Accessibility

Learn a wide range of accesibility tools and functions available in VU Collaborate

Keyboard-only Navigation Tips

VU Collaborate is a learning management system that enables students to access course material online. There are a number of learning tools within the system that course content is contained in. This topic provides some basic advice for people who navigate VU Collaborate using a keyboard or assistive technologies that emulate a keyboard.

This guide covers the following topics, use these links for easier navigation: 

 

 Navigating Pages Using a Keyboard

VU Collaborate highlights page elements that you can interact with (such as links, fields and buttons) as you tab through them, to make it easier for you to complete tasks and select options. Press the following key to do the listed actions:

Page elements (such as links, fields and buttons)

  • Tab - to navigate the options on a page.
  • Shift + Tab - to return to a previous option. 
  • Enter or Return - to select a link, button or open a menu.

Drop-down lists

  • Down Arrow and Up Arrow - to navigate drop-down lists that have an Apply or Go button beside them.
  • Alt + Down Arrow (Windows and Linux) - to open drop-down lists that do not have an Apply or Go button. 
    Option + Down Arrow (Mac) - to open drop-down lists that do not have an Apply or Go button. 
  • Down Arrow, Up Arrow and Enter - to select an item in the drop-down. 

Checkbox and radio buttons

  • Space Bar - to select a checkbox or radio button option.
  • Down Arrow and Up Arrow - to change a radio button option.

 Back to top

 

 Navigating the HTML Editor

VU Collaborate has an extensive range of keyboard navigation support.
For a full list of options see Navigating Brightspace with a keyboard, by D2L.

Switch between toolbars and content area:

  • Tab - to navigate from toolbars to content area.
  • Shift + Tab - to navigate from content area to the toolbars.

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Bold: CTRL+B (Windows) or Command+B (Mac)
  • Select All: CTRL+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac)
  • Redo: CTRL+Y (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac)
  • Undo: CTRL+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac)
  • Header 1: Alt+Shift+1 (Windows) or Ctrl+Option+1 (Mac)
  • Paragraph: Alt+Shift+7 (Windows) or Ctrl+Option+7 (Mac)
  • Insert link: CTRL+K (Windows) or Ctrl+K (Mac)

 

Back to top

 

 Browser Access Keys

 Different browsers use different keystrokes to activate access key shortcuts:

  • For Firefox: use Alt + Shift + [accesskey] on (Windows/Linux) or Control + [accesskey] on (Mac)
  • For Chrome: Use Alt + [accesskey] on (Windows/Linux) or Control + Option + [accesskey] on (Mac)
  • For Safari : use Alt + [accesskey] on (Windows/Linux) or Control + Option + [accesskey] on (Mac)

 

Back to top