Apple VoiceOver Getting Started
VoiceOver
Getting Started
Includes instructions and complete
command lists for using VoiceOver with
Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard
1
Contents
Chapter 1 7 Introduction
7 About VoiceOver
8 What You Need to Get Started
8 Using This Document
9 Where to Find More Information
9 VoiceOver Quick Start
9 VoiceOver Help
10 VoiceOver Menu
10 Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts
10 Keyboard Help
10 Audio Effects
10 Resources on the Internet
11 Teaching and Learning Tools
11 Screen Curtain
11 VoiceOver Keyboard Commands Diagrams
11 About VoiceOver Accessibility
Chapter 2 12 Introduction to Mac OS X
12 Desktop
12 Finder
13 Toolbar Buttons and Search Field
13 Sidebar and View Browser
14 Dock
14 Menu Bar
15 Files and Folders
15 System Preferences
16 Spotlight
Chapter 3 17 Keyboard Basics
17 Important Keys to Know
18 VoiceOver Keys
19 About Function Keys
19 Using Function Keys on Portable Computers
2
20 Using Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down on Portable Computers
20 Keyboard Accessibility
20 Sticky Keys
20 Slow Keys
21 Key Repeat Rate
22 Keyboard Settings in VoiceOver Utility
Chapter 4 24 VoiceOver Basics
24 Turning On VoiceOver
25 Using VoiceOver in the Login Window
25 Pausing VoiceOver Speech
25 Muting Speech and Sounds
26 Moving the VoiceOver Cursor
26 Locking the VoiceOver Keys
27 Reading Window Contents
27 Reading Text
28 Changing Voice Settings Temporarily
28 Changing Verbosity Levels Temporarily
29 Interacting with Content Areas
30 Using Buttons and Controls
30 Learning More About an Item
31 Navigating Menus
32 Understanding Menu Commands in Documentation
32 Navigating Quickly in a Menu
32 Using Pop-up Menus
32 Using Shortcut Menus
33 Understanding Duplicate Menu Items
33 Working with the VoiceOver Menu
34 Using the Commands Menu
35 Chapter 4 Exercises
35 Exercise 4.1: Moving the VoiceOver Cursor
35 Exercise 4.2: Interacting with a Content Area
35 Exercise 4.3: Navigating the Menu Bar
36 Exercise 4.4: Navigating in a Menu and Submenu
36 Exercise 4.5: Using the VoiceOver Menu
Chapter 5 37 Using VoiceOver with Mac OS X
37 Using the Dock
38 Setting Dock Preferences
38 Working with Shortcut Menus for Dock Items
38 Switching Between Applications and Windows
40 Navigating Finder Windows
41 Navigating in List View
Contents 3
42 Sorting Items in List View
42 Selecting Files and Folders
43 Copying and Moving Files
44 Using the Item Chooser Menu
45 Interacting with Windows
45 Moving and Resizing Windows
46 Using Scroll Bars
46 Using Spotlight
47 Using the Spotlight Menu
48 Chapter 5 Exercises
48 Exercise 5.1: Using the Dock
48 Exercise 5.2: Using the Item Chooser Menu
49 Exercise 5.3: Copying and Pasting a File
Chapter 6 50 VoiceOver Utility and Preferences
50 Saving VoiceOver Preferences
51 Setting the Amount of Spoken Detail
51 Adjusting Punctuation Settings
52 Adjusting Text Attribute Settings
52 Hearing Other Types of Detail
53 Hearing Status Changes and Announcements
54 Setting Navigation Options
54 Setting the Initial Position of the VoiceOver Cursor
55 Adjusting VoiceOver Cursor Tracking
55 Setting Website Navigation Options
56 Customizing Voices
57 Using Different Voices
57 Changing Rate, Pitch, and Volume
58 Setting Text Pronunciation
59 Hearing Your Location on the Screen
59 Setting Visual Options
60 Magnifying the VoiceOver Cursor
60 Using the Caption Panel
62 Showing the Braille Panel
63 Tiling Visuals
64 Using the NumPad Commander
65 Setting Preferences for Braille Displays
Chapter 7 66 Using Mac OS X Applications
66 Connecting to the Internet
67 Using Mac OS X Mail
67 Mail Window
67 Opening Collapsed Folders in the Mailboxes Table
Contents 4
68 Reading Email Messages
69 Addressing a Message
70 Using the Safari Web Browser
70 Navigating Websites with VoiceOver
70 Website Navigation Shortcuts
71 Using iChat for Instant Messaging
71 Hearing Incoming Messages
72 Responding to iChat Invitations
73 Moving Between the Text Field and Messages Table
73 Using iTunes with VoiceOver
74 Using Front Row to Play Media
74 Chapter 7 Exercises
74 Exercise 7.1: Opening and Reading an Email Message
75 Exercise 7.2: Using the Link Chooser Menu
76 Exercise 7.3: Moving Music from a CD to iTunes
Chapter 8 78 Reading, Editing, and Navigating Text
78 Reading a Document
79 Working with Text
79 Locating the Insertion Point
79 Navigating in a Document
80 Bookmarking a Document
80 Separating Cursors in Text Areas
81 Selecting Text
81 Hearing Misspelled Words
81 Completing Partially Entered Words
82 Hearing Text Attributes
82 Navigating by Text Attributes
83 Using TextEdit with VoiceOver
83 Checking Spelling in TextEdit
84 Changing Tab Stops in TextEdit
84 Chapter 8 Exercises
84 Exercise 8.1: Following the Insertion Point
85 Exercise 8.2: Cutting and Pasting Text
86 Exercise 8.3: Saving a Document
Chapter 9 87 Using Braille Displays with VoiceOver
87 How the Mac Is Represented in Braille
88 Panning
88 Routing
89 Announcements
89 Status Cells
90 Braille Panel
Contents 5
91 Moving and Resizing the Braille Panel
92 Input Controls
93 Supported Braille Displays
Chapter 10 94 Advanced Techniques
94 Full Keyboard Navigation and VoiceOver
94 Advanced Cursor Tracking
95 Using the Cursor Control Keys
96 Using the Mouse with VoiceOver
96 Mouse Settings in VoiceOver Utility
97 Making the Mouse Pointer More Visible
97 Using the Numeric Keypad to Control the Mouse
98 Navigating by Wrapping
99 Assigning VoiceOver Actions to the Numeric Keypad
10 0 Setting Hot Spots to Mark Items
101 Chapter 10 Exercises
101 Exercise 10.1: Using Command-Tab to Switch Applications
101 Exercise 10.2: Moving Cursors Independently
Appendix 103 VoiceOver Commands
Contents 6
1
Introduction
1
Welcome to VoiceOver Getting Started. This document
introduces you to VoiceOver and gets you started using your
Mac in a new way.
VoiceOver is an alternative way for users with visual or learning disabilities to use
Mac OS X. It provides magnification options, keyboard control, and spoken English
descriptions of what’s happening on the computer screen. VoiceOver reads aloud the
contents of documents (and webpages) and provides a comprehensive audible
description of the user’s workspace and of activities taking place on the computer. It
also includes a rich set of keyboard commands for navigating the Mac OS X interface
and interacting with application and system controls.
About VoiceOver
VoiceOver is an integrated part of the Mac OS X operating system. If your computer has
Mac OS X version 10.4 or later installed, VoiceOver is already installed and ready to use.
Just turn on VoiceOver to begin using it.
VoiceOver works in conjunction with full keyboard access, the standard Mac OS X
keyboard navigation method. With full keyboard access, you can use the Tab key and
arrow keys to move to controls and text fields in windows, and the Space bar to select
or activate them. But when you use VoiceOver, you can do much more.
VoiceOver uses keyboard commands to navigate your computer screen, windows,
documents, and websites. It reads aloud everything it encounters and lets you know
when events occur on your screen, such as when dialogs, alert messages, and progress
bars appear. When a supported refreshable Braille display is connected to your
computer, VoiceOver automatically detects it and sends it information about what’s
displayed on the screen, using either contracted or uncontracted Braille.
7
What You Need to Get Started
To use VoiceOver with this document, you need:
 A Macintosh computer with Mac OS X version 10.5 installed
 An English language Apple keyboard
 Built-in or external speakers or headphones
A mouse and display are optional. If you don’t need a display or mouse, you can use
VoiceOver without them.
An Internet connection is highly recommended.
Using This Document
This document is a comprehensive guide to using VoiceOver with Mac OS X
version 10.5 Leopard. It is organized into ten chapters with a VoiceOver commands
appendix. You can read the chapters in any order you choose, but if you are new to
Mac OS X and to VoiceOver, you will find that reading them in the order presented will
help you build on knowledge gained in previous chapters.
 Chapter 1,“Introduction”: In this chapter, you learn what VoiceOver is, what you
need to get started using it, and where to find more information about VoiceOver.
 Chapter 2,“Introduction to Mac OS X”: In this chapter, you learn Mac OS X basics
that will help you use VoiceOver effectively. The chapter includes a description of the
screen layout, windows, the Finder, and System Preferences.
 Chapter 3,“Keyboard Basics”: In this chapter, you learn which keys control
VoiceOver. You also learn about keyboard help and how to set preferences in
Mac OS X and VoiceOver if you have difficulty using a keyboard.
 Chapter 4,“VoiceOver Basics”: In this chapter, you learn the basics of controlling
VoiceOver. Users who have never used VoiceOver find out how to navigate, read text
in windows and dialogs, and select controls and objects.
 Chapter 5,“Using VoiceOver with Mac OS X”: In this chapter, you learn how to use
VoiceOver to navigate windows and perform everyday tasks on your computer.
 Chapter 6,“VoiceOver Utility and Preferences”: In this chapter, you learn how to
use VoiceOver Utility to customize VoiceOver for your needs.
 Chapter 7,“Using Mac OS X Applications”: In this chapter, you learn how to set up
your Internet connection and use Mail and Safari to get email and browse the
Internet. You’ll also learn how to use iChat to instant message with friends, and how
to use iTunes and Front Row to manage and play your digital media.
Chapter 1 Introduction 8
 Chapter 8,“Reading, Editing, and Navigating Text”: In this chapter, you learn how
to use VoiceOver to read and edit text and to check spelling.
 Chapter 9,“Using Braille Displays with VoiceOver”: In this chapter, you learn about
using refreshable Braille displays with VoiceOver.
 Chapter 10,“Advanced Techniques”: In this chapter, you learn how to use the
keyboard, mouse, and VoiceOver cursor independently. You also learn how to use the
mouse with VoiceOver, and how to assign commands to the NumPad Commander.
 Appendix, “VoiceOver Commands”: In the appendix, you learn all the commands
you can use to control VoiceOver.
Where to Find More Information
You can use the resources and VoiceOver features described below to learn more about
using VoiceOver.
VoiceOver Quick Start
When you turn on a new Macintosh computer for the first time, you hear music play as
Setup Assistant starts up. If you wait a moment, you hear a spoken invitation to learn
how to use VoiceOver to set up your computer. If you are new to VoiceOver, follow the
prompts to start the VoiceOver Quick Start. You will learn how to navigate with
VoiceOver and interact with buttons and controls.
The VoiceOver Quick Start is also available at any time when VoiceOver is running. To
start it, press Control-Option-Command-F8.
VoiceOver Help
Your computer comes with a built-in help system for Mac OS X and all its applications.
You can access these in the Help menu in the menu bar. VoiceOver Help contains pages
to help you with specific tasks, complete lists of all the keyboard commands for
VoiceOver, and an orientation to VoiceOver. When you open VoiceOver Help, you can
look for topics by typing keywords or phrases in the text field or by looking in the
index of help topics.
You can open VoiceOver Help in several ways:
 If the Help Viewer is open for another application, such as Mac Help, click the Home
button in the toolbar and choose VoiceOver Help from the list of help books.
 If you have VoiceOver Utility open, click Help in the VoiceOver Utility menu.
 If the VoiceOver menu is open, choose Help and then VoiceOver Help.
Chapter 1 Introduction 9
VoiceOver Menu
The VoiceOver menu lists only the VoiceOver commands you can use with the item in
the VoiceOver cursor. It acts as a quick reference guide as you work. When you use the
VoiceOver command Control-Option-F7, you hear the VoiceOver menu and it appears in
the middle of the screen for sighted users. Use VoiceOver navigation to read the menu
and make selections.
Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts
You can find lists of keyboard shortcuts for Mac OS X and most applications in the
built-in help system. Search for “shortcuts” or check the index. You can change or create
keyboard shortcuts in the Keyboard & Mouse preference pane of System Preferences.
Keyboard Help
VoiceOver includes built-in keyboard help so you can hear the name of each key on the
keyboard and a description of what you can do with it. Press Control-Option-K to turn
on keyboard help, and then press keys to hear descriptions. For more information
about using keyboard help, see the instructions on page 18.
Audio Effects
VoiceOver uses audio effects to denote events (such as a window opening) and
location (such as when you reach a border). In the VoiceOver menu, choose Help and
then choose Learn Sounds to hear the audio effects that VoiceOver uses.
Resources on the Internet
The Apple website has several sections devoted to VoiceOver and accessibility. You can
find additional learning materials and support information at these addresses:
 www.apple.com/accessibility
 www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover
 www.apple.com/support/leopard/voiceover
 www.apple.com/education/accessibility/technology/voiceover.html
In addition, you can find discussion groups on Apple’s website and other websites to
help you connect with other VoiceOver users.
Chapter 1 Introduction 10
Teaching and Learning Tools
If you are teaching or collaborating with a VoiceOver user, you can turn on a caption
panel or a Braille panel that displays the text that VoiceOver is speaking. For more
information about the Braille and caption panels and how to customize them, see
“Setting Visual Options” on page 59.
Screen Curtain
If you are a sighted user, you can use the screen curtain to simulate a nonsighted user’s
experience. The screen curtain turns off all the visuals of the display, leaving a blank
screen. This is a great way to learn how to use VoiceOver.
To turn the screen curtain on and off:
m With VoiceOver turned on, press Control-Option-Shift-F11.
VoiceOver Keyboard Commands Diagrams
You can download and print keyboard diagrams that show the VoiceOver commands
assigned to keys on a standard Apple English language keyboard. These diagrams are
intended for use by sighted users who want a more visual way to learn the VoiceOver
commands. You can download these diagrams from this Apple accessibility website:
www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover.
About VoiceOver Accessibility
You can use VoiceOver with TextEdit, Mail, and Safari to do word processing, send and
receive email, and browse websites on the Internet. You can also use VoiceOver with
many other applications, including iTunes, Front Row, and iChat. As developers begin
to support the underlying accessibility frameworks provided in Mac OS X, more
applications will become accessible with VoiceOver. Contact the manufacturers of your
favorite applications to inquire about the accessibility of their products.
Visit the Apple website to learn about new developments and resources, and check the
Internet for discussion groups and user groups.
Chapter 1 Introduction 11
2
Introduction to Mac OS X
2
This chapter introduces you to basic information about
Mac OS X.
When you understand how your computer is organized and how to use the Finder and
application windows, learning to use VoiceOver is much easier. In Chapter 5,“Using
VoiceOver with Mac OS X,” you will learn how to use VoiceOver with Mac OS X to
complete everyday tasks on your computer.
You can find more information about Mac OS X in Mac Help on your computer and on
the Apple website.
Desktop
The desktop is the background area of your screen. Normally, icons for hard disks, CDs,
and any servers connected to your computer are displayed on your desktop. You can
also store files and folders directly on your desktop for quick access. Using System
Preferences you can customize the appearance of your desktop and choose the types
of items shown on the desktop.
12
Finder
When you start up your computer, the Finder opens. The Finder is the program that
manages your files, applications, disks, network connections, and devices such as
printers. The Finder is always on when your computer is running, though it may be in
the background if you’re using another program such as Mail.
The Finder provides a menu bar along the top of the screen, and the Dock at the
bottom edge. In between the menu bar and Dock are the desktop and any windows
you have open.
When you open a folder or other item on the desktop, a new Finder window like the
one shown below automatically opens.
Finder windows have a toolbar at the top for common tasks and two sections below
the toolbar called the sidebar and the view browser. Three colored buttons above the
toolbar are used to close the window, send the window to the Dock (minimize), or
change the window to its previous size (zoom).
Toolbar Buttons and Search Field
You use the buttons in the toolbar to navigate, change the view, find items, and
perform some actions.
 Use the Back and Forward buttons on the left side of the toolbar to move back and
forth between locations on your computer, just as you would in a web browser.
 Use the four view buttons to choose the way you want to view the contents of your
hard disk and folders. You can choose icon, list, column, or Cover Flow view.
 Use the Action pop-up menu to choose commands you can perform for the item
selected. For example, in the Finder window, some choices in the Action menu are
New Folder, Get Info, or Open. In other applications, you see different choices in the
Action menu.
 Use the search field to type a word or phrase to locate an item. Search results appear
in the view browser. You can use the buttons below the search field to focus the
search to a particular location.
Sidebar and View Browser
Below the toolbar, the Finder window is split into two sections. The left side is called
the sidebar. The sidebar displays a list of items that you frequently use, including disks,
servers, and folders. The list is organized into groups, or sections.
Chapter 2 Introduction to Mac OS X 13
The Places section of the sidebar has icons for folders you use most frequently,
including your home folder and some folders inside it such as Documents, Music, and
Pictures. The Downloads folder is the default location for any software or files you
download from the Internet.
The Search For section includes Smart Folders that collect items meeting specific
criteria, such as all files, folders, and applications you used yesterday, or all PDF
documents. These folders are useful for quickly finding an item when you’ve forgotten
where it is in your computer’s folder hierarchy.
When you select a folder in the sidebar, its contents are displayed on the right side of
the Finder window in the view browser. Finder windows can display items in the view
browser in icon, list, column, and Cover Flow views.
Dock
The Dock is a customizable list of items that provides quick access to applications and
documents you use often. It appears as a row or column of icons on the screen. You
can position the Dock along the bottom, left, or right edge of the screen.
When an application is open, its icon appears temporarily in the Dock. When you
minimize a window, it disappears from the desktop and appears as an icon on the right
side of the Dock.
Each item in the Dock has a shortcut menu that gives you quick access to commands
for that item. The shortcut menu also contains the commands “Remove from Dock” for
icons that have been placed there permanently, and “Keep in Dock” for applications
that are open but whose icons are only there temporarily.
Menu Bar
Mac OS X has a menu bar permanently located at the top of the screen. The menu bar
contains a collection of menus for the application that is currently active. When you
switch applications, the menus in the menu bar change to reflect the active
application. Most applications include File, Edit, Format, Window, and Help menus.
The Apple menu, located at the far left of the menu bar, is the same in every
application. It contains system commands and preferences.
The right side of the menu bar contains status menus. Status menus display information
and provide shortcuts to system and application settings that you may frequently
change. Common status menus include the volume slider, clock, and battery level
indicator. You can show or hide individual status menus in System Preferences and
other applications. When you show the accessibility status menu, you can access
VoiceOver Utility directly from the status menu.
Chapter 2 Introduction to Mac OS X 14
At the far right side of the menu bar is the Spotlight menu. You can use Spotlight, the
advanced search technology built into Mac OS X, to search your entire system for
information contained in files, email, contacts, images, calendars, and applications. For
more information about Spotlight, see “Spotlight” on page 16.
Files and Folders
Most of the information in your computer is stored in files. Files include documents,
images, applications, and so on. Folders are simply a collection of files. Each file or
folder is represented by an icon with its name below or to the right of the icon. You can
select the text in the file’s name to change it, and you can copy, move, and delete files
on your computer.
Your computer comes with some folders already set up, but you can create and delete
your own folders to organize your information. Most folders and files you create are
stored in a home folder with your user account name. If you have multiple user
accounts on your computer, each user account has its own home folder.
You click once on a file or folder icon to select it and twice to open it. Clicking twice
quickly is called “double-clicking.” If you double-click an application icon, you start the
application and a window for the application opens. If you double-click a file created
by an application, you automatically open the application (if it wasn’t open already)
and open the file. For example, if you double-click a TextEdit file on the desktop,
TextEdit starts up and its icon appears in the Dock. At the same time, the document
opens on the desktop.
If you can’t use a mouse to select and click, you can use VoiceOver commands instead.
System Preferences
System Preferences is a Mac OS X utility that you use to customize your computer and
choose essential settings such as your network configuration and Internet access.
System Preferences is located in the Apple menu and has an icon in the Dock.
You can find settings to improve accessibility in these preferences:
 Displays preferences
 Keyboard & Mouse preferences
 Speech preferences
 Universal Access preferences
The easiest way to learn about the many options in System Preferences is to explore
the different preference panes. Some preferences have multiple panes you access by
clicking the tab buttons. Network preferences even has an “Assist me” button to help
you troubleshoot connection problems.
Chapter 2 Introduction to Mac OS X 15
Spotlight
Spotlight is extraordinarily useful for VoiceOver users. In many cases, it may be easier to
use than the Finder for opening files, folders, and applications. When you type text in
the Spotlight search field, search results appear immediately in a menu below the
search field.
The more complete the word or phrase, the more refined your list of results will be.
Search results are grouped by category, such as Applications, System Preferences,
Documents, and Folders. You click an item in the list to open it.
If you don’t find the item you want, you can search again or click Show All at the top of
the results list. Clicking Show All displays a more complete list of results in a new
window called the Spotlight window.
Spotlight search results include all the metadata inside files, including the kind of
content, the author, edit history, format, size, and many more details. Depending on the
search word you type, you may find thousands of results. Spotlight narrows its results
to show you the best matches, but you can also browse the entire list if you want.
You can use Spotlight to find just about anything, anywhere, on your computer with
lightning speed. You don’t have to remember folder hierarchies or carefully store
project files in meaningful folders.
You can find more information about Spotlight in Mac Help on your computer or on
the Apple website at www.apple.com/macosx. For information about using Spotlight
with VoiceOver, see “Using Spotlight” on page 46.
Chapter 2 Introduction to Mac OS X 16
3
Keyboard Basics
3
This chapter provides basic information about using
VoiceOver with the Apple keyboard. You use your keyboard
to control VoiceOver, so you need to be very familiar with it
before you can use VoiceOver effectively.
If you are new to the Mac or have trouble using a keyboard, you’ll find important
information in this chapter. If you use a portable computer, make sure you review the
section in this chapter about function keys.
Important Keys to Know
You should be very familiar with the location of all the keys on your keyboard before
you begin using VoiceOver. In addition to the letters and punctuation characters, you
should know the location of these keys:
 Control
 Option
 Command
 Return
 Escape
 Home
 End
 Page Up
 Page Down
 Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Right Arrow, and Left Arrow
 Function keys (F1 through F11)
17
If you’re not familiar with the layout of keys on your keyboard, you can use the
keyboard help built into VoiceOver to help you learn the name and location of the keys.
In the keyboard help, you press keys to hear their names. If you have a refreshable
Braille display connected to your computer, you can use it to read the key names and
their associated commands.
To use keyboard help:
1 Press Command-F5 to turn on VoiceOver.
The Command keys are located directly to the left and right of the Space bar. You can
press either one.
The F5 key is in the top row of keys, sixth from the left.
2 Press Control-Option-K to begin keyboard help.
The Control and Option keys are usually the first two keys on the left of the bottom
row. On the keyboard of a portable computer, the Fn key comes first, then Control and
Option.
3 Press keys to hear their names. Press the Shift key to hear the shifted characters on
punctuation keys.
4 To hear the function of a key, press Control and Option, and then the key.
Some keys perform multiple functions when you press modifier keys such as Shift,
Command, or Function (Fn). Try pressing Control and Option with a modifier key and
then the key you want to learn about, to see what other functions the key may have.
Some keys also perform different functions if you press them two or three times in
succession.
5 Press the Escape (Esc) key to end keyboard help.
The Escape key is on the top-left corner of the keyboard.
While you’re using keyboard help, you can’t use your computer or keyboard for any
other tasks. You must press the Escape key to return your keyboard to its regular use.
VoiceOver Keys
You enter VoiceOver commands by pressing the Control and Option keys together,
along with one or more other keys. The Control and Option keys are called the
VoiceOver keys, or “VO.” VoiceOver commands are written like this:
VO-Shift-Right Arrow
You press Control and Option (the VoiceOver keys), the Shift key, and the Right Arrow
key.
Chapter 3 Keyboard Basics 18
About Function Keys
In VoiceOver, you use the function keys at the top of the keyboard to perform many
important actions. The function keys are labeled F1–F12 on some keyboards, and some
keyboards have more than 12 function keys.
esc F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13
You also use the function keys to perform actions and commands in many other
software applications. To use a function key or other VoiceOver command keys for
another software application when VoiceOver is on, press Control-Option-Tab and then
press the function key. This command lets VoiceOver know that the next key
combination is for another application.
Using Function Keys on Portable Computers
On a portable computer, and some desktop keyboards, many of the function keys are
programmed to perform hardware-related functions such as adjusting brightness and
volume. When you want to perform an alternate action for the key, you press the Fn
key and the function key together. For example, in VoiceOver you press the following
key combination to open VoiceOver Utility using a standard keyboard:
Control-Option-F8
If you use a portable computer, you must press the Fn key along with the key
combination:
Fn-Control-Option-F8
If you use VoiceOver all the time or very frequently, you can change the default
behavior of the function keys so that they perform software actions. Then the portable
keyboard behaves like a standard keyboard, and you press the Fn key only to change
the volume or change any of the other hardware settings.
To change the default behavior of the function keys:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Keyboard & Mouse.
3 Click the Keyboard tab.
4 Select the checkbox labeled “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.”
Chapter 3 Keyboard Basics 19
When this checkbox is selected, you press the Fn key when you want to use the
hardware function of the key, such as for adjusting volume. When you use the keys for
VoiceOver commands, you don’t need to press the Fn key with the VoiceOver
commands that use function keys.
Using Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down on Portable Computers
A standard keyboard has dedicated keys for Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down.
These are important VoiceOver navigation keys. On a portable computer, you use the
arrow keys with the Fn key for these functions.
Keyboard Accessibility
If you are able to use a keyboard but find it difficult, some other features included in
Mac OS X may help you use your keyboard more effectively with VoiceOver.
Sticky Keys
The Sticky Keys feature treats a series of modifier key presses as a single key
combination. For example, you can press Control, and then Option, and your keyboard
interprets that combination as Control and Option held down together.
To turn on Sticky Keys:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Universal Access.
3 Click the Keyboard tab.
4 Select the On radio button for Sticky Keys.
When you turn on Sticky Keys, you can also set options to hear a sound when a
modifier key you press is accepted, and display an icon of the symbol for the modifier
keys you pressed. Checkboxes for these options are below the Sticky Keys On and Off
radio buttons.
Slow Keys
With the Slow Keys feature you can control the amount of time between when a key is
pressed and when it is accepted by the keyboard. If you frequently press keys
accidentally, you may want a longer delay.
To turn on Slow Keys:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Universal Access.
Chapter 3 Keyboard Basics 20
3 Click the Keyboard tab.
4 Select the On radio button for Slow Keys.
5 Move the Acceptance Delay slider to the left for a longer delay and to the right for a
shorter delay.
You can also hear audible feedback when you press keys. You hear one sound when a
key is pressed and a different sound when the key is accepted. This is a very good way
to monitor what’s happening if you can’t see the screen. Select the checkbox labeled
“Use click key sounds” under the Slow Keys On and Off buttons to turn on audible
feedback.
Key Repeat Rate
If you find that keys register more than once when you press them, you can adjust the
key repeat rate. The key repeat rate and key repeat delay let you control how fast keys
repeat and adjust how long the keyboard waits before it begins to repeat a key press. If
you have trouble releasing keys fast enough, you can set the delay very long or turn off
the repeat.
To adjust the key repeat rate:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Keyboard & Mouse.
3 Click the Keyboard tab.
4 Move the Key Repeat Rate slider to the left if you want repeated keys to repeat slowly.
Move the slider to the right if you want the keys to repeat at a faster pace.
If you tend to make mistakes when pressing keys, moving this slider to a slow setting
will help minimize the number of repeated keystrokes.
5 Click the Set Key Repeat button and then move the Delay Until Repeat slider to the left
to cause a longer delay between when you hold down the key and when the key
begins to repeat.
You can move the Delay Until Repeat slider all the way to the left to turn off key
repeating completely.
Chapter 3 Keyboard Basics 21
Keyboard Settings in VoiceOver Utility
You use the VoiceOver Utility application to customize VoiceOver settings. The
Verbosity pane of VoiceOver Utility includes some settings to help you use your
keyboard.
To open VoiceOver Utility when VoiceOver is turned off:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Universal Access.
3 Click the Seeing tab.
4 Click the Open VoiceOver Utility button.
When VoiceOver is turned on, you can open VoiceOver Utility with the VoiceOver
command Control-Option-F8. You will find more information about other VoiceOver
Utility settings in later chapters.
Typing Echo
As you type, VoiceOver can speak what you typed. If you are not a confident typist, or if
you just want to hear confirmation, you may want to use the typing echo. VoiceOver is
set to echo each character as you type it. You can change the typing echo setting in
VoiceOver Utility.
To change the typing echo setting:
1 Open VoiceOver Utility and click Verbosity.
2 Click the Text button.
3 Choose one of the settings for “While typing speak”:
 Nothing: VoiceOver doesn’t speak what you type.
 Characters: VoiceOver speaks each character as you type it. This is the default setting
for VoiceOver.
 Words: VoiceOver speaks the word you type as soon as you press the Space bar, a
punctuation key, or the Return key. This tells VoiceOver that the word is complete.
 Characters and Words: VoiceOver speaks each character and completed word. This is
the maximum typing echo setting.
Chapter 3 Keyboard Basics 22
Key Press Notification
You can set VoiceOver to say the name of a modifier key when you press one.
VoiceOver speaks these keys:
 Shift
Control
Â
Option
Â
Command
Â
Fn
Â
Turning on this option may help you become accustomed to the location of modifier
keys on your keyboard, and it may help prevent you from making mistakes.
To turn on key press notification:
1 Open VoiceOver Utility and click Verbosity.
2 Click the Announcements tab.
3 Select the checkbox labeled “Announce when a modifier key is pressed.”
Caps Lock Key Notification
If the Caps Lock key is pressed, you’ll be unable to use many VoiceOver commands. You
can have VoiceOver announce when this key is pressed.
To turn on Caps Lock key notification:
1 Open VoiceOver Utility and click Verbosity.
2 Click the Announcements tab.
3 Select the checkbox labeled “Announce when the caps lock key is pressed.”
Chapter 3 Keyboard Basics 23
4
VoiceOver Basics
4
This chapter provides basic information about using
VoiceOver to navigate your computer, click buttons, make
selections in menus, and perform other basic tasks.
After reading this chapter, you will have enough information to begin using VoiceOver.
You will have practiced moving the VoiceOver cursor, interacting with scroll bars, and
navigating menus.
Turning On VoiceOver
You can turn VoiceOver on and off at any time; you don’t have to restart your computer
or log in again. This makes it easier for users with different needs to share the same
computer.
24
You can turn on VoiceOver in System Preferences, and also more quickly with a
VoiceOver command.
To turn on VoiceOver in System Preferences:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Universal Access.
3 Click the Seeing tab.
4 Select the On radio button for VoiceOver.
To turn VoiceOver on or off quickly:
m Press Command-F5. If you are using a portable computer, press Fn-Command-F5.
If VoiceOver is on, Command-F5 turns it off. If VoiceOver is off, the command turns it
on. The change takes effect immediately and remains in effect even after you log out of
your user account or restart your computer.
Using VoiceOver in the Login Window
If your computer requires you to log in and you want to use VoiceOver to navigate and
read the contents of the Mac OS X login window, you must first set a preference in
Accounts preferences.
To turn on VoiceOver for the login window:
1 Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System
Preferences to open System Preferences.
2 Click Accounts.
3 Click Login Options below the accounts list.
If the Login Options button is dimmed, click the lock icon at the bottom of the
Accounts window and type an administrator’s name and password to unlock the
window.
4 Select the checkbox labeled “Use VoiceOver at login window.”
Pausing VoiceOver Speech
When you’re using VoiceOver, you may want to silence the speech when you don’t
want to hear something. Just press the Control key to stop VoiceOver from speaking. If
VoiceOver is reading text and you don’t use any other commands after you press the
Control key, you can press Control again to hear VoiceOver resume speaking where it
left off.
Muting Speech and Sounds
You can also customize VoiceOver so that you don’t hear speech or sound effects. This
is useful if you want to use the accessibility features of VoiceOver but don’t need to
hear descriptions or sound effects.
To mute speech:
1 Open VoiceOver Utility and click Speech.
2 Click the Voices tab.
3 Select the Mute Speech checkbox.
To mute sound effects:
1 Open VoiceOver Utility and click Sound.
2 Select the “Mute sounds” checkbox.
Chapter 4 VoiceOver Basics 25
Moving the VoiceOver Cursor
When VoiceOver is on, a dark rectangle is drawn around an object on the screen to
show where VoiceOver is focused. This dark rectangle is called the VoiceOver cursor. The
visual representation of the VoiceOver cursor helps sighted users track VoiceOver’s
location. Objects in the VoiceOver cursor can be buttons and other controls, text,
images, files, documents, and anything else that is displayed on your computer screen.
To move the VoiceOver cursor:
m Hold down the Control and Option keys (the VoiceOver keys, or VO) as you press the
arrow keys.
Use the Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys to move horizontally and the Up Arrow and
Down Arrow keys to move vertically. Generally, you navigate horizontally. The cursor
wraps to the next row when it reaches the end of a row if it’s moving to the right. If it’s
moving to the left, it wraps to the previous row when it reaches the far left. If you’re
navigating vertically, the cursor wraps to the top or bottom of the next or previous
column. You’ll hear a sound effect when the cursor wraps. If you’re navigating in a
group of items, you’ll hear a “no wrap” sound effect to let you know that you can’t wrap
to the beginning of the group.
Locking the VoiceOver Keys
For convenience, you can lock the Control and Option keys so that you don’t have to
press them while you are controlling VoiceOver. Locking the Control and Option keys
is useful if you are doing a lot of navigation and exploration with VoiceOver. It
reduces the number of keys you need to press to accomplish these goals. With
Control and Option locked, all you need to press are the remaining keys for the
command, usually one or two others.
To lock or unlock the VoiceOver keys:
m Press VO-semicolon (;).
You can practice navigating with the VoiceOver cursor by doing the exercises at the
end of this chapter.
Chapter 4 VoiceOver Basics 26
Reading Window Contents
When you open a new window, the VoiceOver cursor goes to the first item in the
upper-left corner of the window and stops there. As you navigate the window, you
hear descriptions of the items in the VoiceOver cursor. If the VoiceOver cursor reaches
text, it reads the text that’s visible on the screen.
A good way to get a sense of how a window is laid out or to find out what information
the window contains is to have VoiceOver read all the contents of the window.
To read the window contents:
m Press VO-Shift-W.
When you use the VO-Shift-W command to read the contents of the window, VoiceOver
reads only what’s visible. If there are more contents than can fit in the window, scroll
bars appear at the bottom or right side of the window so that you can scroll to the rest
of the content. For example, a large document may have many pages, but only part of
one page is visible on the screen. You use scroll bars to make more of the document
visible so that you can read it.
You can use other VoiceOver commands to read all the contents of scroll areas and
other content areas without having to scroll. The next section describes these
techniques.
Reading Text
Reading the contents of a window is very useful, but sometimes it isn’t enough. You’ll
need to be able to read individual words, sentences, and characters as well. You can use
the following VoiceOver commands for more control when you read text:
 To read the last character in the VoiceOver cursor, press VO-C.
 To read the last word in the VoiceOver cursor, press VO-W.
 To read the sentence where the VoiceOver cursor is located, press VO-S.
 To read the line where the VoiceOver cursor is located, press VO-L.
 To read the paragraph where the VoiceOver cursor is located, press VO-P.
In addition, you can hear words or characters spelled phonetically to help you figure
out something that is difficult to hear. To do this, use the same commands for reading
by character or reading by word, but press the commands two or three times to hear
progressively more detail.
For example, if you hear the word “tab” but aren’t sure you heard it right, you can press
VO-W to hear the word spoken again. Press VO-W again to hear the word spelled. If
you’re still not sure what was read, press VO-W a third time to hear each letter’s
phonetic name (“tango alpha bravo”).
Chapter 4 VoiceOver Basics 27
Changing Voice Settings Temporarily
While you’re working, you may want to change the rate, pitch, volume, or intonation
temporarily without changing your permanent settings. You can use a VoiceOver
command to do this quickly.
To change voice settings temporarily:
1 Press VO-Command-Right Arrow.
Each time you press this command, you hear VoiceOver cycle through rate, pitch,
volume, and intonation. If you stopped at “rate” the last time you used the command,
the next time you press the command you hear “pitch.”
2 After you hear the setting you want to change, press VO-Command-Up Arrow or Down
Arrow.
The Up Arrow key increases the setting and the Down Arrow key decreases the setting.
3 Release the keys to return to navigation.
These settings remain in effect until you change them, log out of your user account,
turn off your computer, or turn off VoiceOver. To set your preferences so they’re used
whenever VoiceOver is running, see “Customizing Voices” on page 56.
Changing Verbosity Levels Temporarily
You can decide how much feedback, called verbosity, VoiceOver provides. You may
want a lot of feedback for some things but less for others. For example, you can specify
whether you want to hear every punctuation mark and symbol, or just basic
punctuation. You can choose to hear links as spoken text or have them identified by a
sound effect or a change in voice pitch. Or, as you type, you can have VoiceOver speak
each character or each word, or both.
You set verbosity preferences in VoiceOver Utility, described in Chapter 6. As you work,
you can also make temporary adjustments to verbosity settings.
To change verbosity settings temporarily:
1 Press VO-V to open the verbosity settings.
2 Press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key to hear the types of settings you can adjust.
The settings include typing echo, punctuation, text attributes, capitals, deleted
characters, numbers, links, and table headers.
3 After you hear the category you want to change, press VO-Command-Up Arrow or
Down Arrow until you hear the setting you want.
4 Press Escape to leave the verbosity settings.
These settings remain in effect until you change them, log out of your user account,
turn off your computer, or turn off VoiceOver.
Chapter 4 VoiceOver Basics 28
Interacting with Content Areas
Windows, documents, and webpages often have areas that contain text, files, or other
content. When the VoiceOver cursor reaches one of these areas, it identifies the content
area. Depending on the application or window, VoiceOver may identify these areas as:
 A scroll area
 HTML content
 A list
 A text area
 An outline
 A group
A table
Â
When you reach a content area, you can navigate past it to something else, or you can
interact with the content area to investigate, read, or modify something it contains. For
example, a Finder window has a sidebar that contains folders. You can skip over the
sidebar to the view browser, or interact with the sidebar to select one of its folders.
You use a command to let VoiceOver know that you want to interact with the items the
content area contains. Then you use the VoiceOver navigation commands to navigate
within the content area. The VoiceOver cursor stays within the boundaries of the object
you're interacting with, so when you navigate left, right, up, and down, you'll navigate
only to the objects within that area. If you find another object of interest, and it
contains objects, you can interact with it as well. Interaction allows you to navigate the
larger elements of an application quickly to locate what interests you, and it also
provides the control you need to investigate the smallest details.
When you’re done, you use a VoiceOver command to stop the interaction and return
the VoiceOver cursor to the previous object or area. You can repeat the VoiceOver
command to interact or stop interacting as many times as necessary. When there's
nothing more to interact with, or stop interacting with, you'll hear a sound effect.
To interact with a content area:
1 Press VO-Shift-Down Arrow to begin interacting.
2 Press Control and Option with the arrow keys to investigate the contents.
3 Press VO-Shift-Up Arrow to stop interacting with the content area.
To practice interacting with content areas, see the exercises at the end of this chapter.
You can use a VoiceOver command to read everything in the VoiceOver cursor,
including content not visible on the screen. This is a quick way to find out what a
content area contains. When you use this command on an area that has scroll bars, the
contents become visible as VoiceOver reads them.
Chapter 4 VoiceOver Basics 29
To read everything in the VoiceOver cursor:
m Press VO-A when the VoiceOver cursor is on a content area.
If you want to navigate or interact with the items in a content area, you have to first let
VoiceOver know that you want to interact with the items it contains. Then you can use
all the regular VoiceOver commands inside the content area.
Using Buttons and Controls
You can use VoiceOver commands to click a button, select checkboxes, choose an item
in a list or menu, and move sliders.
For example, when instructions ask you to “click Save” or “click Cancel,” move the
VoiceOver cursor to the Click or Save button and use a VoiceOver command to perform
the button’s action. You can use the same VoiceOver command to select a checkbox or
radio button.
To click a button or select a checkbox or radio button:
m Press VO-Space bar.
You use this same powerful command to select just about anything on the screen,
from items in menus and lists to folders and files that you want to move or copy.
A slider control, such as the control for your computer’s volume, is usually identified by
VoiceOver as an adjuster or simply a slider. To move it, you have to first let VoiceOver
know that you want to interact with the slider, just as you do for content areas. Then
you use the arrow keys to change the value.
To interact with a slider or adjuster:
1 Press VO-Shift-Down Arrow to start interacting.
2 Press Control and Option with an appropriate arrow key (Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left
Arrow, or Right Arrow, depending on whether the control is horizontal or vertical).
3 When you reach the value you want, press VO-Shift-Up Arrow to stop interacting with
the control.
Learning More About an Item
VoiceOver provides several ways to find out about an item that is in the VoiceOver
cursor. If you aren’t sure what it is or how to use it, try any of the following discovery
techniques:
 To hear a description of the item, press VO-F3.
 To hear how to use the item, press VO-H to hear the help tag. Help tags are often
provided for controls so that you know what the control is used for.
Chapter 4 VoiceOver Basics 30
Loading...