Instructional Support

Account Settings for JAWS

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

Begin at your D2L Brightspace homepage

Your D2L home page is the page you land on when you log in to D2L.

  1. Press B (or Insert+Control+B to bring up the buttons list) to bring up the buttons list, listening for the button with your name.
  2. Push the Spacebar to expand list.
  3. Arrow down to “Account Settings” link.
  4. Press Enter to go to the Account Settings page.

You should now be on the Account Settings page. If you’re not on it already, look for “Heading Level 1, Account Settings”. On this page, we will be toggling different check boxes and radio buttons for optimal screen reader use. The following is a list of steps to adjust your account settings.

How to Adjust Dialog Settings

You should change modal dialogs to pop-ups. To do this:

  1. Press Insert+F6 for the headings list, to find “Dialog Settings”.
  2. Press Down Arrow to navigate to the options
  3. Use the space bar to select “Pop ups”.
How to Adjust HTML Editor Settings

You will want to turn off rich text editor. To do this:

  1. Press H or (Insert+F6 for the headings list) to find “HTML Editor Settings”.
  2. Press Down Arrow to navigate to the options.
  3. Use the space bar to select, “Turn off rich text editor and view source”.
How to Adjust Video Settings

To ensure JAWS can detect videos.

  1. Press H or (Insert+F6 for the headings list) to find “Video Settings”.
  2. Press Down Arrow to navigate to the options.
  3. Use the space bar to select, “Optimize video presentation for programmatically-driven assistive technologies”.
Save all the settings:
  1. Press B for the “Save and Close” button.
  2. Press Enter to save. Note: you will leave the Account Settings page, and be redirected to your D2L home page.

Adjust the Discussion Settings

Discussion Settings must be changed on the Discussions tab.

To go to the Discussions Settings, begin at your D2L home page.

  1. Press B (or Insert+Control+B to bring up the buttons list), listening for the button with your name.
  2. Push the spacebar to expand list.
  3. Arrow down to “Account Settings” link.
  4. Press Enter to go to the Account Settings page. You should now be on the Account Settings page. If you’re not on it already, look for “Heading Level 1, Account Settings”.
  5. Press Down Arrow until you hear “Discussions tab”.
  6. Press Enter to go to the Discussions settings.
Adjust Personal Settings
  1. On the Discussions settings page, press H to jump to the “Personal Settings” heading.
    • Use the Down Arrow to navigate to the “Always show the Discussions List pane” checkbox and make sure it’s unchecked..
  2. Press Down Arrow to navigate to the “Grid view” radio button.
    • Press Spacebar to select the “Grid view” radio button and leave “Reading view” unselected.
  3. Press Down Arrow to navigate to the “Include Original Post in Reply” checkbox.
    • Press Spacebar to check the box.
Adjust Grid View Settings

Press H to jump to the “Grid View Settings” heading.

  1. Press Down Arrow to navigate to the “Unthreaded” radio button.
    • Press Spacebar to check the box.
  2. Press Down Arrow for “Show the Preview Pane” checkbox.
    • Press Spacebar to uncheck the box.

To save the settings:

  1. Press B for the “Save and Close” button.
  2. Press Enter to save your configurations.