When You Start VoiceOver

You will automatically go to the top of the whole screen, and the whole screen will be outlined (not highlighted). To start VoiceOver reading a particular section of text, press Control+Option+A. This will highlight a specific section of the screen, usually the topmost section. Now press Control to pause the automatic play.

From here, click on the beginning of the text section you wish to read, or on some other place on the page, or on a page which you scroll to; or use find or the search field to go to where you want to be.

Note: After you click on a new section of text to read with your mouse, rather than by using the forward arrow, press control at the end of just the first selection, after you have hear it read aloud. This will keep previous text from being read. Now continue on normally by using the forward and back arrow.

Once you are where you want to be, use the forward arrow key to proceed one section of text at a time.

Basic Audio Speed

To choose speed and adjust the speed, first choose to adjust speed. You do this by pressing control, option and command and the forward or back arrow until you get to speech rate. Then press the up or down arrow to get the right amount. Normal speaking out loud rate is 45%.

To Go to a Previous page or Next Page (Three Different Ways)

1. 1.Click just above or just below the vertical scroll bar, to go up or down one screen. This is all that you need to catch some undisplayed text.
   

2. 2.Move the vertical scroll bar up or down until you get to the page you want. Then click on the sentence you want to hear read out loud. After this first sentence is read be sure to press control to stop the reading, or the sound will carry on from the previous location. Press the right arrow when ready to continue.
   

3. 3.Press the page down key, or function key+right arrow.
   

Using Find

Whether you are reading HTML documents on a Mac computer online, by WiFi, or offline, you can always use the find function to locate any text anywhere, whether or not VoiceOver is on. Use Find (Command+F) to immediately go to the exact words you wish to go to, or return to. Then note or use a sticky of some sort to mark where the top of the side scroll bar is on the screen. After you restart at the beginning of the article, as you will have to do with VoiceOver, quickly scroll down to the top of the marker. Then click on the text to read.

For example, just type in find the first words of a page in the text where you wish to start reading. You will go there. Now mark the spot. Return to this spot after starting VO again.

Using the VoiceOver Search Field (Different from Find)

To go anywhere in Article or Chapter (with VoiceOver On):

    Press Command+Option+F to bring up search field

        Enter words, by typing or pasting, and press return.

        Continue on from this point using the forward arrow key.

To Select a Highlighted Link

Click once on the highlighted link with your mouse. Alternatively, if just one link is highlighted, press control, option and space bar.

Section of Text Doesn’t Show Up as Highlighted and Read

Press the left arrow twice, and then press the right arrow twice. You will see the proper text highlighted as it is read out loud. This technique will work almost every time. If not, slide the scroll bar up slightly and then click on the text to hear.

Hide Bars (optional)

Make sure that Bookmarks Bar, Tab Bar, and Status Bar do not show at the top of the screen. To do this pull down the View menu and turn these options off.

Window Size (optional)

Also, make sure the screen is fully expanded.

To Read Text Out Loud Before Hearing it Read

Read out loud the next amount of text, before pressing the forward arrow key to hear it read out loud. At the bottom of the page, press option and down arrow (or the page down key) to go to the next page. Then click on the top line of text when you are ready to hear it read out loud. If the bottom line of text is split (not complete), do not try to read it. Instead, press option and down arrow (or the page down key) to go to the next page; then press the top line of text and then quickly press the left arrow key. The last line you read will be read again, and you will see the next section of text in full, and be ready to start the new page of text. Moving up a page is just the opposite. If the top line of text is split (not complete), press the top line of text and then quickly press the left arrow key. The last line you read will be read again, and you will see the next section of text in full, and be ready to start the new page of text.

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Step By Step Basic Instructions for Doing PR

On Mac Laptop or Desktop Computer

General Directions For Pressing Keystrokes

Most of the keystroke commands you will use are accomplished by pressing a single key (usually an arrow key) with either your right index finger or right thumb. However, occasionally you will be asked to press a combination of keys. These commands consist of pressing one or more of the control keys (Control, Option, or Command) located to the immediate left of the space bar, as well as a single keyboard letter key, or arrow key, or punctuation key, or number key. Always press the control key(s) down first before briefly pressing the final key. This operation is the same whether you are working on a Mac or PC.

Charging Your Unit

Make sure your laptop or desktop is charged up or your desktop is plugged in.

Sound

Make sure sound is turned on and at the right level. Use the three keys on your keyboard with speakers on them to adjust sound: increase sound, decrease sound, or mute sound.

Make sure your earphones are plugged in, if desired.

Loading Up the Right Document

Click on the icon called Dropbox.

If the table of contents shows up, click on the item, or folder, you want to read. If it is a folder, the folder will open up, and then pick what you want to read.

If you are in a document and want to go back to the folder choices, click on the arrow (or the word Dropbox) at the top left of the screen. Doing this will bring you back to the table of contents at the folder level, or at the main level. If you see the word dropbox at the top left of the screen, you are in a folder level and still not at the basic level of the table of contents, so press dropbox in the upper left corner again to go to the most basic level of the table of contents. At this point the word Dropbox should be in the center of the screen, not on the upper left.

Remember, the items on the table of contents are listed in alphabetical order. Scroll down or tap the index letter you want.

What Button to Press to Start the Voice (called VoiceOver)

To start VoiceOver, Press command and F5 on the Keyboard.

After you have turned VoiceOver on, you will need to click on a paragraph to start hearing it read out loud.

Alternatively, you may need to start the text playing automatically by pressing control-option-A and then pause the sound by touching control. After doing this, you should be able to click on the sentence you want to have read. You will need to use this technique if the whole window is outlined in black (instead of just a sentence or word).

Normally, you will start at the beginning of each article when you turn VoiceOver on.

To Adjust Speed of Voice

With VoiceOver On, press control-option-command with your left hand and then repeatedly touch the right arrow key with your right hand, until you see the words “Speech Rate”  in the little window that appears. Once you have moved to “Speech Rate”, keep the left fingers down and then press the up arrow key or down arrow key to raise or lower the speaking rate. You can change this as often as you want.

Stopping Sound at End of Sentence or Paragraph

The sound will stop automatically at the end of each paragraph for as long as you want.

Note: If the sound does not stop at the end of the first section just press control and you will be in manual mode.

To Move to the Next Sentence or Paragraph

To move to the next sentence or paragraph, press the right arrow key.

To Move to the Previous Sentence or Paragraph

To move to the previous sentence or paragraph, press the left arrow key.

To Repeat a Selection of Text; 3 Choices:

1. 1.To repeat a section of text, click on it with your mouse.
   

2. 2.Alternatively, you can press the left arrow key and then the right arrow key in quick succession.
   

3. 3.Ideally, press down control-option with the thumb and middle finger of your left hand while you press your index finger of your left hand on Z. As long as you hold the two fingers down, the text will repeat as often as you press the letter Z.
   

To Pause Sound at Any Time During Reading

With VoiceOver turned on, press control to pause the sound, press control again to toggle sound back on.

To end VoiceOver, press Command+F5.

To Have Text Start to Read Automatically (No Pausing)

Press control and option and the letter A. To pause the text at anytime, just press control, and then again to resume sound.

How to Stop Box Around Text (Turn VoiceOver Off)

To turn sound off if it is on, press Command-F5.

How to Move Around Document with VoiceOver On

You should use the scroll bar to get to where you want to be in the document, before you turn VoiceOver on.

After you turn VoceOver on, if you want to move forward or back a page (screen) at a time.

To go back several sentences or a paragraph, just keep pressing the left arrow key.

You can also move the scroll bar up or down and then click on a sentence to read.

To go anywhere in Article or Chapter (with VoiceOver On):

    Press Command+Option+F to bring up search field

        Enter words, by typing or pasting, and press return.

        Continue on from this point using the forward arrow key.

Alternatively, on a long chapter or article, use the scroll bar (or Find function) to locate just where you want to start reading, and do this before turning VoiceOver on. Then using a background window, raise or lower the top of this window so it is just at the scroll bar marker of where you want to be in the main article. Then click back on the main text window to bring it forward and turn VoiceOver on. Then move the scroll bar down to this marker (the background window). This is a super fast way to get quickly to any spot in your long chapter. Of course, you could also use a sticky or piece of tape on the edge of the screen.

To Read Text From The Top of Each Page

At the bottom of the screen of text, press page down. On laptops you press the function key and right arrow, instead. Now press the forward arrow key to see and read the next section of text.

To Read Text with the Next Section Added to the Bottom of the Page

Just continue to press the forward arrow key once you have gotten to the bottom of the page.

© Proportional Reading, 2014