1. Google's G Suite Accessibility using NVDA for Google Drive and Google Docs
Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky, Ph.D., CRC, CATIS
Technology Training & Vocational Coordinator
Lighthouse for the Blind of the Palm Beaches
Presented at the 2017 Florida Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (FAER) Conference
Rachael is on the subject matter expert committee for CATIS and not an employee of ACVREP.
Introductions for attendees and their interest in the CATIS certification.

2. Learning Objectives
List at least 5 G Suite features that are accessible to screen reader users.
Demonstrate how to use keyboard commands for Google Drive with a screen reader on a Windows computer to create a document, open a document, and edit a document.
Demonstrate how to use keyboard commands for Google Docs with a screen reader on a Windows computer to create, edit, save, and share documents.

3. Some Accessible G Suite Features
Google Drive
Docs
Gmail
Calendar
Sheets
Slides
Forms

4. Screen Readers and Browsers
We will be using NVDA and Mozilla Firefox, because these are recommended by Google.
Chrome is another browser option for Windows.
Other combinations of recommended screen readers and browsers include:
ChromeVox with Chrome on a computer with Chrome OS.
JAWS and Mozilla Firefox is another option for Windows computers.
VoiceOver with Google Chrome is recommended for Mac computers.
(Screen readers that work with Google Drive)

5. Adjusting settings for compatibility with Google Docs
If you use shortcut commands to start programs that use Control and Alt with other letters, many of these will conflict with G Suite hotkeys.
Some examples of commands that would need to be changed:
Control Alt j to start JAWS
Control Alt z to start ZoomText
Control Alt n to start NVDA
Control Alt w to start Word
Consider adding shift to these commands or assigning another command to start these programs.

6. Changing a shortcut command using the mouse
Find the program shortcut on the Desktop, in a folder, or in the Start Menu on your computer.
Right click on the icon or program name.
Left click on Properties. (Continued on next slide)

7. Changing a shortcut command using the mouse part 2
Left click in the Shortcut key field.
Type the shortcut command that you wish to use.
Make sure that it isn’t already being used to start another program and that it doesn’t conflict with other keyboard commands.
Left click on “Apply”
Left click on “OK.”

8. Changing a shortcut command using the keyboard
Use keyboard commands to put focus on the program shortcut.
For example: If on the Desktop, use Windows with the letter M to go to Desktop. Then hit the first letter of the program’s name once at a time until you get to it.
Hit the applications key or use shift with F10 to open the context menu.
Up arrow to Properties and hit Enter. (continued on next slide)

9. Changing a shortcut command using the keyboard part 2
Tab to get to the “Shortcut key” field.
Type the shortcut command that you wish to use.
Make sure that it isn’t already being used to start another program and that it doesn’t conflict with other keyboard commands.
Hit Enter

10. The NVDA key is usually either CAPS Lock, Insert or both
The NVDA key is usually either CAPS Lock, Insert or both. You can adjust which key(s) are used as the NVDA key.
Hold down the NVDA key and control and tap the letter K to open Keyboard Settings.
Tab to Use CapsLock as an NVDA modifier key and hit space to check or uncheck the box.
Tab to Use NumPad Insert as an NVDA modifier key and hit space to check or uncheck the box.
Tab to Use extended Insert as an NVDA modifier key and hit space to check or uncheck the box.

11. NVDA typing echo settings
Make sure that the NVDA typing echo is off for both characters and words.
The same goes for JAWS users. Use JAWS key with 2 on the main keyboard to turn keyboard echo to “none.”
To adjust these settings for NVDA:
Hold down the NVDA key and control and tap the letter K to open keyboard settings.
Tab to Speak typed characters and use space to uncheck this option if it is already checked.
Tab to Speak typed words and use space to uncheck this option if it is already checked.
Hit Enter
Note that this setting will not save permanently unless you go to the NVDA menu using the NVDA key with the letter n and then select the option to “save configuration.”

12. Opening Google Drive Open Mozilla Firefox
Use Alt with d to get to the address bar.
Type in drive.google.com and hit Enter.
If you are not already logged into Google, you will need to login.

13. A Few Mozilla Firefox Commands
Control with w to close the current page tab.
Control with t to open a new page tab.
Control with Tab to toggle between page tabs.
Alt with d to move to the Address Bar.

14. Google Drive Commands to Navigate to Different Areas
g followed by n to “Go to navigation panel.”
This goes to the list of folders and locations in your Google Drive.
Use up and down arrow to move through items and enter to activate an item.
g followed by l to go to the list of items in the selected folder.
To switch between a grid view and list view, hit the letter “v.”
Use up and down arrow to move through items.
To open the actions menu for an item, hit the letter “a.”
Hit enter to open an item.
To open the “create” menu, hit the letter “c.”
Then, use up and down arrow to select between a new folder, document, presentation, spreadsheet, drawing, form, etc.
Arrow to document and hit Enter.

15. NVDA Focus Mode is Required
If commands for G Suite features are not functioning, you may have browse mode on. Focus mode is required.
To turn on focus mode, hold down the NVDA key and then hit the space bar.
This is a toggle command that will switch between focus mode and browse mode.
You will likely not hear a verbal announcement of which mode is on.
If you hear a click sound, you are in focus mode. If you hear a beeping sound, you are in browse mode.
On most web pages with NVDA, you would want to use browse mode, but when using G Suite features, focus mode is needed.

16. Docs Screen Reader Support
If you do not hear a message that screen reader support is enabled, use Control Alt and z to enable this feature.
This is a toggle command to turn this feature on and off.
When screen reader support is enabled, there is an Accessibility menu item that can be activated by using Alt with Shift and the letter a.
Use arrows to explore the menu, enter to select an item and escape to exit.

17. Let’s try a typing exercise
From Google Drive, use C to get to the create menu.
Use down arrow to select Google Docs and hit enter.
Type out a few sentences.
You will notice that this is very similar to how you would be entering text in most other word processors.
Open the File menu using Alt with Shift and F.
Down arrow to Rename and hit enter.
You are ready to keep typing.

18. Screen Reader Commands to Try
Speak selection (Control with Alt and the letter x)
Speak from cursor location (Control with Alt and the letter r)
Use arrows to move and read line by line or character by character.
Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs

19. Share your document Alt Shift with F to open the file menu.
The first item is share, hit enter to select it.
Type out the address and hit enter.
You can type one address at a time and hit enter, typing more than one if needed. Share your document with a neighbor.
Hit the Tab key to get to the “access level” control and hit space to open the options for the list.
You have three options. Use up and down arrows to move between “can edit,” “can comment,” and “can view.”
Hit tab.
You can type in a note to the person or people if you would like to. This is optional.
Tab to send and hit enter.

20. Close a document and toggle commands
When finished working on the document, use control with W to close the document.
You should now be focused on Google Drive. If not, you can use Control with Tab to toggle between page tabs.
Tip: Alt with Tab toggles between open programs.

21. Open a document that has been shared with you and comment
Make sure you are on the page with Google Drive (drive.google.com) and logged in.
Type the letters g followed by n quickly to “go to navigation.”
Arrow up or down to “Shared with me” and hit enter.
Use the letter v to change from grid view to list view or vice versa.
Use arrows to select the file and hit enter to open it.
To add a comment, hold down control and alt and hit the letter m. Type your comment. Tab to comment and hit enter.

22. Moving Between Comments
Next Comment: Control Alt N
Previous Comment: Control Alt P

23. Collaboration
More than one person can be working on a document at the same time.
NVDA or other screen readers will announce if you more to an area that another user is editing.
There are commands for navigating between comments, editing comments, and reading comments in the accessibility menu.

24. Some keyboard commands are similar to other word processors
Bold on or off (Control b)
Italic on or off (Control i)
Underline on or off (Control u)
Select all (Control a)
Copy (Control c)
Cut (Control x)
Paste (Control v)
Undo (Control z)
Save (Control s), although it saves automatically
Print (Control p)
Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs

25. Explore the Menus
Menus can be opened using Alt with Shift and the following letters:
File (f)
Edit (e)
View (v)
Insert (i)
Format (o)
Tools (t)
Table (b)
Help (h)
Accessibility (a)
When in any menu, up and down moves between menu options. You can also move to a different menu using right or left arrow. Escape exits menus.

26. Search Menus in Docs
Hold down alt and shift and hit the letter h to open the help menu.
Down arrow to the search field.
Type in what you would like to search for in the menus.
This works in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings.

27. Keyboard Shortcuts for G Suite
When in Drive, Docs, Slides, or other G Suite areas, use the following steps to open a list of keyboard shortcuts for that feature of G Suite:
Control with /
Tab to “View all shortcuts in Help Center”
Then, hit Enter.

28. Additional Resources
Using Google Docs and Drive with NVDA Tutorial from AFB
G Suite user guide to accessibility
Accessibility for Docs editors
Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs
Keyboard shortcuts for Google Drive on the Web

29. Thank you for the opportunity to speak!
Questions?

30. Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky, Ph.D., CRC, CATIS
Contact Information for Rachael
Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky, Ph.D., CRC, CATIS
Technology Training and Vocational Coordinator Lighthouse for the Blind of the Palm Beaches
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