Using Canvas Keyboard Shortcuts

Using Canvas Keyboard Shortcuts

How to navigate screens in Canvas with the Keyboard

Note: These instructions were written for Safari. In Chrome and Edge, instead of Option+Tab, you can use the Tab key. All other keyboard shortcuts will be the same.

Canvas content can be navigated using only the keyboard in Safari and other supported computer web browsers. The basic navigation controls are Option+Tab to move forward, Option+Shift+Tab, Return or Space to select an item, and the arrow keys to move through lists.

For accessing SpeedGrader using only keyboard shortcuts in Safari, here are the steps using default OSX system preferences:

  1. Load (or reload) the discussion page as a teacher
  2. Press Option + Tab keys
  3. “Skip To Content” link appears
  4. Press the Return key to select that link
  5. Press Option + Tab 4 times to get to the discussion menu (3 vertical dots beside the “Edit” button)
  6. Press the Return key to open the menu
  7. Press the Down arrow twice to select SpeedGrader
  8. Press the Return key to open SpeedGrader

As for beginning a reply to a specific message in a discussion, the same basic navigation keyboard controls can be used, but there are also keyboard shortcuts specific to discussions Links to an external site. that can help bypass content to avoid screen readers such as VoiceOver from reading it.

Once you are within the messages (replies) to the discussion topic, you can use 'j' to go to the next message, 'k' to go to the previous, and 'r' to reply to the current message. Since these keyboard shortcuts rely on being within a message, it can be a bit tricky to get them to work reliably since it may not always be clear if you are within a message or not, or which level of threaded messages you are in. Through some trial and error, the fully visually-impaired faculty member can find a combination of Option+Tab and 'j', 'k', and 'r' to progress through the Canvas discussion elements and initiate replies to the desired messages.

Screen readers, such as VoiceOver, may read the entire "Content Editor" before allowing users to type into a text box.

Note: Probably what is read by VoiceOver is controlled by the preferences in VoiceOver Utility > Web > Web Rotor settings.