Mobility
Using a standard keyboard is difficult for some people and impossible for others. You, a member of your family, or a friend may prefer using only shortcuts rather than the keyboard. You may have difficulty responding quickly or pressing buttons because of age, arthritis or injury and use a headstick, mouthstick or artificial limb. Here's how we can help:
General tips
Text styling toolbar
Buddy List
Instant Messages
Chat
Preferences
This section provides tips specifically to help users of assistive technology (AT) to give the computer commands, who want to press as few keystrokes as possible or who want to avoid using the mouse. However, any member may find the tips helpful. Please be sure to read the information on Keywords and keyboard shortcuts - it will help make the service easier to use.
Keyboard shortcuts
For members who navigate without using a mouse or who want to get around the service quickly, the software has many available keyboard shortcuts. For a full list of these, see the Shortcuts page.
Keywords
Keywords are words or short phrases that make it possible for you to jump around quickly online without having to remember exactly how you got to a certain area. As you explore the service, you will probably notice that many areas have a Keyword. When you want to return to that area, you can use the Keyword feature to go there directly.
Use the following tips to get started:
Tip: In the service, use Ctrl + K to bring up a Keyword entry box, then type the Keyword for the area you want to go to (for example, Football) into the text entry box, then click Go. In some places the Keyword is underlined in blue, so you can activate it with a click. Find out more about Keywords.
Tip: If you use the tab key, the cursor blinks when it is in a text box and when you tab to a button, the inside edges of the button will be outlined in blue.
The text styling toolbar is located in three places: the email message screen, the Instant Message screen and the chat screen. It is found just above the box where you type your message. This toolbar contains a number of formatting features, from text colour to centering to bolding. The changes you make using the toolbar will apply only to that message. If you want to make the changes permanent in all your emails, Instant Messages, and chat sessions, sign and select Settings from the toolbar, then click Font & Text Settings (called Font, Text & Graphics on older versions of the software).
Tip: Use the following shortcuts for accessing the text styling toolbar while in the text box, the area in which you will type your email message, Instant Message or chat message:
CTRL + B = Bold
CTRL + T = Italics
CTRL + U = Underline
Tip: Once the cursor is in the portion of the window where the text of the message is typed, pressing Tab will insert a tab space into the message rather than providing navigation.
Tip: Press Shift + Tab to navigate backwards through the options (instead of Tab by itself, which takes you forwards).
The formatting features for bold, italics and underline are the only features with keyboard shortcuts. All other features must be activated using your mouse. If you have a right mouse click option on your keyboard, you can activate the menu that allows you to use many of these options. The features are:
Left align
Centre
Right align
Colour text
Background colour
Insert a picture
Insert Favourite Place
Spellcheck
Insert signature file
The Buddy List feature lists the screen names of friends and family members who are online when you're online - allowing for easy, spontaneous communication using the Instant Message feature. The following tips will help you get started using the Buddy List:
Setting up the Buddy List feature
If the Buddy List is not visible when you sign on, select Community, then Buddy List from the toolbar. From the Buddy List window, tab to the Setup button and press the space bar or Enter key. You can navigate among buttons using the tab key and activate these buttons by pressing either the space bar or Enter.
Modifying Buddy List preferences
From the Buddy List Setup window, tab to the Preferences button and press either the space bar or Enter. In this window you can choose a Buddy icon, choose a theme, easily attach new sounds to your screen name, set up privacy controls, and more.
Tip: To move among the options in each section, press Tab. In most places within these sections, you will need to press the space bar or Enter key to activate the selected option.
The Instant Message feature allows members to have immediate, one-on-one, private chats in real time with other users of the service who are online at the same time.
The AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) feature allows anyone on the internet to have immediate, one-on-one, private chats in real time with friends on the internet who are online at the same time as you. The AOL Instant Messenger software can be downloaded from www.aol.co.uk/aim at no extra charge.
Sending an Instant Message
Press Ctrl + I to bring up a blank window for composing a new Instant Message. This can be done anywhere within the service. Use Tab to move around the Instant Message window.
Press Enter or the space bar to activate the highlighted Send or Available? buttons.
Tip: Pressing Ctrl + Enter will send an Instant Message without having to use Tab to reach the Send button. You can also set your Instant Message preferences to allow you to press Enter by itself to send an Instant Message.
Away messages
Tip: If you prefer not to be interrupted, turn off the Instant Message by putting an Away message on. This will automatically send a brief message to anyone who sends you an Instant Message when you are signed on.
To set up an Away message:
- On the Buddy List window, click Away message.
- Select one of the choices listed (At Lunch, Be Right Back, etc.) then click OK.
Note: You can close each IM after you reply if you want your Buddy's reply to 'steal the focus'. If you don't and are using IMs within the service, leave the IM window open after you reply. If you are using the AIM service you can minimise the window - it will go to the bottom of your screen and will not steal focus until you maximise it.
Tip: You can use Tab to move around the interactive parts of the Instant Message response window. Press the space bar or Enter key to activate the highlighted Send or Available? buttons. Press Ctrl + Enter to send the message.
Tip: When using Instant Messages, you will receive a tone alerting you to an Instant Message even while you are in another program.
Chat rooms allow you to talk in real time to other users of the service about anything you are interested in.
Reach Chat.
Customise the service to better meet your needs by setting your Preferences. You can do this when you sign on to by selecting Settings from the toolbar.
There are many available options in Preferences - below are some examples of those which are relevant to people with disabilities or are frequently used.
Sounds
The service provides sounds such as the Welcome greeting and Instant Message chimes. You may want to change the sounds in order to reinforce what is on the screen and make the sounds easier to hear.
Font & Text
Allows you to permanently set a larger font for writing email, chat, and Instant Messages.
Marketing preferences
Occasionally we extend product and service offers to our users. Marketing preferences provide you with the option of not receiving such offers by post, telephone, email or pop-ups.