Accessibility
Content authors who do not wish, or are not able, to use pointing devices such as a mouse, can access all of the editor's features through the keyboard, using the:
Content generated by authors is made accessible to readers thanks to the quality of the markup generated by the editor. For more information see these sections of this guide:
- Images As Text - makes content containing images accessible when images cannot be seen, and makes understanding, writing and editing alternate text simple
- Tables - know when to use data or layout tables
- Screen Reader Preview - see how content looks through a screen reader
Context menu
- The context menu (seen above) is fully accessible using a keyboard, but may be hidden by your System Administrator.
- When it is available, the context menu is the most accessible means of accessing all features of the editor.
- Options in the context menu are grouped by type of functionality and differ according to context.
- To display the context menu, right-click inside the editor with a pointing device such as a mouse, or use the following keyboard shortcuts:
- Windows: SHIFT + F10
- OS X: CONTROL + SPACE
- Use the UP / DOWN KEYS on your keyboard to navigate the context menu, and the ENTER key or SPACE bar to select context menu options.
Dialog boxes
A number of features improve the accessibility of the editor's dialog boxes. This speeds the authoring process and creates a more comfortable working environment. Accessibility features include the following:
- Titles for the editor's dialog boxes are unambiguous and clearly explain their function.
- Inside dialog boxes, the TAB key can be used to navigate quickly from one control to the next.
- Controls in the dialog boxes are grouped by relevance.
- Required fields are identified by the wording of their labels, rather than by icons that can be ambiguous or inaccessible to some users. Required fields are also placed first in any grouping. This permits authors to determine as early as possible what information will be required to complete a task.
- Data entered into dialog boxes is validated as soon as it is entered into a field, making error correction easier.
- Error messages display if the author attempts to leave a field without providing required information, or if incorrect information has been entered.
- When the "Skip" option is used to delay the entering of required information, or to delay the correction of invalid entries, the editor prompts the user to provide the skipped information, or correct the invalid entry, before data in the dialog box can be transmitted.
- Dependencies between fields are respected, so that authors are taken to the next appropriate field, and any disabled or irrelevant fields are skipped over.
- Read-only or disabled fields are clearly identified by coloring.
- The cursor position indicates which control currently has keyboard input focus.
- Labeling of controls makes it clear what type of data should be entered into each field.
- To facilitate reading and understanding, labels for controls are aligned to the right, and values are aligned to the left.
- For longer entries, such as Alternate Text and Descriptions for images, multi-line text fields minimize scrolling and allow auto text wrapping.
- Except when the cursor is inside a multi-line text field, the transmission of data collected through the dialog box can be accomplished with one explicit action, using the ENTER key.
Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are useful to everyone, especially users with limited manual dexterity who find it difficult to manipulate pointing devices, such as a mouse. The following keyboard shortcuts can be used inside the editor:
Keyboard shortcuts that can be used in the editor| Action | WINDOWS |
|---|
| Display context menu | SHIFT + F10 |
| Select all | CTRL + A |
| Check spelling | F7 |
| Insert line break | SHIFT + ENTER |
| Undo last action | CTRL + Z |
| Redo last action | CTRL + Y |
| Cancel the current task | ESC |
| Delete selected object | DELETE |
| Cut | CTRL + X or SHIFT + DELETE |
| Copy | CTRL + C or CTRL + INSERT |
| Paste | CTRL + V or SHIFT + INSERT |
| Page up | PAGE UP |
| Page down | PAGE DOWN |
| Apply / remove emphasis to selected text | CTRL + I |
| Apply / remove strong emphasis to selected text | CTRL + B |
| Display Hyperlink properties dialog box when text is selected | CTRL + K |
| Move cursor to the beginning of the next word | CTRL + RIGHT ARROW |
| Move cursor to the beginning of the current or previous word | CTRL + LEFT ARROW |
| Move cursor the beginning of the current or previous paragraph or cell | CTRL + UP ARROW |
| Move cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph or cell | CTRL + DOWN ARROW |
| Move cursor to the beginning of a line | HOME |
| Move cursor to the end of a line | END |
| Move cursor to the top of a document | CTRL + HOME |
| Move cursor to the end of the document | CTRL + END |
| Extend selection to the beginning of a line | SHIFT + HOME |
| Extend selection to the end of a line | SHIFT + END |
| Extend selection, character-by-character | SHIFT + RIGHT or LEFT ARROW |
| Extend selection, word-by-word | SHIFT + CTRL + RIGHT or LEFT ARROW |
| Extend selection, line-by-line | SHIFT + END or HOME + UP or DOWN ARROW |
| Extend selection, paragraph-by-paragraph | SHIFT + CTRL + UP or DOWN ARROW |
| Extend selection to the beginning of a document | SHIFT + CTRL + HOME |
| Extend selection to the end of a document | SHIFT + CTRL + END |
| Move focus to the next control in the form | TAB |
| Move focus to the previous control in the form | SHIFT + TAB |