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Accessibility in Minerva - using keyboard shortcuts and screen readers

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Minerva has been designed and developed in accordance with the internationally recognised Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. Further details on accessibility within Minerva is available in our Minerva Web Accessibility Statement.

Using keyboard navigation and shortcuts

Industry standard keyboard interactions are used throughout to move between menus, open menus, and select items within a menu. Keyboard navigation patterns differ between browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. The interactions within any particular browser are common and consistent.

Global keyboard shortcuts

Global keyboard shortcuts have been established for common actions:

  • Tab: Navigate links, fields and options on the page.
  • Shift + Tab: Navigate to previous links, fields, and options.
  • Enter: Select link, function, activate option, and expand collapsed section.
  • Space: Select or switch options.
  • Up and down arrows: Open drop-down lists that have an Apply or Go function to activate an option. Navigate the choices with the up and down arrows.
  • Open drop-down lists that do NOT have an Apply or Go function: Tab to the drop-down list and press Enter to open it. Use Alt/Option + the up and down arrows to select an option.

Mac keyboard navigation setup

If you are using a Mac with Firefox or Safari and are having difficulty navigating using your keyboard, review and update your operating system and browser settings. This ensures they are properly configured for keyboard navigation.

Content editor

The content editor in Minerva includes accessible controls, as well as keyboard shortcuts for formatting content created within it. The content editor appears throughout your modules, such as when you participate in a discussion.

To use your keyboard to jump to the content editor toolbar, press ALT + F10. On a Mac, press Fn + ALT + F10. Use the arrow keys to select an option, such as a bulleted list.

Navigating the Module Content area

In a Module Content area, you can use your keyboard to move an item to a new location, move an item into an expanded folder, and move a folder into another expanded folder.

  1. Tab to an item's move icon.
  2. Press Enter to activate move mode.
  3. Use the arrow keys to choose a location.
  4. Press Enter to drop the item in the new location.

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View A to Z of all Digital Education Systems Accessibility Statements

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