If you're on a Windows machine and would like to get started with screen readers, NVDA is a great option. In this video, we'll cover the basics of navigating a page with NVDA, and share some useful keyboard shortcuts to make you more efficient.
Download:To download NVDA go to
https://www.nvaccess.org/download/Suggested Settings:
Go to the NVDA menu (Insert + N) Preferences,
Settings, change the following then select OK:
• Speech and adjust the Voice, Rate, Pitch, Volume.
•Vision, select
Enable
Highlighting and
only Highlight
navigator object
• Keyboard, select NVDA Key Modifier of Caps Lock and Insert
• Mouse, select Enable Mouse Tracking, and select Text Unit
Resolution of Paragraph
Mouse Over to Read:
You can hover your mouse cursor over a text item to have the entire item read aloud and then move your cursor to
another location
Key CommandsThe most commonly used commands are as follows:
- Insert + S: Speech mode off/beeps/talk (press to
toggle between)
- CTRL: Stop reading (hold down to pause)
- Down Arrow: Read next item
- Up Arrow: Read the previous item
- CTRL + Down Arrow: Read next paragraph
- CTRL + Up Arrow: Read previous paragraph
- H: Go to next heading (Shift + H: go back to the previous heading)
- Insert + N: Open NVDA
Menu
User Guide:
Download the
NVDA Screen Reader for Windows Getting Started Guide - Job Aid (PDF) which lists the most common keyboard commands.
Respondus Lockdown Browser
If you would like to use NVDA together with an assignment or quiz
that requires you to use a Lockdown Browser, you
must first start
NVDA prior to launching the Lockdown Browser.
Tip: After starting NVDA change the
speech mode to off by
pressing
Insert/Caps Lock + S until you are ready to have it read
aloud and then change the s
peech mode to talk (press I
nsert/Caps
Lock + S twice to switch to beeps and then to talk mode).
Video Tutorials:
Additional topical video tutorials are available by going to
Learn NVDA: A Free Screen Reader for WindowsAssistance:
Contact the Access Center for help or more information.
accesscenter@waubonsee.edu 