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Contents


Basic Test Rules

Pause Rules



Overview of the Test Tools

All tests have navigation and test tools. Some test tools are available only for specific tests or questions.

The following test tools are available:


This table provides a description of the Global Tools available.

Global Tools Description
Help Button The Help button in the upper-right corner opens this Instructions and Help page.
Calculator

To use the on-screen calculator, select Calculator in the global menu.

Notes To enter notes in an on-screen notepad, select Notes in the global menu.

This table provides a description of the Context Menu Tools available.

Context Menu Tools Description
Mark for Review
To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the context menu. The marked question number displays a flap in the upper-right corner and a flag icon flag icon appears next to the number on the test page. The Questions drop-down list displays Item Marked for Review Flag for the selected question.


Navigating the Test with Job Access With Speech (JAWS)

This section provides instructions for using JAWS to navigate a test page.

Note: The first time the test loads, JAWS may start reading everything until you stop it. However, on the next test page, the focus will be on the first question on the page.

About Test Regions and Elements

A test page has up to three landmark regions: the Banner, the Navigation region, and the Main region. To navigate between these landmarks using JAWS, press the R key.

JAWS Keyboard Commands

You can use the following keyboard commands to navigate within a test page.

Note: The commands in this table are based on JAWS 16. Commands may be slightly different in other versions.


Action Keyboard Command
Navigate to the next landmark region on the page. R
Move to the next line on the page. Down Arrow
Move to the previous line on the page. Up Arrow
Move to the next component on the page.
  • In general, the following test elements are components:
    • Question number and associated question text
    • Question context menu
    • Response options
    • Navigation and tool buttons
Tab
Move to the previous component on the page. Shift + Tab
Jump to the next heading on the page.
  • In general, the following test components have a heading:
    • Test name (H1)
    • Student name (H2)
    • Passage title (H3)
    • Question number (H3)
Note: On test pages that have multiple questions, you can jump directly from one question to the next. To do so, press H and then press the Down arrow twice.
H
Jump to the previous heading on the page. Shift + H
Select an option or button. Enter
Read everything on the page from your current place on the page. Insert + Down Arrow
Stop JAWS from reading. Ctrl or Space

Opening a Context Menu

The first question on a test page will automatically be in focus. The instructions in this section assume you want to open the context menu for the active landmark element on the page and have not yet used the Tab key to navigate anywhere.

To open the context menu for a stimulus or question:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • If you are opening the context menu for a stimulus, ensure the focus is on the stimulus.
    • If you are opening the context menu for a question, ensure the focus is on the question.
  2. To navigate directly to the context menu button, press Tab twice. JAWS reads aloud “Menu button.”
  3. Press Enter. The context menu opens and displays the list of available menu options. JAWS reads aloud the first option in the menu.
  4. To move up and down the list, press the Up and Down arrow keys. JAWS automatically reads aloud each option.
  5. To select a menu option, press Enter.

To exit the menu without making a selection, press the Esc key. JAWS will return focus to the context menu button.

About Question Labels

After you use a context menu tool for a given question, a label for that tool appears next to the question number. When you navigate to a question with labels, you can press Tab to navigate to each label, which JAWS reads aloud.

  • When a question is marked for review, JAWS reads “Marked for review” for the question label (Mark For Review Label).
  • When a question has been printed, JAWS reads “Printed” for the question label (Printed label).
  • When you have entered a note for a question, JAWS reads “Notes” for the question label (note label).

Responding to Questions with JAWS

This section provides basic guidance for responding to question types that may appear on a test.

Note: The instructions in this section assume that the question does not display any question labels. If you have used a context menu tool for a question, you must press Tab an additional time for each question label that appears.

Multiple-Choice and Multi-Select Questions

The procedures for responding to Multiple-Choice and Multi-Select questions are similar.

  1. After listening to the question text, press Tab twice. JAWS reads aloud the option’s text. If the option is an image, JAWS reads the text description associated with the image.
  2. To navigate between each answer option, use the Tab and Shift + Tab commands (or use the Up and Down arrow keys). JAWS reads aloud the text for the option in focus.
  3. To select the response option in focus as your response, press Space. The answer option is selected and JAWS reads “Space.”

Hot Text Questions

Hot text questions require you to select at least one word, phrase, or sentence.

  1. After listening to the question text, press the Tab key twice. This will take you to the first selectable word, phrase, or sentence. JAWS will read aloud the text that is in focus.
  2. To navigate between each selectable text area, use the Tab and Shift + Tab commands. JAWS will read aloud the selectable text.
  3. To choose a selectable text area in focus as your response, press the Enter key. JAWS will announce the text is checked.

Edit Task Questions

Edit task questions require you to replace an incorrect selectable word or phrase.

Important Notes About JAWS and Edit Task Questions:

It is strongly recommended that you read through an entire question before editing text.

  1. Use the Down arrow to read through each line of text. If a line of text has a selectable word or phrase, JAWS will say "clickable" after the word or phrase.
  2. Navigate to each selectable text field in the question.
    • Option 1: Return to the beginning of the question.
      • Press Shift + H.
      • Press Tab to go to the first selectable text field.
    • Option 2: Move backwards through the selectable text fields in the question.
      • Press Shift + Tab.
  3. When the selectable text is in focus, press space. This will open the edit menu. JAWS will read "Edit tools dialog" and provide additional instructions.
    • Text box: Type in the replacement word or phrase.
    • Drop-down list: Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move between options in the list. JAWS will read aloud each option. To select an option, press Enter.
  4. Press Tab to navigate to the OK button in the edit menu. Press Enter. The edit menu will close and the question will be back in focus.

Text Response Questions

Text response questions require you to enter text into a text box.

  1. Read the question and then use the Tab command to move to the response area. JAWS will read "Edit, type in text."
  2. When you are done entering a response, press Tab. You will leave the text box and move to the next question on the page.

Table Match Questions

Table match questions require you to mark at least one checkbox in a table. The table will have multiple rows and columns. The table row heading and column heading are not selectable. The selectable table cells have checkboxes.

  1. After listening to the question text, press the Tab key twice. This will take you to the first table cell that has a checkbox. JAWS will read aloud the corresponding column name and row name for that table cell.
  2. To navigate to each cell that has a checkbox, press the Tab key. JAWS will read aloud the corresponding column and row name for each cell.
  3. To mark a checkbox, press space.

Equation Questions

Equation questions require you to enter a math equation or expression in a text field using an on-screen keypad.

  1. To navigate between the keypad buttons, press Tab or Shift + Tab. JAWS reads aloud the character or action for each button.
  2. To enter a character in the text field or perform an action from the keypad toolbar, press Enter. You can also press the corresponding key on your keyboard, if available.
  3. Optional: To add special characters to the text field, press Alt + 7 with the focus on the text field. A pop-up window opens, with a drop-down list of the available characters. To move between the options in this list, use the arrow keys. JAWS reads the name of each special character. To insert the selected character, press Enter.


Navigating the Test without JAWS

This section provides instructions for using keyboard commands to navigate a test page without JAWS.

About Test Regions and Elements

A test page has up to three regions: the Banner, the Navigation region, and theMain region.

Keyboard Commands

You can use the following keyboard commands to navigate within a test page.


Action Keyboard Command
Move to the next component on the page.
  • In general, the following test elements are components:
    • Question number and associated text
    • Passages
    • Context menus
    • Response options
    • Navigation and tool buttons
Tab
Move to the previous component on the page. Shift + Tab
Select a response option or mark a checkbox. Space
Select a button, open a menu, or select a menu option. Enter
Move to the next option in a context menu. Down Arrow
Move to the previous option in a context menu. Up Arrow
Close a context menu. Esc

Opening a Context Menu

To open the context menu for a stimulus or question:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • If you are opening the context menu for a stimulus, ensure the focus is on the stimulus.
    • If you are opening the context menu for a question, ensure the focus is on the question.
  2. To navigate directly to the context menu button, press Tab twice.
  3. Press Enter. The context menu opens and displays the list of available menu options.
  4. To move up and down the list, press the Up and Down arrow keys.
  5. To select a menu option, press Enter.

To exit the menu without making a selection, press the Esc key.


Responding to Questions without JAWS

This section provides basic guidance for responding to question types that may appear on a test.

Note: The instructions in this section assume that the question does not display any question labels. If you have used a context menu tool for a question, you must press Tab an additional time for each question label that appears.

Multiple-Choice and Multi-Select Questions

The procedures for responding to Multiple-Choice and Multi-Select questions are similar.

  1. After listening to the question text, press Tab twice.
  2. To navigate between each answer option, use the Tab and Shift + Tab commands (or use the Up and Down arrow keys).
  3. To select the response option in focus as your response, press Space.

Hot Text Questions

Hot text questions require you to select at least one word, phrase, or sentence.

  1. After reading the question, press the Tab key until the first selectable text area is in focus.
  2. To navigate between each selectable text area, use the Tab and Shift + Tab commands.
  3. To choose a selectable text area in focus as your response, press the Enter key.

Edit Task Questions

Edit task questions require you to replace an incorrect selectable word or phrase.

  1. To navigate to a selectable text field in the question, press the Tab key.
  2. When the selectable text is in focus, press space. This will open the edit menu.
    • Text box: Type in the replacement word or phrase.
    • Drop-down list: Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move between options in the list. To select an option, press Enter.
  3. Press Tab to navigate to the OK button in the edit menu. Press Enter. The edit menu will close and the question will be back in focus.

Text Response Questions

Text response questions require you to enter text into a text box.

  1. Read the question and then use the Tab key to move to the response area.
  2. When you are done entering a response, press Tab. You will leave the text box and move to the next question on the page.

Table Match Questions

Table match questions require you to mark at least one checkbox in a table. The table will have multiple rows and columns. The table row heading and column heading are not selectable. The selectable table cells have checkboxes.

  1. After listening to the question text, press the Tab key until the first table cell with a checkbox is in focus.
  2. To navigate to each cell that has a checkbox, press the Tab key.
  3. To mark a checkbox, press space.

Equation Questions

Equation questions require you to enter a math equation or expression in a text field using an on-screen keypad.

  1. To navigate between the keypad buttons, press Tab or Shift + Tab.
  2. To enter a character in the text field or perform an action from the keypad toolbar, press Enter. You can also press the corresponding key on your keyboard, if available.
  3. Optional: To add special characters to the text field, press Alt + 7 with the focus on the text field. A pop-up window opens, with a drop-down list of the available characters. To move between the options in this list, use the arrow keys. To insert the selected character, press Enter.