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From: England, Kristina
Date: Fri, Jan 13 2017 11:47AM
Subject: Navigating Microsoft Outlook with Assistive Technology
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Hi everyone,

I know this one isn't web related, but I was wondering if anyone has documented steps on navigating Microsoft Outlook with a screen reader? We are building Microsoft Outlook training on organizing mailboxes and wanted to provide keyboarding steps.

Thanks!

Kristina

From: JP Jamous
Date: Fri, Jan 13 2017 12:16PM
Subject: Re: Navigating Microsoft Outlook with Assistive Technology
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Kristina,

That's a complicated one for a documentation. It depends on what screen reader and what version of Outlook.

For example, there are differences between Outlook 2013 and 2016. The calendar in 2016 is not as easily navigable as 2013 and earlier versions even with JAWS 18.

If you are using Office 2007 you run into the issue of the ribbon bar in 2010 which changed the way JAWS reads with Outlook. I hate the ribbon bar so as many other screen reader users and even sighted users.

It is important to narrow down what version of Outlook and what version of a certain screen reader you want to use. Once you establish this, then both the Outlook short keys and screen reader script keys can be identified. To have a documentation that works for all is not as easy as you think.

From: Poornima
Date: Fri, Jan 13 2017 12:31PM
Subject: Re: Navigating Microsoft Outlook with Assistive Technology
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You could please find the Keyboard Shortcuts for Outlook in the below link,

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Keyboard-shortcuts-for-Outlook-3cdeb221-7ae5-4c1d-8c1d-9e63216c1efd#bkmk_basicnav&ID0EAABAAA 16,_2013

The keyboard shortcuts listed in this link works well with both screen reader ON or OFF.

For sighted keyboard users, the basic navigation for "switching between the views like mail view, calendar view, tasks view, contacts, etc." are the easy references. Once the user lands in any view, the standards keys (Tab, Arrow) works to get through related menus and sub-menus. There is an important key ALT+H that shows all the shortcuts for each of the options in the entire menu bar.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
Poornima.

From: England, Kristina
Date: Fri, Jan 13 2017 12:35PM
Subject: Re: Navigating Microsoft Outlook with Assistive Technology
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Thanks, Poornima! Those shortcuts will be helpful.

And sorry, JP, for not including the version of Outlook on the original email - we are on Outlook 2016.

From: JP Jamous
Date: Fri, Jan 13 2017 12:47PM
Subject: Re: Navigating Microsoft Outlook with Assistive Technology
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The shortcuts you were provided with are a good start. Ensure they apply to 2016. Keep in mind that JAWS 18, with its latest update, still has issues reading folder Views. Let's presume that the user want to establish his or her custom views. JAWS is still not reporting the items in the list views and combo boxes.

They have made some enhancements to the calendar, but I dislike the way it moves between appointments. A user could be looking at appointments for Friday the 13 and all the sudden end up in Monday, Jan 16. That's because JAWS continues to look for appointments in the calendar grid as the user is tabbing and shift tabbing. Where in the past, it would stop on Friday the 13th.

Also, there is a lot of verbose output by JAWS in the calendar. It took me a while to get used to it and for a beginner it can be frustrating. Just keep those in mind.