Introduction

This document is designed to help users who are new to using a screen reader NVDA to learn the basic commands to perform the evaluation tests of Web content and to serve as a reference to the casual user of NVDA . NVDA screen reader is a free and open source operating system for Microsoft Windows. It supports 20 languages ​​and can run either on a computer, either from a USB stick without any installation is necessary (if you're new to accessibility, you should probably start by reading the document Introduction to web accessibility which will give you an overview of how blind people surf the Web).

It is important to assess the accessibility of Web content with a screen reader, but screen readers can be very complicated software to handle for casual users. Therefore, many people avoid them. This should not be the case. While screen readers are complicated, it is possible to evaluate the accessibility of Web content without being an "advanced user".

By reading this document, keep in mind the following:

• This document does not contain an exhaustive list of keyboard shortcuts for NVDA but a list of essential commands that new users should be aware of NVDA. For a more complete list of keyboard shortcuts, see the Keyboard Shortcuts for the NVDA screen reader or document NVDA User Guide .
• If you are a new user screen readers, plan to spend some time (perhaps several hours) to this page and the pages of examples before being more comfortable with NVDA. Do not be discouraged after a few minutes. Take your time to read.
• It's always easier to use NVDA on a standard keyboard. There are other combinations to know if you use a laptop keyboard, but this document does not address this point.

Prepare

NVDA is an open source software. You can download NVDA free (only for Microsoft Windows). NVDA is a relatively new project, some of its features are basic. + N . Once you have downloaded and installed NVDA, you can start it by pressing Ctrl + Alt + N.

). The control button is default NVDA key insertion (Ins) but can be changed for key capital letters (Capslock). + K . If you want to make this change, you must press the Ctrl + K + NVDA.

When using NVDA, keep the following in mind:

• While NVDA will find the Windows environment and most Windows applications, this document relates only to Web content.
• Make sure the "Keypad" is not enabled.
• Instead, use NVDA with Firefox even if it is not your normal web browser.
• Remember that users of screen readers do not use a mouse. Once you become more comfortable with NVDA, try using only the keyboard.
• Keep in mind that most browsers keyboard shortcuts still work when using NVDA.
• The page can not scroll normally, which can cause the web content read by NVDA is not visible on the screen.

Reading

There are dozens of keyboard shortcuts that let you play content by line, sentence, word, character, etc.. The following is a list of essential keystrokes. With these shortcuts, you should be able to browse through all content.

• Keypad +: reads from the top of the page
• NVDA + : Reads from the cursor position
• Ctrl: stop reading
• NVDA + or Keypad 8: reads the current line
• Ctrl + / : lit le mot précédent/suivant or Numpad 4 / Numpad 6: Plays the previous / next word
• or Keypad 7: reads the previous line
• or Keypad 9: reads the next line
• / : lit le caractère précédent/suivant or a Keypad / Numpad 3: reads the character previous / next
• + F5 : rafraîchit la page/ rechargement de la page (si vous vous trompez, c'est la manière de recommencer) F5 / Ctrl + F5 refreshes the page / reloading the page (if you're wrong, it's how to start)
• + NVDA + Control + / : Increase / decrease the speed of the voice synthesis

It is advisable to start practicing by reading the contents of this page with the NVDA screen reader. Keep in mind that there is a link at the top of this page to jump to main content (read the "Skip Navigation" Links ).

Navigation

Sighted users browse Web content in different ways. They identify headings, lists, tables, etc.. Most of these methods are available for users of screen reader if the site is well structured and well organized. + Tab . To navigate forward and backward through links and form elements on the page, use the Tab and Shift + Tab. Other shortcuts are listed below.

To practice the playback controls and navigation, try refreshing this page and navigate to this paragraph. ), par recherche de mot ou par lecture de ligne précédente/suivante ( There are several ways to do it: go to summary and click on the link from this paragraph, and then begin reading or browsing by phrases, titles of paragraphs (H) by lists (L), for research word or by reading previous / next line ( / ).

Images

Each image on a page must have a text alternative (read the Appropriate Use of Alternative Text ). If an image has no text alternative, a screen reader will generally ignore it, but its behavior may vary depending on its function.

NVDA training exercise with images

Data Tables

). There are two primary uses for spreadsheets on the Web for the layout (see the document Creating Accessible Tables: layout tables ) and to organize data (read the document Creating Accessible Tables: data tables ). With NVDA, go to the next table, press the T key. To navigate between scellules in a table, use the command / the cell to go to previous / next.

Training exercise with NVDA on tables

Forms

Forms are used to interact with the user on the web (read the document Creating Accessible Forms ). The tag label to associate explicitly a field with its title. NVDA and read the title of a field when this field is reached by the cursor. If a field does not have a tag label associated, NVDA will not identify its title. The tag fieldset (read paragraph Group related form elements using the fieldset element ) is used to group form elements into information areas. This includes usually live check boxes and radio buttons. NVDA reads the tag fieldset and legend .

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to navigate and control forms:

• When you access a form field, NVDA enters the focus mode or form. In the focus mode, you can type text without activating hotkeys, or other keyboard shortcuts. + Barre d'espacement pour entrer dans le mode focus. You can press the Enter key or NVDA + space bar to enter the focus mode.
• pour sortir du mode focus et retourner au mode navigateur. Press NVDA + space bar to exit and return focus to the browser mode.
• + Tab pour naviguer à l'intérieur du formulaire de champ en champ. Once you are in the focus mode / form, use the Tab and Shift + Tab to navigate within the form field to field.
• Use the Spacebar to select or deselect the checkboxes.
• Use keyboard shortcuts / to select a radio button group.
• Use keyboard shortcuts / or the first letter to select an item in a combo.
• NVDA automatically exits the form when you press the Enter key to send the form, go to another page or select a button.

Training exercise with NVDA on forms

Training

• Read pages of documents on this site, paragraph by paragraph. At the end of each paragraph, return to the top of the page and go to another paragraph in different ways. For example:
  • Use the summary
  • pour ouvrir la boîte de recherche Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + F to open the search box
  • – 3 ) Browse by paragraph headings (the H key or keys 1-3)
• There are several elements in the page WebAIM that are visually hidden but are present in the code to assist users of screen readers. Verify that you can identify them (hint: a hidden element is placed just before the main content and the other is placed just after).
• Subscribe to the WebAIM Newsletter without using your mouse (hint: there is a link on the page).
• Turn off your computer screen and repeat these tasks.