Learn Google Chrome with JAWS

Lessons 1–2: Getting Started with Google Chrome

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Internet and Web Browsers Prepared by: Somali Assistive Technology Institute Subject: Computer Skills – Using the Internet Lesson Focus: Understanding what the Internet is, how it actually works, and how to use web browsers such as Chrome, Brave, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera with JAWS screen reader. Lesson 1 What is the Internet The Internet is a worldwide network that connects computers and devices together so they can share information. When you use the Internet, you are not just connecting to one computer. You are connecting to millions of computers that store data, messages, and websites. Think of the Internet as a giant system of digital roads. Your computer, phone, or tablet travels these roads to reach other computers called servers. A server is a powerful computer that stores websites and sends them to you when you ask for them. When you type a website address, such as www.google.com, and press Enter, your computer sends a request through your Internet connection to that website’s server. The server then sends back the website’s information — such as text, images, and sounds — to your browser. Your browser receives that information and displays it as a web page that you can read or listen to using JAWS. So, in short: • You type the web address. • Your computer contacts the web server that holds that site. • The server sends the web page data back. • Your browser displays the page for you to explore. This process happens in just a few seconds every time you visit a website. A Short History of the Internet The Internet began in the 1960s as a U.S. government research project known as ARPANET. It was created to allow scientists and universities to share data across long distances. In 1983, a communication standard called TCP/IP connected many networks together and formed what we now call the Internet. In 1989, a British scientist named Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, which allowed people to view and share information through websites using browsers. By the 1990s, the Internet became public and started to grow rapidly. Today, it is used everywhere — for communication, education, banking, shopping, and entertainment. What is a Web Browser A web browser is a program that lets you open and interact with websites. When you enter a web address such as www.bbc.com and press Enter, the browser sends a request to the server that holds that site. The server sends the website’s content back to your browser, and your browser translates that data into a readable web page. When you are blind or visually impaired, your JAWS screen reader reads the page content aloud — including headings, buttons, links, and forms — so you can navigate easily without sight. Your browser is the bridge between you and the vast amount of information stored on servers around the world. Different Types of Web Browsers There are several browsers available. Each one performs the same basic function — displaying web pages — but they differ in design, privacy, and performance. Google Chrome Known for its speed, simplicity, and strong compatibility with JAWS. It integrates easily with Google services such as Gmail and YouTube. Mozilla Firefox An open-source browser that focuses on privacy and control. It works well with JAWS and offers many accessibility extensions. Microsoft Edge Comes built into Windows 10 and 11. It is fast, secure, and supports both JAWS and NVDA. It also includes a Read Aloud feature for web pages and PDFs. Apple Safari Default browser for Mac and iPhone. It is very accessible with Apple’s built-in VoiceOver screen reader. Opera A lightweight browser that includes a built-in ad blocker and free VPN. Some screen reader adjustments may be needed for best accessibility. Brave Browser A privacy-focused browser that blocks ads and trackers automatically. It is built on the same technology as Chrome, which means it supports Chrome extensions and works very well with JAWS. Brave loads pages quickly because it removes unnecessary advertising scripts and tracking content, making it a smooth and private experience. Using Chrome and Brave with JAWS Chrome and Brave share similar controls because both are based on the same Chromium engine. They are popular among JAWS users because of their accessibility, speed, and simple layout. When using JAWS in Chrome or Brave: • Press Control + L to jump to the address bar and type a website. • Press Enter to go to the page. • Press H to move to the next heading, or Shift + H to move to the previous one. • Press Insert + F6 to list all headings on the page. • Press Insert + F7 to list all links. • Press Insert + F5 to list form fields. • Press Insert + Down Arrow to read continuously from top to bottom. You can also move by heading level using number keys: • Press 1 to move to the next level one heading. • Press 2 to move to the next level two heading, and so on up to level six. • To move backward through headings, hold Shift and press the same number. This lets you move quickly through different sections of a web page. For example, pressing the number 2 might take you from one news section to another if the site uses heading level two for news categories. How to Make Chrome or Brave Your Default Browser When you make a browser the default, any time you open a web link — from email, Word, or another program — it will open automatically in that browser. To set your default browser in Windows 10 or 11: • Press Windows key + I to open Settings. • Use the Down Arrow key to choose Apps, then press Enter. • Press Tab until you reach Default Apps, then press Enter. • Type Chrome or Brave and press Enter. • Use Tab to move through the file types like “.html”, “.htm”, and “HTTP.” • For each one, press Enter, choose your preferred browser, and press Enter again to confirm. From now on, all web links will open in the browser you selected. JAWS Commands Useful for Browsing • Insert + T announces the title of the current web page. • Insert + Down Arrow reads continuously from where you are. • Insert + F7 lists all the links on the page. • Insert + F6 lists all headings. • Insert + F5 lists form fields such as edit boxes and buttons. • H moves to the next heading. • Shift + H moves to the previous heading. • Numbers 1 to 6 move by heading level. • B moves to the next button. • E moves to the next edit box. • Tab moves forward through interactive items. • Shift + Tab moves backward. • Control + L moves focus to the address bar. • Control + T opens a new tab. • Control + W closes the current tab. • Control + Tab switches between open tabs. • Control + Shift + T reopens the last closed tab. These shortcuts make browsing efficient and reduce the need for a mouse. Lesson 1 Practice Exercises Exercise One Open Google Chrome or Brave Browser. Press Control + L, type www.google.com, and press Enter. Listen as JAWS reads the content. Exercise Two Open a new tab with Control + T. Type www.bbc.com and press Enter. Press Insert + F6 to list headings, and then press 1 or 2 to move by heading levels. Exercise Three Press Insert + F7 to list all links on the page. Explore the list with the Arrow keys, then press Escape to close it. Exercise Four Use Control + Tab to move between tabs and Control + W to close one. Exercise Five Open Settings and ensure Chrome or Brave is set as your default browser. Review Questions • What happens when you type a website address and press Enter? • What is the role of a server on the Internet? • Who created the World Wide Web? • What is a web browser and what does it do? • Name several browsers and describe one difference between them. • Why do many blind users prefer Chrome or Brave? • Which command lists all links on a page? • How can you move by heading level using JAWS? • How do you set a default browser in Windows? • What did you find most useful in today’s lesson? Lesson 2: Customising Chrome for Ease of Use with JAWS for Windows Subject: Computer Skills – Internet and Accessibility Lesson Focus: Customising Google Chrome (or Brave) for better screen reader use, learning essential browser keyboard shortcuts, and understanding and adjusting the JAWS Quick Settings — especially the Virtual Cursor. Starting the Lesson Before you begin, make sure your computer is turned on and JAWS for Windows is running. You will hear JAWS announce, “JAWS for Windows is ready.” This means you can now use keyboard commands to control your computer without needing a mouse. Opening Google Chrome from the Desktop 1. Press the Windows key once to open the Start menu. 2. Type Google Chrome (or Brave, if you use that browser). 3. You should hear JAWS say “Google Chrome, app.” 4. Press Enter. Chrome will open and focus will land on the address bar where you can type web addresses such as www.google.com. JAWS will announce, “Address and search bar, edit,” meaning it is ready for input. If Chrome is not your default browser, it may show a message asking you to set it as default. For now, press Escape to close that message. Opening Chrome Settings with JAWS Once Chrome is open, you can access its settings to make it easier to use with JAWS. Method 1: Through the Menu 1. Press Alt + E (or Alt + F) to open the Chrome main menu. JAWS will say “Customize and control Google Chrome.” 2. Use the Down Arrow key to move through options until you hear “Settings.” 3. Press Enter. The Chrome Settings page will now load. JAWS will announce the page title, and your focus will usually be in the main content area. Method 2: Using the Address Bar 1. Press Alt + D or Control + L to move to the address bar. JAWS will say “Address and search bar, edit.” 2. Type chrome://settings and press Enter. This opens the Settings page directly. Once you are in the Settings page, you can navigate through the different sections using: • H to move by headings. • Insert + F6 to list all headings on the page. • Tab to move through interactive elements like checkboxes or buttons. If you press Control + Home, you’ll go to the top of the page, which helps you start navigation from the beginning. Key Chrome Settings for JAWS Users Customising Chrome ensures smoother navigation and fewer interruptions when using JAWS. Appearance Settings This area controls how web pages look. Even though you may not rely on visuals, adjusting these can help when demonstrating to sighted learners. • Use Tab or H to move to “Appearance.” • Under this section: o Font Size: You can make on-screen text larger or smaller. Use Tab to find “Font Size,” then press Spacebar to open the menu and use Arrow keys to select the size. o Zoom: This adjusts how large a webpage appears. Use Tab to reach “Page Zoom,” and choose 100%, 125%, or 150%. o Show Home Button: Use Spacebar to enable it, and type your preferred homepage (for example, www.google.com). This adds a simple way to return to your starting page. Privacy and Security Settings This section protects your browsing experience and keeps JAWS speech interruptions to a minimum. 1. Use Tab or H until you hear “Privacy and security.” 2. Press Enter to open the section. 3. Useful options include: o Clear Browsing Data: Delete stored information like cookies or cached pages to keep your browser clean. o Site Settings: Control permissions like camera, microphone, and notifications. Disable notifications to stop pop-up messages that can interrupt JAWS speech. o Security: Choose “Enhanced protection” for safer browsing. Search Engine Settings This setting decides what search engine Chrome uses when you type in the address bar. • Press Alt + E, then choose Settings, then Search engine. • Under “Search engine used in the address bar,” press Tab, then use Arrow keys to pick Google, DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, or Bing. Tip: Brave Search and DuckDuckGo offer stronger privacy protection, while Google gives broader search results. On Startup Settings This determines what happens each time Chrome opens. • Use Tab or H to find “On startup.” • You can select: o “Open the New Tab page.” o “Continue where you left off.” o “Open a specific page or set of pages.” If you choose “Continue where you left off,” Chrome will reopen the same tabs you had before you closed it — very useful for continuing your work the next day. Understanding the Virtual Cursor in JAWS This is one of the most important concepts for blind users of JAWS on the web. When you visit a website, the page is made of visual elements — text, buttons, forms, menus, and images. JAWS cannot see these items directly, so it creates a virtual copy of the page that you can navigate with the keyboard. This is called the Virtual Cursor. The Virtual Cursor acts like an invisible finger that moves through the web page one element at a time. It lets you read text, move through headings, and activate links using your keyboard. When JAWS Virtual Cursor is active, you can: • Use Arrow keys to read text line by line or word by word. • Use H to move through headings. • Use B to jump between buttons. • Use E to find edit boxes. • Use Insert + F7 to list all links on the page. How the Virtual Cursor Differs from Other Cursors • PC Cursor: This is the standard Windows cursor. It’s used for desktop applications like Word or File Explorer. It follows where typing or focus happens. • JAWS Cursor: This acts like a mouse pointer. It can move anywhere on the screen, even where focus isn’t. It’s often used to explore areas JAWS cannot reach with the PC Cursor. • Touch Cursor (for touch screens): Used on touch devices to read items under your finger. • Virtual Cursor: Only works in applications that use web technology — such as Chrome, Edge, or Outlook’s reading pane. It interprets web content and lets you navigate as if the page were plain text. The Virtual Cursor allows blind users to “read” a web page in a logical, text-based order. Without it, JAWS would not know how to interpret the web page structure. You can toggle the Virtual Cursor on or off by pressing Insert + Z. If you turn it off, JAWS will behave like other screen readers that rely on focus mode, but navigation will be limited. Working Through JAWS Quick Settings JAWS Quick Settings let you change how JAWS behaves in specific programs — like Chrome — without affecting other apps. To open it: 1. Make sure Chrome is your active window. 2. Press Insert + V. JAWS will say, “Quick Settings for Google Chrome.” You can use Up/Down Arrow keys to explore settings or type in a search term to find what you need. Press Spacebar to turn options on or off, and Enter to save. Important Options to Check in Quick Settings • Virtual Cursor: Make sure it’s enabled. • Automatic Page Load Announcement: Tells you when a page finishes loading. • Auto Forms Mode: JAWS switches automatically when you reach an edit field. • Speech Verbosity: Controls how much JAWS says — high for beginners, medium for advanced users. • Link and Heading Announcement: Ensure these are checked so you know when you’re on links or headings. • Table Announcements: Helps JAWS describe row and column titles when browsing tables. • Use Grouping Indication: JAWS will say “Group start” and “Group end” when entering or leaving complex elements. Keyboard Shortcuts for Chrome and JAWS These shortcuts are essential for fast, efficient browsing: General Chrome Commands • Control + T – Open a new tab. • Control + W – Close the current tab. • Control + Tab – Move to the next tab. • Control + Shift + Tab – Move to the previous tab. • Control + L – Jump to the address bar. • Alt + Left Arrow – Go back. • Alt + Right Arrow – Go forward. • Control + H – Open history. • Control + J – Open downloads. • Control + Shift + Delete – Open Clear Browsing Data. • Alt + F – Open Chrome menu. JAWS Web Commands • Insert + F7 – List all links. • Insert + F6 – List all headings. • Insert + F5 – List form fields. • Numbers 1–6 – Move by heading levels. • B – Jump to the next button. • E – Jump to the next edit box. • R – Next radio button. • X – Next checkbox. • Insert + T – Announce the page title. • Insert + Down Arrow – Read continuously. • Insert + Z – Toggle Virtual Cursor on/off.