http://labs.google.com/accessible/
Bloglines
Best online blogger and blog aggregator for users with low vision or blind users.
Juice
podcast aggregator for .mp3 and similar audio files
Best podcast
aggregator for users with low vision or blind users.
http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/download/index.php
Adobe
Reader for PDFs
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Flash
and Shockwave
http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/
Microsoft
Readers for PowerPoint, Word, Excel,
etc.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/HA010449811033.aspx
Quicktime for .mov files
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/player/win.html
Real
Player for audio and video
Windows
Media Player for audio or video
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/default.mspx
Logging
In
Your Blackboard username and password
match your student email account.
If you lose your username or password, or
have other Blackboard problems, see the Help Center on the Blackboard login
page.
You can log-in to your Blackboard from
home. Blackboard works entirely through your web browser, so no special
software is needed. However, the speed of your internet connection may prohibit
viewing large files.
If a course is missing from your course list within Blackboard, check the
following:
1.
Contact
the instructor to find out if the course will use Blackboard.
2.
Ask
if the instructor has made the course available. (This is something the
instructor must do, before you can see the class on your list.)
3.
Have
the instructor check to make sure you are registered for the class.
Information
for JAWs users
The Blackboard interface is in a
frameset. The environment includes a header frame with images and buttons
customized by the institution, and tabs that navigate to different areas within
Blackboard Academic Suite. Selecting a tab will open that area in the content
frame. Web pages containing specific content, features, functions, and tools
are accessed from the tab areas.
The Nav frame
contains the course navigation.
The Content frame contains tabs and the
main content area.
Detailed help explaining this frameset
may be found at http://www.blackboard.com/docs/documentation.htm?DocID=171003en_US&.
Blackboard
Chat Tips for Windows Users
Before using
the Blackboard chat, install the Java Plug-in:
Java Plug-in for Windows (224KB)
Download the file
to your desktop.
Double-click on it to run the Java Plug-in installer.
The installer will launch.
Accept the license agreement.
Select Typical and click Next to continue.
The installer will finish.
Next, install
the
http://java.sun.com/products/accessbridge/
Restart the
computer and log back into Blackboard to activate the chat tool.
To remove dates and times from
Blackboard chats: (to
avoid repetition of dates and times in screen readers)
Copy/Paste recording into Word
Edit – Find/replace
Expand the window if necessary and open font formatting
Find the 40% grey image and select it by pressing enter
Leave the find input field blank
Leave the replace field blank
We are asking
the computer to remove all the grayed date and time fonts so we don’t have to
listen to the screen reader read them out loud. In the event your dates/times
are a different color, adjust accordingly.
To make a
macro in Word 2003 (PC) to perform this sequence for you, go to Tools >
Macro > Record New Macro (Alt+T M R)
Name it “chat”
Choose
keyboard combination (try alt+6)
Control+H (opens find/replace)
Alt+M
O F enter
(opens font)
Alt+C
(changes font color)
Tab or arrow to find 40% gray.
Enter to
select and OK to close box.
Leave input
boxes for Find and Replace blank.
Alt-A will
only remove the text that is 40% gray.
With this
technique, you can strip out the dates and times quickly while participating in
a chat.
Misc.
Tips
Blackboard
Screen Reading Tutorial
This is for
the last version of Blackboard, however, a lot of the
tricks still apply
http://library.blackboard.com/docs/screen_reader_tutorial_release_6.htm
Assignments and Forums
To remove visual toolbars from input boxes:
On the Home or My EKU tab, click on Personal Information from within the Tools
section of the sidebar. “Set Visual Text Box Editor Options”
to disabled.
Quizzes
When tabbing to quiz answers, choose shift-tab to
start at the bottom of the page and work upwards, rather than tabbing from the
top. Many tests are set to continue past the time frame. Work with your
instructor to allow extra time.
Alt Key Combinations
View available
key combinations in Windows by first holding down the alt-key to see the
underlined letter under each command. Hold down the alt-key with the indicated
letter to activate the tool.
Increase text size
in Blackboard by zooming in with the command Control++
Compare Firefox, IE, and Opera keyboard shortcuts for multiple
operating systems
http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/keyboard
Firefox
Firefox commands
Activate Find by selecting control-f to jump to a word or phrase in the
document.
Type Control
++ to increase text size.
Firefox
add-ins
Delete the ads
on a web page for a more efficient browsing experience.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865
Speak it
Have text in
the browser read aloud.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3552
Firefox Accessibility Extension
The Firefox Accessibility Extension makes it easier for people
with a disability to view and navigate web content with a variety of different
tools.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1891
Accessibar
Be aware this tool can reset your browser settings permanently.
- Web page fonts and background
colors can be changed from a selection of 70 colors on current session
- Icons to increase and
decrease font size.
- Line spacing can be increased
or decreased.
- All images (including Flash)
displayed on a web page can be selected as being hidden or shown.
- Integrated text-to-speech
reader. Reads out strings hovered over as well as focused elements.
- Toolbar functions have
configurable Hotkeys (keyboard shortcuts).
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4242
Fire Vox extension
A screen
reader extension built just for Firefox which can
read MathML.
http://www.firevox.clcworld.net/
Firefox skins and themes with large icons
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:2/cat:67
Internet Explorer
Developer Toolbar
Mostly a toolbar
for web developers, but it can also be used to locate and select specific
elements, outline tables, or other uses.
AIS Accessibility Toolbar
Mostly a toolbar
for web developers, but it can be used to strip off CSS design, examine page
structure, and view in a text only viewer.
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/AccessibilityToolbar.html
Accessibility features in Internet
Explorer
All features
in Internet Explorer are accessible through the keyboard or the mouse.
- To use the keyboard to
explore the web, press TAB to move forward between screen elements and
SHIFT+TAB to move backward. By pressing TAB or SHIFT+TAB, you can navigate
through the following parts of the screen:
- Links that are text or
images
- Hot spots on image maps
- The Address bar
- The tabs bar
- Frames
Highlighting box
- As you select or click a link
or image, a thin border appears around it so you can see what is selected.
Customize the font size, formatting,
and screen colors
- You can specify the font type
and size and the foreground and background colors that are used to display
web pages. You can also specify the color used for links in web pages.
- These customizations are
useful if you have low vision, need larger fonts, or need high-contrast
colors.
Use AutoComplete
- This feature saves you time
when you are typing web addresses or completing entries on web pages by
displaying a list of previous matching entries as you type.
- To turn AutoComplete on or
off
- Click the Tools button, and
then click Internet Options.
- Click the Content tab, and
then, under AutoComplete, click Settings.
- Select the check box beside
each AutoComplete option you want to turn on, and then click OK twice.
Advanced options that make Internet Explorer more
accessible
Internet
Explorer has a variety of advanced accessibility options. Here's how to turn
them on:
- In Internet Explorer, click
the Tools button, click Internet Options, and then click the Advanced tab.
Select from the following options:
Always expand ALT text
for images - Select
this check box to display all of the text that is associated with an image.
This is useful if you have turned pictures off and rely on a screen reader to
describe images.
Move system caret with
focus/selection changes - If you use a screen reader, you can use this option to move the
insertion point as the focus changes. Some screen readers or screen magnifiers
use the insertion point or system caret to determine which area of the screen
to read or magnify.
Use smooth scrolling and
Enable page transitions - If you use a screen magnification or screen reader program, you
might want to clear these check boxes under the Browsing section.
Show pictures and Play
animations in web pages - If you have low vision, you might want to clear these check boxes
to improve performance. If you are sensitive to screen flashing, you might also
want to clear these check boxes.
Play sounds in web pages -
If you have cognitive
disabilities, you might want to clear this check box to prevent distractions.
If you are blind, you might want to clear this check box or selectively
download sounds so that they do not interfere with a screen-reader.
Print background colors
and images - If you
have low vision, you might want to clear this check box to improve legibility
when printing web pages on a printer.
Opera
Opera
Keyboard Shortcuts
http://help.opera.com/Windows/9.10/en/keyboard.html
AIS
Accessibility Toolbar
Mostly a toolbar
for web developers, but it can be used to strip off CSS design, examine page
structure, and view in a text only viewer.
http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-about.html
Adobe Acrobat 8
OCR
Use the Optical Character Recognition
command to change a scanned document (image) into actual text.
Document > OCR Text Recognition
> Recognize text using OCR
Shortcut = Alt + DCR
Loupe
Magnifies one small
portion of the page.
Tools > Select & Zoom >
Loupe Tool
Shortcut = Alt + T Z L
Zoom
Magnifies the page view
in the browser window.
View > Zoom > Zoom to
Shortcut = Alt + V Z, Enter, arrow
keys to choose magnification
Read
Out Loud
Read a document out loud if the
document has true text, or can be changed to a document with text using OCR
View > Read Out Loud
Shortcut = Shift + Control + V
MS Operating System Tips
Toggle to high contrast theme in
Windows with left alt + left shift + print screen, enter, or alt-s for
settings, alt-s, alt-y, and arrow down for contrast scheme selections.
Users can also start Accessibility
programs before logging on to the computer on by pressing the Windows logo key+
U at the logon screen.
Once logged in, the Windows logo key
will open the Start Menu. Use arrow keys and the tab key to navigate through
the options.
Windows includes the following
programs to enhance accessibility:
- Magnifier enlarges a portion of the
screen for easier viewing.
- Narrator uses text-to-speech technology
to read the contents of the screen aloud. This is useful for people who
are blind or are vision impaired.
- On-Screen Keyboard provides users with
limited mobility the ability to type on-screen using a pointing device.
All of these tools can be activated
by using the Utility Manager. (Windows logo key + U). Utility
Manager enables users to check an Accessibility program's status and start or
stop an Accessibility program. Users with administrator-level access can
designate to have the program start when Utility Manager starts.
Suggestions for Deaf or hard-of-hearing users
Turn on ShowSounds
or SoundSentry for visual information in place of
audio.
Start > Control Panel >
Accessibility Options, Sound tab
Suggestions for blind or low vision users
- Turn on high contrast. (left alt + left
shift + print screen, enter)
- Turn on Togglekeys,
which are sounds for caps, num, or scroll locks. (Press the NUM lock for
five seconds)
- Change the screen resolution
- Increase the size of objects and text on
your screen.
- Use the Magnifier to zoom into any
portion of your interface. (control key + esc, press R, type magnify, and
then enter)
- Use the Narrator to
read window screens. (control key + esc, press R, type narrator, and then enter)
Suggestions for mobility impaired users
MouseKeys
- for people who have difficulty using a mouse. MouseKeys allows you to use the
numeric keypad to control the mouse pointer.
Press left alt + left shift + NUM
Lock
Serial Keys - for people who have
difficulty using the computer's standard keyboard or mouse. Serial Keys provides support so that alternative input
devices, such as single switch or puff and sip devices,
can be plugged into the computer's serial port.
Start > Control Panel >
Accessibility Options, General tab
FilterKeys -
a keyboard feature that instructs the keyboard to ignore brief or repeated
keystrokes. Using FilterKeys,
you can also slow the rate at which a key repeats when you hold it down.
Start > Control Panel >
Accessibility Options, Keyboard tab
Shortcut = Hold down right shift key for
eight seconds to turn on.
StickyKeys - designed for
people who have difficulty holding down two or more keys simultaneously. When a
shortcut requires a key combination, such as CTRL+P, StickyKeys
will enable you to press a modifier key (CTRL, ALT, or SHIFT), or the Windows
logo key, and have it remain active until another key is pressed.
Start > Control Panel >
Accessibility Options, Keyboard tab
Shortcut = Turn on by pressing the
shift key five times.
Suggestions for cognitively impaired users
- Use the Firefox
extension Ad Block Plus to turn off the advertisements
- Stop the blinking cursors. Widen the
cursor so it is still viewable.
- Display only one customized toolbar in
applications
More information on accessibility features
Microsoft Accessibility Site
Microsoft’s
accessibility initiatives and resources.
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/
Apple Disability Site
Apple Mac accessibility features.
http://www.apple.com/disability/
JAWs training from Freedom Scientific
http://www.freedomscientific.com/Training/JAWS_training_hq.asp
JAWs
commands
Numeric Keypad
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Numeric-Keypad-Guide.html
Reading Text
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Reading-Text-Guide.html
JAWs
+ Windows
JAWs Part 1 Student (148KB) PDF, http://www.eatt.org/downloads/JAWs%20Student%20Book%20Part%201%20En.pdf
JAWs Part 2
Student (141KB) PDF, http://www.eatt.org/downloads/JAWs%20Student%20Book%20Part%202%20En.pdf
JAWs Part 1 Student MP3 Audio file (33,309KB)
Extract whole series to local
drive
http://www.eatt.org/downloads/Eatt%20Introductory%20Course.exe
Menus
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Menus-Guide.html
Dialog Boxes
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Dialog-Box-Guide.html
Open and Save As Dialogs
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Open-and-Save-As-Dialogs-Guide.html
Windows Explorer
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Windows-Explorer-Guide.html
Start Menu
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Start-Menu-Guide.html
Running Programs
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Running-Programs-Guide.html
Editing Text
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Editing-Text-Guide.html
JAWs
and the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/World-Wide-Web-Guide.html
HTML
A description of HTML elements: titles, headings, lists, links,
form controls and tables.
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/HTML-Guide.html
HTML Page Navigation
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/HTML-Page-Navigation-Guide.html
Internet Explorer
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Internet-Explorer-Guide.html
Google
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Google-Guide.html
The free encyclopedia.
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Wikipedia-Guide.html
LibriVox
Free audio recordings of books in the public domain. http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/LibriVox-Guide.html
JAWs
and Email
Email
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Email-Guide.html
Outlook Express
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Outlook-Express-Guide.html
JAWs and Audio
Instructions for Audacity - a free multi-track audio editor.
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/jaws/Audacity-1.3.2-Guide.html
ZoomText Part 1 Student