The Challenge
Your task is to visit any website of your choice and navigate it using a screen reader.
Steps to Complete:
Pick a website you use often, such as your own, a news site, or an online store.
Turn on a screen reader:
- Windows: Use NVDA or JAWS. You can also use Narrator (Windows + Ctrl + Enter).
- Mac: Use VoiceOver (Command + F5).
- iPhone/iPad: Enable VoiceOver in Accessibility settings.
- Android: Enable TalkBack in Accessibility settings.
Use these keyboard commands to navigate. Note: Commands may vary depending on your screen reader settings and configuration.Basic Navigation Commands (General)
- Move to the next element: Down Arrow
- Move to the previous element: Up Arrow
- Activate a link or button: Enter or Spacebar
- Pause/resume speech: Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Mac)
Navigating by Element
- Headings: H (Next), Shift + H (Previous)
- Landmarks/Regions: D (Next), Shift + D (Previous)
- Links: K (Next), Shift + K (Previous)
- Buttons: B (Next), Shift + B (Previous)
- Forms/Fields: F (Next), Shift + F (Previous)
- Lists: L (Next), Shift + L (Previous)
- Tables: T (Next), Shift + T (Previous)
Screen Reader-Specific Commands
NVDA (Windows)
- Start/Stop Reading:
Insert + Down Arrow - Open Elements List (Headings, Links, Buttons):
Insert + F7 - Navigate Headings:
H(next),Shift + H(previous) - Navigate Form Fields:
F(next),Shift + F(previous) - Read Current Line:
Insert + Up Arrow - Read Entire Document:
Insert + Down Arrow
JAWS (Windows)
- Start/Stop Reading:
Insert + Down Arrow - Open Headings List:
Insert + F6 - Open Links List:
Insert + F7 - Open Forms List:
Insert + F5 - Read Current Line:
Insert + Up Arrow - Navigate by Regions:
R(next),Shift + R(previous)
VoiceOver (Mac & iOS)
- Start/Stop Reading:
Control + Option + A - Move to Next Element:
Control + Option + Right Arrow - Move to Previous Element:
Control + Option + Left Arrow - Open Rotor (Quick Navigation for Links, Headings, etc.):
Control + Option + U - Navigate by Headings:
Control + Option + Command + H
Try Navigating a Website Without Looking at the Screen
- Listen to how headings, buttons, and links are announced.
- Try filling out a form or clicking a link.
- Explore different elements to see how easy or difficult navigation is.
Reflection Questions
- Could you understand and complete tasks on the website?
- Were images missing alt text?
- Did headings and sections make sense?
- Were there any unlabeled buttons or links?
- Would a person relying on a screen reader be able to use this site independently?
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Thanks for being part of this mission to build a more accessible web — one page at a time.