Skip to main content

Navigate Collaborate Recordings with Assistive Technology

Last updated: September 12, 2022.

Recording playback keyboard shortcuts

  • To pause and play the recording, press Space Bar.
  • To repeat and skip the recording by 10 seconds, press the Left and Right arrow keys. Or press Shift + Left arrow or Shift + Right arrow to move the marker on the progress bar by 10 seconds.
  • To increase and decrease the volume by 5%, press the Up and Down arrow keys.

Open a recording from a link

  1. Open the link from the meeting coordinator
    • The message “Loading recording, [session name] – recording_[#]” appears on the page and is rendered to screen reader users as “Loading recording, [session name] – recording_[#]”
  2. Verify that that the Collaborate- [session name] – recording_[#] page is open

Video functions

Navigate the page to find the following features:

  • Recording Menu button
    Note: Although visually this button appears to be the first function on the page, it is not in a logical focus order. Keyboard users need to go from the Play button backward to place focus on this button. 
  • Play/Pause button
  • Skip back 10 seconds button
  • [#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds slider
  • Skip forward 10 seconds button
  • [#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds slider
  • Closed Captions pop-up button
    Note: The Closed Captions button isn’t available in Safari until the Play button is activated.
  • Fullscreen Mode button
  • Chat Panel button

Play/Pause

  1. Go to the Play button
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Play button to start the video. 
  3. Video plays. 
  4. Press Spacebar or select the Pause button to pause the video.

Skip back/forward 10 seconds

  1. Go to the Skip back 10 seconds button. 
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Skip back 10 seconds button. 
    • The timestamp next to the Skip back 10 seconds button and before [#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds slider reverts by 10 seconds.
    • Screen reader users need to go to the slider to hear the change in the timestamp as “[#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds.” 
  3. Go to the Skip forward 10 seconds button.
  4. Press Spacebar or select the Skip forward 10 seconds button.
    • The timestamp next to the Skip back 10 seconds button and before [#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds slider moves ahead by 10 seconds.
    • Screen reader users need to go to the slider to hear the change in the time stamp as “[#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds.”

[#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds slider 

Go to the [#] minutes [#] seconds of [#] minutes [#] seconds slider.

Change the value with one of these assistive technologies:

  • Keyboard-only: Use the left and right arrows
  • VoiceOver:
    • Place focus on the slider
    • Ctrl+Option+Shift+Down Arrow to enter the slider
    • VO key+Left or Right Arrow to change the value
    • Ctrl+Option+Shift+Up Arrow to exit the slider
  • JAWS, NVDA, and ZoomText:
    • Spacebar to select the slider
    • Up or Down arrow to change the value
    • Tab or Shift+Tab to take focus off the slider
      Note: If you move too fast in JAWS, the times are read out to you all at once.
  • Dragon Naturally Speaking:
    • Press Left Arrow or Press Right Arrow to change the value
    • Press Esc to close the slider

Volume

  1. Go to the Volume pop-up button. 
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Volume pop-up button to open the volume slider.
  3. Change the value with one of these assistive technologies:
    • Keyboard-only: Use the left and right arrows
    • VoiceOver:
      • Place focus on the slider
      • Ctrl+Option+Shift+Down Arrow to enter the slider
      • Left or Right Arrow to change the value
      • Ctrl+Option+Shift+Up Arrow to exit the slider
    • JAWS:
      • Up or Down Arrow to change the value
      • Esc to close the slider
    • NVDA:
      • Up or Down Arrow to change the value
      • Shift+Tab then Spacebar on the Volume button to close the Volume slider
    • Dragon Naturally Speaking:
      • Press Left Arrow or Press Right Arrow to change the value
      • Press Esc to close the slider
  1. Press Esc to close the menu. 
  2. Focus returns to the Volume pop-up button.

Closed Captions

The Closed Captions button is only available in recordings with captions. If you need captions or a text transcript, contact the person who provided the recording.

  1. Go to the Closed Captions pop-up button. 
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Closed Captions pop-up button to open the captions menu.
  3. Go to the Captions On checkbox. 
  4. Press Spacebar or select the Captions On checkbox to activate the captions. 
    • Caption source appears below the enabled checkbox.
  5. Esc to close the menu.
    • Focus returns to the Closed Captions pop-up button. 
  6. Captions appear in the recording where they have been added in the bottom center of the page.

Caption Size

Attention! The Caption Size feature is only available only in Chrome.

  1. In the Closed Caption menu, go to Caption size: Medium pop-up button.
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Caption size: Medium pop-up button to open a menu to select the caption font size.
  3. Tab or use VO+Left/Right arrows to go between the font size buttons
    • With NVDA, Tab to Fullscreen mode button, then Shift+Tab to place focus in the size list. Tab to the size button.
  4. Press Spacebar or select the [size] button to enable.
    • Font size of captions appear larger or smaller based on the selection.
  5. Esc to close the menu. 
    • Focus returns to the Closed Captions pop-up button. 
    • With NVDA, Shift+Tab back to Closed Captions button, press Spacebar to close the menu.

Fullscreen Mode

  1. Go to the Fullscreen mode button.
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Fullscreen mode button to expand the recording to the full screen.
    • Focus remains on the Fullscreen mode button. The text description changes to Exit Fullscreen mode. 
    • In Chrome with Dragon Naturally Speaking, say “Press Enter” once the Fullscreen mode button has focus
  3. Press Spacebar on the Exit Fullscreen mode button or Press Esc to return the screen to its original size. 
    • Focus remains on the Exit Fullscreen mode button. The text description changes to Fullscreen mode.
      Note: If you use Esc to open or close the Fullscreen Mode, focus goes to the Play button.

Recording menu

  1. Go to the Open Recording menu button.
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Open Recording menu to open the Recording menu.
  3. Go to the menu to find these features:
    • Date of recording in Month Day, Year format (for example, June 10, 2019)
    • Heading with the name of the recording
    • Download Chat button (if a chat transcript is available)
    • Download Captions button (if a caption transcript is available)
    • Report an issue link that opens a Class Collaborate and Support page in a new browser tab
    • Class Collaborate Help link that opens the Collaborate Help for your role in a new browser tab

Download chat transcript, if available

  1. Go to the Download Chat button. 
  2. Press Spacebar or select the Download Chat button. 
  3. A TXT file downloads. Your browser decides how.
    • Chrome: Displays as downloading at the bottom of the browser
    • Firefox: Opens a browser dialog to allow you to choose where it downloads
    • Safari: Automatically goes the Download folder
  1. The chat TXT file can then be opened as a separate document from the recording.

Download captions transcript, if available

  1. Go to the Download Captions button.
  2. Spacebar or select the Download Captions button.
  3. A VTT file downloads. Your browser decides how.
    • Chrome: Displays as downloading as VTT file at the bottom of the browser.
    • Firefox: Opens a browser dialog to allow users to choose where the VTT file downloads.
    • Safari: Automatically opens a VTT file and go the Download folder.
  1. The captions VTT file can then be opened as a separate document from the recording.

Chat panel

  1. Go to the Open Chat panel button.
  2. Press Spacebar or select Chat panel button to open the chat panel.
  3. Then navigate as follows based on browser and/or assistive technology:
  1. Chat messages include the following:
    • Name of the person who posted the chat as a heading
    • Timestamp
    • Chat message text or emoji with text description

Navigate the Chat Messages in Chrome and Firefox

These keyboard commands also work with the screen readers JAWS and NVDA and screen magnifier ZoomText.

  1. Tab to open the chat navigation and place focus on the Next chat message button
  2. Press Spacebar to hear the first chat message
  3. Press Spacebar to continue to navigate the Chat panel

Go to First, Previous and Last Chats in Chrome and Firefox

  • To go to a previous chat use Shift+Tab until you hear “Previous chat message button”, then Spacebar to place focus on the previous chat message. 
  • To go to the first chat, use Shift+Tab until you hear “First chat message button”, then Spacebar to place focus on the first chat message.
  • To go to the last chat, use Tab until you hear “Last chat message button”, then Spacebar to place focus on the last chat message.

Navigate the Chat messages in Safari on a Mac

The VoiceOver screen reader must be enabled in order to navigate the Chat messages as the Tab key does not typically work with in the Safari browser.

  1. Tab to open the chat navigation and place focus on the Next chat message button.
  2. VO key + Spacebar to hear the first chat message.
  3. VO key + Spacebar to continue to navigate the Chat panel.

Go to First, Previous and Last Chats in Safari

  • To go to a previous chat use VO key + Left Arrow until you hear “Previous chat message button”, then VO key + Spacebar to place focus on the previous chat message.
  • To go to the first chat, use VO key + Left Arrow until you hear “First chat message button”, then VO key + Spacebar to place focus on the first chat message. 
  • To go to the last chat, use VO key + Right Arrow until you hear “Last chat message button”, then VO key + Spacebar to place focus on the last chat message.

Navigate the Chat panel with voice commands

  1. Press Tab to open the chat navigation and place focus on the Next chat message button. 
  2. Press Enter to navigate to place focus on the first chat message.
  3. Press Enter to continue to navigate the Chat panel.

Go to First, Previous and Last Chats with Dragon Naturally Speaking

  1. Select First Chat message button, then Press Enter.
  2. Select Previous Chat message button, then Press Enter. 
  3. Select Last Chat message button, then Press Enter.

Returned the current chat message

If a user begins to navigate the Chat panel, a Return to the current chat message button becomes available. This button allows users who leave the Chat panel to return to the chat message that currently has focus. To activate this button, do the following:

Chrome and Firefox:

  • From the Chat panel navigation, Tab two times, over the Last chat message button and the timestamp of the current chat message. Spacebar to return focus to the current chat message. 
  • From the video controls, Shift+Tab until you hear “Return to current chat message button”. Spacebar to return focus to the current chat message

Safari

  • From the Chat panel navigation, Tab two times, over the Last chat message button and the timestamp of the current chat message. VO key + Spacebar to return focus to the current chat message. 
  • From the video controls, Shift+Tab until you hear “Return to current chat message button”. VO key + Spacebar to return focus to the current chat message.

Dragon Naturally Speaking

  • Select Return to the current chat message button

ZoomText

  • ZoomText does place focus on the current chat message when activated. Users must navigate with the Up Arrow to find the current message.

Assistive technologies and browser combinations used

Steps on this page are for these assistive technologies and browser combinations:

  • JAWS 2019 and Firefox®
  • JAWS 2019 and Chrome
  • NVDA 2019 and Firefox
  • NVDA 2019 and Chrome
  • VoiceOver and Safari®
  • Dragon Naturally Speaking and Firefox
  • Dragon Naturally Speaking and Chrome
  • ZoomText 2019 and Firefox
  • ZoomText 2019 and Chrome
  • Zoom and Safari