Please note: As with all online content,
although this information is correct as at the time of
publication, the outlook.com online service is subject to
change at any time. If you find it hard navigating with NVDA,
you can always set up the Thunderbird email client to get your
Outlook.com emails direct to your inbox.
Outlook.com is an
online email client which can be set up to be used online or
with your current email program (such as Mozilla Thunderbird).
Taking the second option, allows you to download your emails
directly to your email client instead of leaving your emails
online. It is up to you. Some blind computer users find the
second option a lot easier.
If you already have an
email account, then it is a matter of entering your details
(your username and password)
to sign into your email account at the following link https://login.live.com/login.srf?wa=wsignin1.0&rpsnv=12&ct=1444112175&rver=6.4.6456.0&wp=MBI_SSL_SHARED&wreply=https:%2F%2Fmail.live.com%2Fdefault.aspx&lc=1033&id=64855&mkt=en-us&cbcxt=mai
If you don’t have an
email account, then you will need to sign up for one. To sign
up for an account you will need to go to the outlook.com
website using the following web address https://signup.live.com/signup?cbcxt=mail&wreply=http%3a%2f%2fmail.live.com&id=64855&lic=1&OLrefer=merchsite&uaid=404710d3a9b04dc8aa7eb100c07ce09e
To get a feel of the
page once signed in, use the Ctrl + the Home key to take you
to the top of the page. Next, use the NVDA key and the down
arrow key for NVDA to start reading the page for you. At any
time you can use the Ctrl key to silence NVDA.
With NVDA you can jump
around with single letter navigation keys. The elements list
can also be used in different parts of Outlook.com. Now and
again you will hear NVDA say menu button collapsed sub menu.
You may hear what it refers to as well (for example more
services). When you hear this, press the spacebar to expand
the menu, then arrow down the list to what you want, then
press the Enter key. You might have to change NVDA into browse
mode to see the options in the menu.
For instructions on how
to set up outlook.com with the Mozilla Thunderbird email
client, or to get a list of shortcut keys for Outlook.com,
please go to the following link https://www.dropbox.com/s/erkxny6yj82plrc/Outlook.com%20settings%20plus%20shortcut%20keys%20for%20Outlook.com.zip?dl=0
Locate an email you
want to read. Once found locate the subject line of the email
then press the Enter key. This will open your email, then, it
is a matter of using the NVDA key + the down arrow key to
start NVDA reading the email for you. When you have read the
email, to close it (and go back to your inbox), use the Esc
key. You will now
be placed back where all of your emails are (in your inbox).
To add a new contact to
your contact list (also known as your address book), you will
need to go to the top of the page. Use the Ctrl + Home key to
do this. Locate the menu button collapsed more services
button. Press the space bar to expand the submenu. You will
have to change NVDA into browse mode so it can see the options
given (People, Calender, and so on). Arrow down to the link
called People, then press the Enter key. Locate the link
called New contact, then press the Enter key. The next page
that comes up will let you enter in their details (for example
First name, last name and so on). There is a save button at
the bottom, make sure you press the Enter key on the save
button so your new contact is saved to your address book.
While the email is open
(and you decide you want to add that person to your contact
list), locate the subject line of the email. This will be a
heading. Just below the subject line will be the person’s name
and email. Just
below their email address will be a link to add that person to
your contact list. When they have been added, while still in
the email, it will let you edit the contact you have just
added. This will be a link. Press the Enter key on it and the
contact details will come up for that person (for example
first name, last name and so on). This can be tabbed through
and changes made. Once done, tab down to save and press the
Enter key. Your new contact should now be in your contact
list.
To send an email, the
easiest way is to go to the top of the page by pressing the
Ctrl key + the Home key. NVDA will be placed at the top of the
page. Press the letter B on your keyboard while in browse
mode. Stop pressing it when you hear NVDA say new button.
Press the Enter key so you can send a new email to someone.
NVDA will default to the “To” field. Here, enter in the email
address (for example freddofrog@littlepond.com).
When you have entered
in the person’s email address, tab until you hear NVDA say
message / subject. Here you will need to enter in the subject
of the email (for example Are there any bigger ponds in the
area?).
When the subject line
has been typed in (so people on the receiving end know what
the email is about), tab again until you hear NVDA say message
body. Here, type in the details of the email.
You will need to go
back into browse mode in NVDA. Use the NVDA key + spacebar to
do this. Next, go back to the top of the page. Use the Ctrl
key + the Home key to do this. When you are at the top of the
page, press the letter B until you hear NVDA say button /
send. Press the Enter key and your email should be sent.
When you have located
an email (and opened it and read it), to reply to the person
who has sent it (while the email is still open), press the
Ctrl key + the Home key. This should take you back to the top
of the page. Press the letter B until you hear NVDA say button
/ reply. Now press the Enter key so you can reply to that
person. You might be placed at the top of the page, so you may
need to scroll down the page until you get to the body of the
email. If you press the letter F, this will jump you down by
form fields, and if you press the letter E, this will jump you
down by edit areas. You need do this until you hear NVDA say
message body or multi line. Depending on which way you drive
NVDA, you may alter what you hear. You will need to change
into focus mode so that you can type in a reply. After you
have typed in your reply, you will need to change back into
browse mode and go back to the top of the page. Press the
letter B until you hear NVDA say Send button, then press the
Enter key and the email will be sent for you.
When your email has
been typed up, change back into browse mode. Next, go to the
top of the page. Now, press the letter B until you hear NVDA
say Insert button, then press the Enter key. It will give you
some options. These will be: Files as attachments, Pictures
inline, and Share from OneDrive. Select the one you want (for
example files as attachments).
The next screen that comes up will allow you to upload
an attachment.
When you have located
the file you want to attach to the email, simply press the
Enter key on that file, and it will be attached to your email.
Then, when you have finished adding all of your attachments
change back into browse mode and go to the top of the page.
Locate the send button and press the Enter key and your email
will be on its way.
When you come across an
email with an attachment, (and after you have opened the email
and read it), to get the attachment you can do it a couple of
ways.
When you have opened
the email, you can just arrow down the page until you hear the
email that you are going to read. You will hear different
things being read out by NVDA. You are looking for the
attachment. The attachment will be below the show / hide
active view. As you arrow down the page it will also tell you
how many attachments you have and the name of the attachments.
Below this section it will give you the options to save the
attachment as a zip file or save it to your one drive account.
You can also use the elements list in NVDA to bring up the
attachments section. If it is done this way, you will need to
look for the save as zip link or save to one drive link (and,
once located) press the Enter key. The result will depend on
which option is chosen. For example using the save as zip
option will bring up a dialogue box that will give you the
option to either open the attachment or save it. If you choose
to save the file to your computer, a save as dialogue box will
come up. Tab around until you hear NVDA say save button, then
press the Enter key. Make
sure you note the name of the file and where it is going to be
saved (for example the Desktop).
To forward on an email
to another person, if it is the email you have just read,
while the email is still open, put NVDA into browse mode. Go
to the top of the page with the Ctrl key + the Home key. Next,
press the letter B until you hear NVDA say Reply button. Just
below this button you will hear NVDA say collapsed sub menu
More reply commands. Press the space bar on your keyboard.
This will expand the sub menu. Simply arrow down to the
forward clickable link, then press the Enter key. You may have to press
the Enter key twice, or press the space bar and the Enter key.
If it does it correctly, NVDA should default
to the "to" field, so then it is just a matter of entering in
the persons email address. If you wish to add any more
information, simply type it into the body of the email. Then
it is a matter of sending it after that.