Module 1.2: Setup VO+Safari (Mac) (30min)

VoiceOver is bundled with MacOS, so you don't have to install it! This module will help you configure VoiceOver and Safari. We will be pairing with Safari because VoiceOver is most often used with Safari. Chrome support is unreliable.

Task 1: Configure Safari

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

1. Get the tab key working. For some reason, Apple hid full keyboard support behind a setting.
   1. Open Safari
   2. Click safari > preferences > advanced > check "Press tab to highlight each item on a webpage"
   3. Optional: on the 'advanced' tab, also check 'Show Develop menu in the menu bar'
   4. Close the preferences

Task 2: Configure VoiceOver

1. Turn off Mouse Tracking. Most screen reader users will not be using a mouse, and this will help reduce verbosity.
   1. Open System Preferences > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Open VoiceOver Utility
   2. Click "Navigation"
   3. For "Mouse Pointer", select "Ignores VoiceOver Cursor"
   4. Close the VoiceOver Utlity

Note: VoiceOver displays a focus outline and displays output by default, So you don't have a lot to do.

Optional Task 3: Mute volume

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

1. Open System Preferences > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Open VoiceOver Utility
2. Click "speech" and then check "mute speech" under the "Voices" tab
3. Close the VoiceOver Utility

Task 4: Turn it on

• Follow these instructions to turn on VoiceOver
  • On newer MacBooks with a touch bar, quickly press the power button three times. Depending on your settings, you might need to check the "Enable VoiceOver" checkbox.
  • On macs without a touch bar, press apple+F5
  • Follow the same steps to turn off VoiceOver
• The first time VoiceOver is turned on, it will prompt you to learn the basics. Feel free to step through this tutorial while you wait for other folks to install NVDA.

Activity 1: Report out

• Turn on VoiceOver if it is not already on
• In Safari, navigatie to the W3C WAI website
• When everyone in your group is ready, raise your hand or other wise do something silly to get your instructor's attention.
• Demonstrate using the tab key to navigate through interactive parts of the WAI website.