Guide to Using D2L with JAWS

The following is a brief guide on how to navigate to the D2L login page, as well as how to login. Begin by loading up your web browser.

From your web browser:

• Go to the address bar, and then type in d2l.mu.edu. This will take you to the D2L login page.
  • Alternatively, you can follow the link, http://d2l.mu.edu/.

Once on the D2L login page, the username and password will be required to be entered in separate edit boxes.

• Upon loading the page, the JAWS cursor should focus on the "Username Edit" edit box. Begin typing your username.
  • 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" to navigate into the "password edit" edit box.
• Finally, hit "Enter" to load D2L Homepage, called MYHOME

The following is a brief guide on how to properly configure your D2L Account Settings for optimal screen reader use. To begin, we will first navigate to the account settings page.

Begin at the MyHome page.

• Then press "B" or (Insert+Control+B to bring up the buttons list), listening for the "YOURNAME" button.
  • Then press "Enter" to expand the links under the YOURNAME 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

By default, your virtual cursor should start on Heading Level 1, Account Settings. On this page, we will be toggling different check boxes and radials for optimal screen reader use. The following is a list of steps, with steps to toggle each option under a different heading:

Dialog Setting

You should change modal dialogs to pop-ups if a) you primarily view the website on a small device, b) you primarily view the website with style sheets disabled, or c) you use an assistive technology (such as a screen reader, screen magnifier or voice software) that benefit from simpler page designs.

• Press "H" or (Insert+F6 for the headings list) for Heading Level 2: DIALOG SETTING
  • Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the options.
  • When prompted "SHOW SECONDARY WINDOW AS ", use the "Space Bar" to select "pop ups" radial to be selected/checked.

HTML Editor Settings

The HTML editor enables you to enter text and HTML in the system. It has many additional rich text features. If you use assistive technology such as screen readers, some of these features might be difficult to navigate.

• Press "H" or (Insert+F6 for the headings list) for Heading Level 2: HTML EDITOR SETTINGS
  • Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the options.
  • When prompted "HTML Editor, TURN OFF RICH TEXT EDITOR", use the "Space Bar" to check the box.

Video Settings

This setting ensures assistive technologies can detect videos. As a consequence, videos will overlap menus. It does not influence the accessibility of specific players.

• Press "H" or (Insert+F6 for the headings list) for Heading Level 2: VIDEO SETTINGS
  • Press "Down Arrow" to navigate to the options
  • When prompted "OPTIMIZE VIDEO SETTINGS...", use the "Space Bar" to check the box.

To save the all the settings:

• 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.

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 TOOLS.
• Press "Enter" to expand options.
• Press "Down Arrow" to DISCUSSIONS.
• Press "Enter" to go to the DISCUSSIONS tool.

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.

To save the settings:

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

The following is a brief guide on how to navigate through D2L's online course content and materials provided by your instructor. To begin, first navigate to the home page and then to content page.

Tip: D2L is separated virtually by 2 main regions; the NAVIGATION REGION, containing buttons and links that will take you to various areas of D2L, 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 D2L function as links. As such, a common route of navigating D2L 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 its most fundamental set up, D2L presents learning materials in the structure of *MODULES* (think of a chapter), that contains *CONTENT*(remember that content = links = topics), which are presented in a LIST. There are several different types of content that instructors utilize, ranging from internal materials, like HTML files (HTML content created in D2L), mp4 videos, PowerPoints, quizzes, discussions, dropbox assignments, etc., to outside materials, such as links to websites, youtube videos, and even online textbook assignments. Regardless of what materials a course utilizes, understand that they are all accessed the same way: through links.

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 D2L 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.

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 TOOLS button.
  • Press "Enter" to expand the options under COURSE TOOLS.
• Use the "Down Arrow" to move to the QUIZZES link.
  • Press "Enter" to proceed to the QUIZZES page.

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:

1. A header that denotes the question number.
2. A table that hosts the answer choices.
3. A set of radials to be selected for the correct answer choice/s,
4. 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.