Navigating Computer W/O A Mouse

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com

Using a mouse to navigate the computer can be difficult if not impossible for a student with a visual impairment. Students who continue to have useable vision often prefer to use a mouse to navigate the computer simply because it is familiar to them and it does not require the user to memorize key commands. 

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Learning to use the keyboard commands can, however, help students become more efficient and independent on the computer. These shortcut keys and can be beneficial for sighted students and adults as well!

​Navigating Computer w/o a Mouse

These will allow you to use the start menu system to access applications, not on the desktop.

• To activate the start menu, use the Win Key or CTRL + Esc on non-Win Key keyboards. Select an item from start menu using arrow keys or use the keyboard navigation keys (underlined key on the menu). If you are using Win 2000 or Win XP you may not see the underlined keys, but will need to turn on Menu Navigation Letters.
  • In Windows 2000. Right-click the desktop, and choose Properties (or from the "start" button, select "settings", "control panel", and then "display"). On the "effects" tab, clear the checkbox for "hide keyboard navigation indicators until I use the ALT key."
  • In Windows XP. Right-click the desktop, and choose Properties (or from the "start" button, select "settings" and then "control panel" and then "display"). On the "appearance" tab select the "effects" button and clear the checkbox for "Hide underlined letter for keyboard navigation until I press the ALT key."
  • In Windows Vista. Click Start/Control Panel/Ease of Access Center and select "Make the keyboard easier to use." Locate the item labeled "Make it easier to use keyboard shortcuts" and check the box labeled Underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys.
• In the programs section of the start menu system, you can use arrow keys or the first letter to move to a selected application or application group - if more than one item begins with the same letter, then type it a second time.
• If only one item begins with that letter, pressing the letter will activate (run) the selection.
• If you are using the arrow keys to move to items, the fastest way to the bottom is by pressing the up arrow key, or if at the bottom the fastest way to the top is to press the down arrow key.
• Use the Enter key to select the program shortcut.
• Use the right arrow key to open the contents of a folder in the menu system.
• You can use the ESC key to back out of menu selections.
• ​You can change the name of the items in the start menu system by highlighting the item and pressing the Context Menu Key and selecting the Rename option. (This could be beneficial as program icons with unique first letters will be activated by pressing the first letter of their name.)

​Navigating to and within the Desktop

• ​To move the focus (there will be a dotted line around the item that is "in focus") on the desktop and start menu/taskbar/tool tray area. Press the tab key to move in a counterclockwise direction around the screen. You can change the direction to move clockwise by holding down the shift key while pressing the Tab key. 
• ​To quickly gain focus on the desktop. To quickly gain focus on the desktop, press Win+M - all open windows will close and the focus will be placed on the desktop.
• An Alternative way to gain focus on the desktop. Press the Win key (or use Ctrl+Esc if you have no Win key) to pop up the start menu. Press ESC to close the start menu and place the focus on the Start button. Press Shift + Tab to move the cursor in a clockwise direction to an undetermined item on the desktop (usually the last icon selected or in focus when the desktop was exited).
• Move from item to item on the desktop. Use the arrow keys to move focus to the desired object or type the first letter of the item to place the focus on that item. If there are several items beginning with the same letter, repeat typing the letter and the focus will move between items beginning with that letter. 
• Select (highlight) and de-select a desktop item. When an item on the desktop is in focus, press the spacebar to select the focused object. Press Ctrl+Spacebar to remove the selection highlight. ​

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TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level. In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community-based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.


In addition to the book, the following two supplements are included:
·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Concept Checklist
·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Activities Checklist


For complete product details and additional images, visit the TVI's Guide product page.


TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details
·      Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements
The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Product Page.


Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 210 pages
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement
The Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These word lists and sentences will help the student refine their keyboarding or braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, you may also copy and paste the passages into any braille translation software for quick production on an embosser. They may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency & Maintenance Product Page


Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency Worksheet Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 338-page print and simulated braille worksheets
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists: Grab & Go ECC Supplement
The Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Grab and Go ECC supplement is a 446 page pdf downloadable print on demand workbook that includes 2940 vocabulary card on 3 1/2" x 2" templates divided by each of the 32 Thematic Units along with a checklist of each unit words in print and simulated braille. As a companion to the TVI's Guide to the ECC, the vocabulary cards correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. 


Additional Use:
Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments can have a extremely varied caseloads. It is possible to go several years without having a student on your caseload who requires braille instruction. Like other skills, if you do not practice your braille regularly, it is easy to lose those skills. Use these checklists and cards to maintain your braille skills. Fold the checklist along the line dividing the print from the braille. Choose to either read the print and produce the word in braille using a braillewriter or read the simulated braille and decode it. Finally, these vocabulary cards and checklists may be used with family members or peers who are interested in learning and practicing the braille code.


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Vocabulary Cards & Checklists Product Page


Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 446-page print on demand resource
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


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Lotto Cards
The LOTTO Cards Grab and Go Supplement includes 37 theme related unit cards along with activity suggestions that support activities within the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC.


On My Way File Folder Cards
Print and use these cards to represent locations the student may visit that are related to the current thematic unit. Use these with the On My Way File Folder Game outlined in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC p. 27.

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