Module 1.1: Setup NVDA+Chrome (Windows) (30min)

This module will help you install and configure NVDA and Chrome. We will be pairing with Chrome because NVDA is often used with Chrome and Chrome usage is trending up. Firefox also works well.

Task 1: Install NVDA and Chrome

• Download and install Chrome
• Download and install NVDA
• If you have either of these tools already installed, please update them to the latest versions.

Task 2: Configure NVDA

It's best to keep settings as close to default as possible. We will change a few settings to optimize NVDA for testing.

1. Do not automatically start NVDA.
   1. Press "Insert (the NVDA key) + N" (open NVDA menu) > Preferences > Settings
   2. Uncheck "Automatically start NVDA after I log on to Windows"
   3. Uncheck "Use NVDA on the Windows logon screen"
   4. Click "apply", then "okay"
2. Disable mouse tracking. Most screen reader users will not be using a mouse, and this will help reduce verbosity.
   1. Press "Insert (the NVDA key) + N" (open NVDA menu) > Preferences > Settings > Mouse
   2. Uncheck "Enable mouse tracking"
   3. Click "apply", then "okay"
3. Turn on the Speech Viewer, which displays all annoucnements in a window. This can be helpful to double check announcements.
   1. Press "Insert (the NVDA key) + N" (open NVDA menu) > Tools > Speech viewer
   2. On the Speech View Window, check "Show Speech Viewer on Startup"
   3. Optional: To turn off this feature, press "Insert (the NVDA key) + N" (open NVDA menu) > Tools > Speech viewer

Task 3: Turn on focus highlighting

Remember that not all users of screen readers are blind. The focus highlight functionality helps people with vision track where NVDA is on the screen.

1. Press "Insert (the NVDA key) + N" (open NVDA menu) > settings
2. Under Vision, check "enable highlighting"
3. Click "Apply" and "Okay"

Optional Task 4: Mute volume

Now that the Speech Viewer is open and Focus Highlight is installed, listening to audio output is not as necessary. You might find it helpful to silence NVDA and only pay attention to the Speech viewer window. Note that there might be some discrepencies between the Speech viewer and actual output, so you might want to test with both. Text might be added to the Speech Viewer much faster than it is actually announced, so new announcements might intrupt annoucements that are in progress, but still be displayed in the Speech Viewer. Don't get hung up on discrepencies since users can control the speed of announcements.

1. Press "Insert (the NVDA key) + N" (open NVDA menu) > Preferences > Settings
2. Select the "Speech" category and slide the "volume" slider all the way to the left
3. Click "Apply" and then "okay"

Task 5: Turn it on and off

• If you followed the other activities, NVDA is likely still open. You can close it by pressing Insert+Q.
• If you closed NVDA, you can start it by click your desktop shortcut to turn on NVDA or press Control + Alt + N
• Note: if you ever encounter odd announcements or behavor in NVDA, try these things
  • With NVDA started, close Chrome and then start Chrome again. Sometimes Chrome does not turn on its accessibility support unless a screen reader is running when Chrome starts.
  • Rarely, you might need to restart your computer.

Activity 1: Report out

• If NVDA is off, turn it on.
• In Chrome, navigatie to the W3C WAI website
• When everyone in your group is ready, raise your hand or otherwise do something silly to get your instructor's attention.
• Demonstrate using the tab key to navigate through interactive parts of the WAI website.