Taking a Digital Test with Assistive Technology

Note: If you click within the secure browser before you configure your accessibility software, the secure browser won’t work properly.

Important: To change settings again, you'll need to sign out of the secure browser.

1. Open the assistive technology software.
2. Open the secure browser.
3. Sign in and select the correct test. After the proctor admits you to the test, you’ll see the operating system menu and task bar.
   • On Windows, the CB Secure Browser resizes and the taskbar remains visible inside the test in its usual position. Press Alt+Tab to switch between the CB Secure Browser and permitted accessibility applications.
   • On MacOS, the CB Secure Browser resizes and students can view the dock in its usual position inside the test. If the dock is set to autohide, no resizing occurs and the dock is only visible when the mouse moves toward the bottom of screen. Press Cmd+Tab to switch between the CB Secure Browser and permitted accessibility applications.
4. Switch to the accessibility software so it appears over the secure browser.
   • On Windows, click the accessibility software application in the task bar.
   • On MacOS, click the accessibility software application in the dock.
5. Configure verbosity, punctuation, text processing, and other settings as needed.
6. Switch back to the secure browser.
7. As soon as the proctor starts the test, you can begin answering questions.

• To listen to a passage, open the passage context menu or right-click on the passage, and select Speak Passage.
• To select a portion of text to listen to, such as a word or phrase, select the text, open the passage context menu or right-click on the passage, and select Speak Selection.
• To listen to a question or to answer options, open the question context menu or right-click on the question, and select one of the following Speak options:
  • To listen to a question and all answer options, select Speak Question.
  • To listen only to an answer option, select Speak Option from the context menu, and then select the answer option. Or, right-click on the answer option and select Speak Option.
• To stop or pause speaking, select Stop Speaking or Pause Speaking from the context menu. Or, right-click and select your options.

The actions associated with each JAWS keyboard command vary by page. The same key may have different uses on different pages. Keyboard layouts vary by device. Please refer to your device manual for more information.

These keyboard commands work only if your coordinator has correctly configured your test settings and set up your testing device. They might not work if JAWS enters forms mode. You can exit forms mode by pressing NUM PAD PLUS (+), or you can use the recommended forms commands.

RBD Users: The instructions in this section provide only the keyboard commands for digital testing. You can also press the RBD router key above the text for a particular button to move the cursor to that button. You can press the router key a second time to select that button instead of using the provided keyboard commands.

Automatic Forms Mode

When JAWS reads a webpage, it defaults to Virtual Cursor mode, where most of the alphanumeric keystrokes provide special quick key navigation. However, if auto-forms mode is turned on, JAWS will beep when it encounters an input form field and all keystrokes will then be passed to the webpage to interpret. There are three levels of forms mode:

• Manual: You must press Space or Enter to send the information to the browser.
• Semi-automatic: When navigating with a tab key, forms mode will automatically be entered.
• Automatic: When the virtual cursor enters a form field, forms mode is automatically enabled (but there might be a delay).

To turn off forms mode, select NUM PAD PLUS (+) on the numeric keypad. To enable forms mode, you must focus on a web element, for example, text input, radio button, slider, etc., and then select the return key.

Smart Navigation

JAWS uses Smart Navigation to read longer webpages more efficiently. It can be toggled with [insert] + [x]. You can enable smart navigation on controls and/or tables.

When a table is encountered, the entire contents of a table cell are read with each arrow key. If you need to read inside the table with more control, hit the 5 key twice on the numeric key pad. This will enable regular character and word navigation while in the current cell.

Controls mode will read entire lines on the browser screen when using the p/down arrow keys. So even if there's a link or button in the middle of text, the entire line will be read.

Key Commands for JAWS Navigation of Tests in Forms Mode

The following icons are used to label questions:

• Mark for Review : If you use the tool in the context menu to mark a question for review an icon appears next to the question number and JAWS will read "marked for review."
• Unanswered question : If you leave a question unanswered, a triangle appears next to the question number and JAWS reads "unanswered."

In this section, learn how to answer each question type.

Note: The instructions in this section assume that the question does not display any question labels. If the student has used a context menu tool for a question, the student must press Tab an additional time for each question label displayed.

Multiple Choice

The procedures for responding to multiple-choice and multi-select questions are similar.

• Answer multiple-choice questions by selecting one response option from a group of radio buttons.
• Answer multi-select questions by selecting one or more response options from a group of checkboxes.
  1. After listening to the question text, press Tab twice to hear the answer options.
  2. To navigate between each answer option, use the Tab and Shift + Tab commands. JAWS reads the option in focus.
  3. To select the response option that’s in focus as your response, press Enter. To deselect a response option, press Enter again.

Writing and Language Section

The Writing and Language section contain passages with question markers that correspond to a specific question. If you use assistive technology or streamline mode, you'll be presented with same-page links that navigate to question markers.

SAT Essay

The rich text editor toolbar includes a row of text formatting buttons. However, these formatting options are not available to students testing with braille.

1. Read the question and then use the Tab command to move to the text box. JAWS beeps and reads "Edit, type in text."
2. Enter your essay. When you're done, press Tab to navigate from the text box to the next page. JAWS beeps again in a different tone when leaving the text box.

Math Student-Produced Responses

Follow these guidelines when you answer the student-produced responses in the Math Test.

1. Only the numbers 0–9, the decimal point, and the fraction line can be entered in the answer box.
2. No question has a negative answer.
3. Some problems may have more than one correct answer. In such cases, enter only one answer.
4. Mixed numbers such as must be entered as 3.5 or 7/2. (If 31/2 is entered in the answer box, it will be interpreted as and not .)
5. Decimal answers: The answer box allows for 4 characters total. If you obtain a decimal answer with more than 4 characters, it may be either rounded or truncated, but 4 characters must be entered in the box.
6. Leading zeros: Do NOT begin your answer with a zero.