TSBVI Technology Institute

What is Forms Mode?

This must be used when using a search engine or online email account.

Background

Forms Mode is a special feature of JFW. It allows the student to fill in forms on the Internet. If you are a sighted user, forms are the blank boxes that appear on web pages, allowing you to enter what you are searching for on the Internet, or your user name or password.

For example, when JFW encounters one of these boxes, it informs the reader by saying, "edit, blank". The mistake here would be to try and enter text into the blank box! If the student tries to enter text he or she will hear the text being typed, but JFW will ignore the text. It is extremely important to understand that the student must enter Forms Mode to fill in any blank boxes encountered on the Internet.

Procedure

To use Forms Mode, the student must navigate to the "edit box" and listen for JFW to announce, "edit, blank". If the student is on a search engine web page, the student listens for, "search for" and then hears, "edit, blank". If the student were checking their online email, they would be listening for, "username", then "edit, blank". When the student hears, "edit, blank" they would then press the Enter key to enter Forms Mode. They will hear, "Forms Mode on" after pressing the Enter Key. If this is not heard, the student will need to move up and down on the web page and listen again for, "edit, blank".

Once the student is in Forms Mode he or she can enter the required information, such as password, username, or search criteria. To navigate in Forms Mode the student would use the TAB or SHIFT + TAB to move between choices. Say for example the student is using a search engine, he or she would enter forms mode and then press the TAB key to get to the SEARCH button. When the student hears the correct button, he or she presses the ENTER key to activate the button.

To exit Forms Mode the student can press the Plus Sign on the Numeric Keypad. This is usually not necessary due to a new web page opening and automatically turning Forms Mode off. This happens because the student has either requested a search or possibly entered the inbox in their online email account, both of which cause Forms Mode to deactivate and a new web page to open.

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Last Revision: November 4, 2002