Using Brightspace with JAWS Screenreader

Relevant to: faculty, staff, and students

This article contains information considered accurate at the time of publishing. Technology updates, changes in University security practices, and/or policies and procedures may affect the information in this article - updates to articles are scheduled on a periodic basis and will address any required changes.

Introduction

The following article contains brief guides on how to navigate Brightspace using the JAWS screen reader. For reference, Deque University has a guide to all the JAWS keyboard shortcuts.

This resource was adapted from Marquette University.

Table of Contents

• Logging into Brightspace
• Configuring Brightspace Account Settings
• Saving all Settings and Configurations
• Discussions - How to Post and Reply and Configuring the Settings
• Navigating Content
• Quizzes
• Tracking your Progress

Logging into Brightspace

From your web browser:

• Go to the address bar, and then type in mylearning.suny.edu. This will take you to the Brightspace login page.
  • Alternatively, you can follow the link to Brightspace.
• Once on the Brightspace login page, click the TAB key once to get to the NETWORK LOGIN button and then click ENTER key.
• Upon loading the page, the JAWS cursor should focus on the "Username Edit" edit box. Begin typing your full email address with the @sunyempire.edu at the end.
  • If for some reason the JAWS cursor does not load into the edit box, press "E" to move into the next edit box on the page.
• After entering your username, press TAB twice to navigate to the NEXT button.
• On the next screen you will enter your password in the edit box.
  • Again, if for some reason the JAWS cursor does not load into the edit box, press "E" to move into the next edit box on the page.
  • JAWS will read out the word "STAR" instead of the letters being typed to protect the privacy of the password.
  • Click the TAB button twice to get to the SIGN IN button, then click the ENTER key.
• The next screen will be the two factor authentication prompt.
  • You will be read a number that can be entered in your Microsoft Authenticator App.
  • ​If you can not use the authenticator app, you can select the link, "I can not use my authenticator app right now." The next screen will give you more options for your two factor authentication, such as receiving a code by email or as a text message.
• Finally, hit "Enter" to load Brightspace Homepage, called MY HOME

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Configuring Brightspace Account Settings

The following is a brief guide on how to configure your Brightspace Account Settings for optimal screen reader use.

Navigate to Brightspace Accounts Page

• Begin at the My Home page.
• Then press "B" or (Insert+Control+B to bring up the buttons list), listening for the "YOUR NAME" button.
• Then press "Enter" to expand the links under the YOUR NAME button.
• Press "Tab" for the ACCOUNT SETTINGS link.
• Press "Enter" to go to the next page, Account Settings

The next page will be Account Settings

1. Video Settings
   • Move to the "Optimize video presentation for programmatically driven assistive technologies" and press Space to check the box.
2. Discussions
   • Move to the "Personal Settings" and go to "Default View".
   • Tab to the "Grid View" and press the space bar to select the radio button next to the selection.
   • Move to "Reply Settings" and press the space bar to select the checkbox to "Include Original Post in Reply".

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To save the all the Settings and Configurations

• Press "B" for the "SAVE AND CLOSE" button.
• Press "Enter" to save.
• Note: you will leave the Account Settings page, and be redirected to the Notifications Settings page.

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Discussions - How to Post and Reply and Configuring the Settings

• Discussion Settings must be changed from the DISCUSSIONS TOOL. Begin from the COURSE HOME.
• Press "R" to move to the NAVIGATION REGION.
• Press "Tab" over to COURSE MENU.
• Press "Enter" to expand options.
• Press "Down Arrow" to DISCUSSIONS.
• Press "Enter" to go to the DISCUSSIONS tool.

A screen capture of these settings are found below for SUNY Empire Support's reference.

From the DISCUSSIONS page:

• Press "Insert+F7" to open the links list.
• Press "S" to search for SETTINGS.
• Press "Enter" to go to the SETTINGS PAGE.
• You should now be on the DISCUSSION SETTINGS page
• Press "H" to Navigate to navigate to the PERSONAL SETTINGS heading.
• Press "Down Arrow" for DISPLAY SETTINGS.
• Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the "Always show the Discussions List pane" check box.
• Press "Spacebar" to uncheck the box.
• Press "Down Arrow" for DEFAULT VIEW.
• Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the "GRID VIEW " radial.
• Press "Spacebar" to select the radial button.
• Press "Down Arrow" for REPLY SETTINGS
• Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the "INCLUDE ORIGINAL POST IN REPLY" checkbox.
• Press "Spacebar" to check the box.
• Press "H" to Navigate to navigate to the GRID VIEW SETTINGS heading.
• Press "Down Arrow" for DEFAULT THREADING STYLE.
• Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the "UNTHREADED" radial.
• Press "Spacebar" to check the box.
• Press "Down Arrow"for DISPLAY SETTINGS.
• Press "Down Arrow" for SHOW THE PREVIEW PANE checkbox.
• Press "Spacebar" to uncheck the box.

A screen capture of these settings are found below for SUNY Empire Support's reference.

To save the settings:

• Press "B" for the SAVE button.
• Press "Enter" to save your configurations.

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Navigating Content

The following is a brief guide on how to navigate through Brightspace's online course content and materials provided by your instructor. To begin, first navigate to the home page and then to content page.

Tip: Brightspace is separated virtually by 2 main regions; the NAVIGATION REGION, containing buttons and links that will take you to various areas of Brightspace, and the MAIN REGION, where the bulk of the content will be displayed. Note that the number of regions on a page can vary depending on what page the user is on. To navigate by regions, press "R".

Tip: Understand that many facets of Brightspace function as links. As such, a common route of navigating Brightspace is by using the Links List Dialog keystroke command, (Insert+F7).

Begin at the MY HOME page

• Press (Insert+F7) to bring up the links list dialog.
• Use the "Down Arrow" to navigate to the correct course, listed here as a link.
• Alternatively, press the first letter of the desired course.
• Press "Enter" to go to COURSE HOME.
• From the COURSE HOME page:
• Press (Insert+F7) to bring up the links list dialog.
• Press "C" to navigate to CONTENT.
• Press "ENTER"to move to the CONTENT page.
• Understanding the CONTENT Page:

In Brightspace, course content is organized into Modules, which are like chapters. Each Module contains various Content items, which are essentially topics or resources presented as links.
There are different types of Content that instructors can include:

Internal Materials:

• HTML files (content created directly in Brightspace)
• MP4 videos
• PowerPoint presentations
• Quizzes
• Discussions
• Dropbox assignments

External Materials:

• Links to websites
• YouTube videos
• Online textbook assignments

Regardless of the specific type of material, all Content items are accessed by navigating to and activating their respective links within the Module.
The key things to understand are:

• Modules act as containers that group related Content items together, similar to chapters in a book.
• Content items are the individual topics, resources, or activities, presented as links.
• To access any Content item, you need to find and activate its link within the corresponding Module.

With that in mind:

• Proceed to the desired module.
• Press (Insert+F7) to bring up the links list dialog.
• Use the "Down Arrow" to navigate to the desired module. Note: Depending on your instructor, modules may or may not have a uniform naming structure.
• Alternatively, press the first letter of the desired module.
• Press "ENTER" to load that module.
• Once in the MODULE:
  • Press "R" to navigate to the MAIN REGION.
  • Press "H" to the CONTENT heading.
  • This heading will announce information on the module, for example, the starting/ending dates, progress information.
  • Press "H" for the Module Topics.
  • This heading will also announce the number of topics (content/links), for example, "heading level 2, module 1 topics, list of 22 topics."
  • Press the "Down Arrow" to find the desired topic.
  • Press "Enter" to load the content page.
  • From the TOPIC page:
  • Press "H" to move to the topic heading.
  • Press "Down Arrow" to read the topic.
    • Tip: The content in the topic is displayed in a webframe on the page. Some users may find this cumbersome. To view the content in a separate window, void of all Brightspace buttons and links, press (Insert+Control+B) for the buttons list, and search for the "View Content in New Window" button.
  • To proceed to the next TOPIC in the MODULE:
  • Press "B" for the NEXT PAGE button.

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Quizzes

To begin, we will first navigate to the MY HOME page and then to QUIZ page

• Begin at the MyHome page.
• Press (Insert+F7)to bring up the links list dialog.
• Use the "Down Arrow" to navigate to the correct course, listed here as a link.
• Alternatively, press the first letter of the desired course.
• Press "Enter" to go to COURSE HOME.
• From the COURSE HOME:
  • Press "B" to navigate to the COURSE MENU button.
  • Use the "Down Arrow" to move to the QUIZZES link.
  • Press "Enter" to proceed to the QUIZZES page.

A screen capture of these settings are found below for SUNY Empire Support's reference.

Once on the Quizzes Page

The quizzes will be presented as links within a table. You may choose to navigate to the desired quiz by either links or by utilizing the table:

To navigate quizzes by links:

• Use (Insert+F7) to bring up the links list dialog.
• Use the "Down Arrow" to navigate to the correct course, listed here as a link.
• Tip: Pressing the first letter of the quiz you are looking for will prompt JAWS to read the first link entry that begins with that letter.

To navigate by tables:

• Press “T” to move into the table on the page that houses all the QUIZZES, in the forms of links.
• Then use the "Down Arrow" to move through the table, stopping at the desired quiz.
• Note: Using the down arrow navigating the table traditionally will result in the JAWS reading the cell adjacent to the left of the previous cell, in the same row.

A faster way to navigate is to use the table layer function. To activate the table layer:

• Press (Insert+Spacebar). JAWS will make a popping noise indicating you have accessed the layers function.
• Then press “T” to enter the table layers.
• From here, using the "Up/Down/Left/Right Arrow" will take you in a direction of the arrow used. For example, using the down arrow in the table layer will result in JAWS reading the cell below the previous cell, in a different row.

When the desired quiz is found

• press “Enter” to go to the QUIZ SUMMARY page.
• To enter the quiz, press “B” to navigate to the START QUIZ button.

Once inside the QUIZ:

One way of navigating the quiz quickly is by understanding that each question is composed of 4 main components:

• A header that denotes the question number.
• A table that hosts the answer choices.
• A set of radials to be selected for the correct answer choice/s,
• The SAVE button.

First we will navigate by utilizing the header:

• Use (Insert+F6) to bring up the headings list dialog.
• As with any JAWS dialog box, use the "Up and Down Arrows" or the appropriate first letter of the word you are looking for. In this case, use "Q" to look for Question [blank] options.
• Press "Enter" when the desired question number is found.
• To read the question, press the "Down Arrow" twice. The prompt will come after a SAVE graphic.

Choosing an answer selection

Next, we will move into the table that contains the answer choices, and choose the answer, based on what type of question is presented.

• Press the "Down Arrow". JAWS will prompt "QUESTION # OPTIONS".
• For true or false questions:
  • Press "Down Arrow" again will navigate to the table, denoted with table with X columns and X rows.
  • Tip: the number of rows represent the number of available answer choices.

In true and false questions, there will be 2 columns and 2 rows.

• The first column will have the radial buttons to select, and the second column will have the answer choices.
• Press the "Down Arrow" to continue on to the answer choices.
• Proceed with the "Down Arrow" until the correct answer is heard.
• Tip: the end of the answer choice is announced by JAWS with "table end".
• Press the "Spacebar" to select the radial button associated with the correct answer.

For multiple choice questions:

Follow the prompt above for true or false questions. The only difference being is that there will be more that 2 rows to represent the multitude of answer choices.

For multiple select questions

Follow the prompt above for true or false questions. The main difference is that instead of radial button, there are check boxes. This means that multiple choices maybe concurrently

For long answer questions:

• Press the "Down Arrow", listening for "Question # options:"
• Instead of a table, JAWS will prompt that the cursor has moved into a text field by making a brief popping noise.
• Once in the text field, begin typing your answer.
• Press the "Down Arrow" to move out of the text field.
• Again, JAWS will make a brief popping noise to prompt the user that JAWS has moved out of the text field.

For short answer questions:

Follow the same prompt as the long answer questions.

To Save the answer selection(s):

• Press the"Down Arrow" until the SAVE button is heard.
• Press "Enter" to save the response.
• Tip: All responses can be saved at once by navigating to the SAVE ALL RESPONSES button. However, it is recommended that the user save after each question.

To submit the quiz:

• Press (Insert+Control+B) to bring up the buttons list dialog.
• Search for the GO TO SUBMIT QUIZ button.
• Press "Enter" to submit the quiz.

On the CONFIRM QUIZ page:

• Press "B" for the SUBMIT QUIZ button.
• Press "Enter" to confirm the quiz submission.

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Tracking Your Progress

It is possible to track the completion progress of your assignments, reading and discussions.

From The Course's Main Page

• Press the tab key once and click enter to SKIP TO THE MAIN CONTENT.
• Press the tab key until you hear the module name you wish to enter.
• Press the tab key once and click enter to SKIP TO THE MAIN CONTENT for this page.
• Press tab to the fourth item on the page which is SHOW DATA TABLE FOR THIS CHART DISPLAY. The progress chart will open in a new window.
• Press  SHIFT + T to read the chart.
• A five column chart lists your completion of activities in the Module. The header rows are TOPIC COMPLETION, NUMBER OF TASKS COMPLETED, PACE VALUE, ITEM STATUS, and TOOLTIP.
• To read and move through the cells in this table press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + ARROW KEYS
• To exit the table, hit the TAB Key and move to the CLOSE button. Press ENTER to close this chart and return to the Brightspace module.

A screen capture of this chart is found below for SUNY Empire Support's reference.

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