Here is a list of the common access key codes for the links used to navigate this site. As case is not important, they are shown here in upper case for alpha characters. Where "top" links are present at the bottom-right of longer pages, the 'Alt + J' combination is assigned to them, but using the Home key on your keyboard should produce the same effect. In the reverse, the End key will drop you down to the End Of File.

Following this list will be a general description of common Windows® keyboard functions that may be used with Windows® 2000 Professional and Internet Explorer 6 and later versions.

There are never enough access keys available and this site may use some unorthodox characters based upon the Unicode Transformation Format (UTF) character encoding strictly to comply with the World Wide Web Consortium's guidelines whenever all available access keys are already in use on a page. These access key assignments are also accompanied by tabindex values and are intended as placeholders if a better access key guideline is ever introduced. These "symbolic access keys" are also required to attain validation with HiSoftware's online validator, for example, which is based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Access keys for this site are utilized with a format that is conducive to the layout on a computer keyboard. Numeric keys are used first, followed by available Alpha keys which do not interfere with the functions of the most popular and widely used browser, Internet Explorer. This also allows the use of other characters on most keyboards, as well as characters normally displayed in combination with the "Shift" key.

After the alpha values, eight other characters are implemented, from top to bottom and left to right beginning with "[" and ending with "/". Thereafter, the "Shift" key characters are employed: "!" to ")" and "{" to "?". The UTF characters that come into play after that range numerically from ´ to ÿ without creating any validation problems. These will be converted to mnemonic names for finished documents.

Access Keys Used On This Site

Note: There can be many access keys coded into some pages of this site, as described above. This list may be amended periodically.

From left to right, each item in the following list will show an access key, its corresponding button and/or link, the key names and sequence for the keyboard command and any applicable notes (in parenthesis), if any. Case is not important.

The next keyboard commands all require the use of the 'Enter' key to execute the chosen 'Alt + Assigned Key' sequence, which will be displayed hereafter as 'Alt + Assigned Key' ; 'Enter', with a semi-colon placed as a break between the two separate functions. This means that the 'Alt + Assigned Key' sequence is used to select the link by pressing the 'Assigned Key' while holding down the 'Alt' key at the same time, letting go of both keys and then finally pressing the 'Enter' key to execute the command. Where applicable, these are also linked here as working examples for cross-browser comparisons.

Common Keyboard Functions

Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use shortcut keys to view and explore Web pages, preview pages before printing, use the Address bar, work with favorites, and edit.

To do this:

Press this:

Display Internet Explorer Help, or when in a dialog box, display context Help on an item.

Toggle between full-screen and regular views of the browser window.

F11

Move forward through the items on a Web page, the Address bar, and the Links bar.

TAB

Move back through the items on a Web page, the Address bar, and the Links bar.

SHIFT+TAB

Go to your Home page.

ALT+HOME

Go to the next page.

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Go to the previous page. BACKSPACE or:

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Display a shortcut menu for a link.

SHIFT+F10

Move forward between frames.

CTRL+TAB or F6

Move back between frames.

SHIFT+CTRL+TAB

Scroll toward the beginning of a document.

UP ARROW

Scroll toward the end of a document.

DOWN ARROW

Scroll toward the beginning of a document in larger increments.

PAGE UP

Scroll toward the end of a document in larger increments.

PAGE DOWN

Move to the beginning of a document.

HOME

Move to the end of a document.

END

Find on this page.

CTRL+F

Refresh the current Web page.

F5 or CTRL+R

Refresh the current Web page, even if the time stamp for the Web version and your locally stored version are the same.

CTRL+F5

Stop downloading a page.

ESC

Go to a new location.

CTRL+O or CTRL+L

Open a new window.

CTRL+N

Close the current window.

CTRL+W

Save the current page.

CTRL+S

Print the current page or active frame.

CTRL+P

Activate a selected link.

ENTER

Open the Search bar.

CTRL+E

Open the Favorites bar.

CTRL+I

Open the History bar.

CTRL+H

In the History or Favorites bars, open multiple folders.

CTRL+click

Using Print Preview

To do this:

Press this:

Set printing options and print the page.

ALT+P

Change paper, headers and footers, orientation, and margins for this page.

ALT+U

Display the first page to be printed.

ALT+HOME

Display the previous page to be printed.

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Type the number of the page you want displayed.

ALT+A

Display the next page to be printed.

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Display the last page to be printed.

ALT+END

Zoom out.

ALT+MINUS

Zoom in.

ALT+PLUS

Display a list of zoom percentages.

ALT+Z

Specify how you want frames to print. This option is available only if you are printing a Web page that uses frames.

ALT+F

Close Print Preview.

ALT+C

Using the Address Bar

To do this:

Press this:

Select the text in the Address bar.

ALT+D

Display a list of addresses you've typed.

When in the Address bar, move the cursor left to the next logical break in the address (period or slash).

CTRL+LEFT ARROW

When in the Address bar, move the cursor right to the next logical break in the address (period or slash).

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW

Add "www." to the beginning and ".com" to the end of the text typed in the Address bar.

CTRL+ENTER

Move forward through the list of AutoComplete matches.

UP ARROW

Move back through the list of AutoComplete matches.

DOWN ARROW

Working with Favorites

To do this:

Press this:

Add the current page to your favorites.

CTRL+D

Open the Organize Favorites dialog box.

CTRL+B

Move selected item up in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box.

ALT+UP ARROW

Move selected item down in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box.

ALT+DOWN ARROW

Editing

To do this:

Press this:

Remove the selected items and copy them to the Clipboard.

CTRL+X

Copy the selected items to the Clipboard.

CTRL+C

Insert the contents of the Clipboard at the selected location.

CTRL+V

Select all items on the current Web page.

CTRL+A

Using Accessibility Features in Internet Explorer

In addition to Microsoft Windows accessibility products and services, the following features make Internet Explorer more accessible for people with disabilities.

Keyboard access

All features in Internet Explorer are accessible through the use of the keyboard or the mouse.

With Internet Explorer, you can use the keyboard to explore the Web. Just press TAB and SHIFT+TAB to move forward and backward between screen elements such as:

Links that are text or images
Hot spots on image maps
The Address bar
The menu bar
The Links bar
Frames

For more information about keyboard access, see Internet Explorer keyboard shortcuts.

Highlighting box

As you move to or click a link or image, a thin border appears around it so you can see what is selected.

Customize the font size, formatting, colors

You can specify the font sizes, styles, and colors, and foreground and background colors of Web pages displayed on your computer screen, even if the author of the Web page has already specified these. You can also specify the color used to indicate links in Web pages, or a special color for links that is used only when the mouse passes over the link.

These customizations are useful if you have low vision, need larger fonts, or need high-contrast colors. You can set Internet Explorer to use the colors and fonts you specify, the default Windows colors and fonts, or the settings you specify in your own style sheet.

For more information, see Changing Web page fonts and background colors.

Customize the toolbar

You can customize the toolbar by adding or removing buttons, changing the size of icons, and showing or hiding the text on labels.

Just right-click the toolbar, and then click Customize.

If you have low vision, you might want to add the Size button for quick access to the relative font size.

If you are using a screen reader, you might want to select Small Icons in the Icon Options list, and No text labels in the Text Options list to maximize the amount of screen space available for Web content.

Use AutoComplete

This feature saves you time when you are typing Web addresses or completing entries on Web pages, by displaying a list of previous matching entries as you type. To turn AutoComplete on or off, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, click the Content tab, and then click the AutoComplete button. If you have cognitive disabilities, you might want to clear the check boxes to avoid distractions. If you use a blind-access utility, you might want to clear the check boxes if your accessibility aid reads the suggestions as they appear, making typing difficult.

Advanced options that make Internet Explorer more accessible

On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click Internet Options, and then click the Advanced tab.
Change the following settings as needed:
- Move system caret with focus/selection changes
  If you use a screen reader, you might want to select this check box. Some screen readers or screen magnifiers use the system caret to determine which area of the screen to read or magnify.
- Always expand alt text for images
  Select this check box if you rely on alternate (ALT) text instead of viewing the actual pictures (that is, you've cleared the Show pictures check box). This ensures that the text is not cut off if the amount of text is larger than the image area.
- Use smooth scrolling and Enable page transitions
  If you use a screen magnification or screen reader program, you might want to clear these check boxes. If you use a voice recognition program, and you experience recognition errors during smooth scrolling and transitions, you might also want to clear these check boxes.
- Show pictures, Play animations, and Play videos
  If you have low vision, you might want to clear these check boxes to improve performance. If you are sensitive to screen flashing, you might also want to clear these check boxes.
- Play sounds
  If you have cognitive disabilities, you might want to clear this check box to prevent distractions. If you are blind, you might want to clear this check box or selectively download sounds so that they do not interfere with a screen reader reading text aloud.
- Print background colors and images
  If you have low vision, you might want to clear this check box to improve print legibility.

Changing Web Page Fonts and Background Colors

When Web authors and designers create Web pages, they often specify particular type (font) faces, colors, sizes, and background colors. These settings are specified for each item, or in a "style sheet," which is a type of template for specifying how different styles should appear throughout a Web page or site.

You can override any or all of these settings, which is useful if you have limited or low vision. You can specify your font and color preferences for all pages that do not use style sheets, and then you can specify whether to use any or all of your preferences on pages that use style sheets.

Screen Readers and Text-to-Speech Software

Windows® 2000 ships with Narrator, a simple and basic Text-to-Speech synthesizer that reads aloud many inherent attributes supplied by the Operating System. As is the same with other popular but more complex reading software, pronunciation performed by these applications may leave a lot to be desired. It is for this reason that Alternative Text tool tips found on this site (which can be invoked by hovering your cursor over a Hyper Text Markup Language element that contains them) may appear a little difficult to read. A minimal amount of grammatical manipulation and the use of spaces and brackets can actually produce a more clearly understandable sequence of words in a sentence. The same can be said for the choices of words, such as "Skip" and "Jump". As "Skip" certainly looks more desirable to some, "Jump" is actually easier for most folks to understand when it is aurally rendered to them.

So please, if you see some Alternative Text that bothers you, remember that it is exactly that - "Alternative Text" - and it is more specifically reserved for those who may not be so well sighted. Thank you in advance for your understanding!

Navigating with the Keyboard and 'Narrator'

Open Narrator.

Reading options

To read an entire window, select the window and then press CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR.
To get information about the current item, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.
To get a more detailed description of an item, press CTRL+SHIFT+INSERT.
To read the contents of an edit field, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER, or use the arrow keys.
To silence the speech, press CTRL.

Keyboard options

To switch to another program, press ALT+TAB.
To go to the next button or tool, press TAB. To go back, press SHIFT+TAB.
To select an item in a drop-down list, use the arrow keys.
To select a check box or option button, press SPACEBAR.
To open Utility Manager, press the Windows logo key+U.

Notes

To open Narrator using the keyboard, press CTRL+ESC, press R, type narrator, and then press ENTER.
To open Narrator using a pointing device, click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Accessibility, and then click Narrator.
Narrator is not available in all languages.

Access Key Legend

Access Keys Used On This Site

Common Keyboard Functions

Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

Using Print Preview

Using the Address Bar

Working with Favorites

Editing

Using Accessibility Features in Internet Explorer

Changing Web Page Fonts and Background Colors

Screen Readers and Text-to-Speech Software

Navigating with the Keyboard and 'Narrator'

Other Information: