Session 5: Navigating Windows through JAWS

Creating and Saving a Microsoft Word Document

Steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word:

   • Press the Windows key, type “Word,” and press Enter.

   • JAWS will announce that Word is opening, and you will soon find yourself in a new, blank document.

2. Type Text:

   • Type a small amount of text to simulate working on a real document.

   • JAWS will read out each character or word according to your settings.

3. Save the Document:

   • Press Control+S.

   • JAWS will guide you through the Save As dialog box.

   • Navigate using the arrow keys or type the name of your file directly.

   • Choose a location and confirm the file path and name as read out by JAWS.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Control+S: Save the document.

Accessing Menus

Steps:

1. Access the Ribbon:

   • Press Alt or F10.

   • JAWS will announce the active Ribbon tab (e.g., Home, Insert, Review).

2. Navigate the Ribbon:

   • Use the arrow keys or press the corresponding shortcut keys (e.g., Alt+H for the Home tab).

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Alt or F10: Access the Ribbon.

• Alt+H: Home tab.

Basic Editing and Typing Feedback

Steps:

1. Delete Text:

   • Use the Backspace key to delete text before the cursor.

   • Use the Delete key to remove text in front of the cursor.

2. Customize Feedback:

   • Adjust JAWS settings to announce each word, character, or both.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Backspace: Delete text before the cursor.

• Delete: Remove text in front of the cursor.

Cursor Movement

Steps:

1. Move the Cursor:

   • Use the arrow keys to move character by character or word by word.

   • Use Control + Arrow keys for larger jumps.

   • Use Home and End keys to jump to the beginning or end of a line.

   • Use Control+Home to go to the beginning of the document.

   • Use Control+End to go to the end of the document.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Arrow keys: Move character by character or word by word.

• Control + Arrow keys: Move through words or lines.

• Home: Jump to the beginning of a line.

• End: Jump to the end of a line.

• Control+Home: Go to the beginning of the document.

• Control+End: Go to the end of the document.

Editing Text: Cut, Copy, and Paste

Steps:

1. Select Text:

   • Position the cursor at the beginning of the text.

   • Hold down the Shift key and use the arrow keys to extend the selection.

   • Use Control+Shift+Arrow keys for larger selections.

2. Cut Text:

   • Press Control+X.

   • JAWS will announce that the text has been cut.

3. Copy Text:

   • Press Control+C.

   • JAWS will announce that the text has been copied.

4. Paste Text:

   • Position the cursor where you want the text to appear.

   • Press Control+V.

   • JAWS will announce the pasted text and its position.

5. Undo/Redo Actions:

   • Press Control+Z to undo the last action.

   • Press Control+Y to redo the last action.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Control+X: Cut text.

• Control+C: Copy text.

• Control+V: Paste text.

• Control+Z: Undo the last action.

• Control+Y: Redo the last action.

• Shift+F10: Open the context menu.

Basic Formatting

Steps:

1. Open Font Dialog Box:

   • Press Control+D.

   • Change the font style, size, and color as needed.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Control+D: Open the Font dialog box.

Spell Check and Keyboard Usage

Steps:

1. Initiate Spell Check:

   • Press F7.

   • JAWS will guide you through the results, highlighting errors and suggesting corrections.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• F7: Initiate spell check.

Headings, Links, Bullet Points, and Numbers

Steps:

1. Insert Headings:

   • Use the Styles options available in the Home tab.

   • Apply headings using keyboard shortcuts.

2. Create Bullet Points and Numbered Lists:

   • Use the appropriate shortcuts or menu options.

   • JAWS will announce the type of list created.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Alt+H, 1: Apply Heading 1.

• Alt+H, 2: Apply Heading 2.

• Control+Shift+L: Create a bullet point list.

• Alt+H, N: Create a numbered list.

Inserting and Navigating Tables

Steps:

1. Insert a Table:

   • Use the Insert tab.

   • JAWS will guide you through the process.

2. Navigate Through Cells:

   • Use the arrow keys or the Tab key.

   • JAWS will announce the current cell and its contents.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Alt+N, T: Insert a table.

• Tab: Move to the next cell.

• Shift+Tab: Move to the previous cell.

Making Your Word Document Accessible

Steps:

1. Choose Easy-to-Read Fonts:

   • Use fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Verdana.

   • Use a font size of at least 12pt, preferably 14pt for body text.

2. Ensure Sufficient Contrast:

   • Adjust text and background colors in the Font or Page Layout tabs.

   • Check the contrast using online tools or accessibility checkers.

3. Use Proper Headings:

   • Style headings consistently and follow a hierarchical order.

4. Add Descriptive Alt Text to Images:

   • Right-click on the image, select “Edit Alt Text,” and provide a concise description.

Creating a Table of Contents

Steps:

1. Insert a Table of Contents:

   • Use the References tab.

   • JAWS will guide you through the process.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Alt+S, T: Insert a Table of Contents.

Mohammad Zaripour