AxsJAX-Enhanced GMail User Guide

Table of Contents

1 Introduction To AxsJAX-Enhanced GMail

1.1 What Is AxsJAX-Enhanced GMail?

AxsJAX-Enhanced GMail is the same as regular GMail, with all user actions producing relevant spoken feedback when used in conjunction with adaptive technologies such as screenreaders or self-voicing browsers. Note that GMail is a very keyboard friendly Web application; common user actions are available from the keyboard --- note that these need to be enabled the first time. Here is a brief description of GMail when using AxsJAX; see the final section of this document for configuring AxsJAX for your setup if you are a first-time AxsJAX user.

1.2 How Do I Use These Features?

All of the AxsJAX enhancements are activated through the keyboard. If your assistive technology uses modes, e.g., browse mode in JFW, please switch to the mode that you use for working with forms and web applications so that your keystrokes will be sent to the web page.

The GMail interface can be broken into three types of views:

  1. Search results --- used to display matching email messages after a search
  2. Thread list view --- used to display a summary of mail folders
  3. Conversation view --- used to display a specific thread of conversation.
The keyboard commands listed below are available in all of these views, and produce the appropriate spoken feedback, e.g., speak the current conversation, as one works with GMail.
  1. ? (question mark): Brings up a list of the keyboard commands.
  2. / (slash): Puts focus on the search field.
  3. Esc: Takes focus away from the search field.
  4. l: Go to the Quick Nav select box for jumping to labels.
  5. j: Go to the next conversation.
  6. k: Go to the previous conversation.
  7. o: Opens the current conversation.
  8. n: Go to the next message in the current conversation.
  9. p: Go to the previous message in the current conversation.
  10. x: Selects the current conversation.
  11. s: Stars a message/conversation.
  12. y: Removes the conversation from current view.
  13. m: Mutes the conversation.
  14. ! (exclamation mark): Report the conversation as spam.
  15. # (number sign): Moves the conversation to trash.
  16. z: Undoes the last action when possible.
  17. c: Compose a new message.
  18. r: Reply to the current message.
  19. a: Reply all to the current message.
  20. f: Forward the current message.
Note that all of the above commands are available in GMail by default. AxsJAX augments these actions with the necessary DOM mutations so that adaptive technologies that implement W3C ARIA can produce the relevant spoken feedback in conjunction with a conformant browser.

1.3 How Can I Start Using AxsJAX?

If you are a first-time AxsJAX user, see the AxsJAX Technical Overview for details on configuring AxsJAX. Once configured, this automatically injects accessibility features into Web applications that have been enabled via AxsJAX.

Author: T.V. Raman, Charles L. Chen <clchen@google.com>

Date: 2007/12/19 11:53:23