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Product Documentation

Accessibility

Software Accessibility Support

MathWorks products includes a number of modifications to make them more accessible to all users. Software accessibility support for blind and visually impaired users includes:

Keyboard access to the user interface includes support for "sticky keys," which allow you to press key combinations (such as Ctrl+C) sequentially rather than simultaneously.

Except for scopes and real-time data acquisition, MathWorks software does not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

MathWorks believes that its products do not rely on auditory cues as the sole means of conveying information about working with a GUI. However, if you do encounter any issues in this regard, please report them to the MathWorks Technical Support group.

http://www.mathworks.com/contact_TS.html 

Documentation Accessibility Support

Documentation is available in HTML format for all MathWorks products in this release.

Accessing the Documentation

To access the documentation with a screen reader, go to the documentation area on the MathWorks Web site at

http://www.mathworks.com/help

Navigating the Documentation

Note that the first page that opens lists the products. To get the documentation for a specific product, click the link for that product.

The table of contents is in a separate frame. You can use a document's table of contents to navigate through the sections of that document.

Because you will be using a general Web browser, you will not be able to use the search feature included in the MATLAB Help browser. You will have access to an index for the specific document you are using. The cross-product index of the MATLAB Help browser is not available when you are using a general Web browser.

Products

The documentation for all products is in HTML and can be read with a screen reader. However, for most products, most equations and most graphics are not accessible.

The following product documentation has been modified (as described below) to enhance its accessibility for people using a screen reader such as the JAWS® application software from Freedom Scientific BLV Group:

Documentation Modifications

Modifications to the documentation include the following:

Equations

Equations that are integrated in paragraphs are generally explained in words. However, most complex equations that are represented as graphics are not currently explained with alternative text.

Assistive Technologies

Tested Assistive Technologies

MathWorks has tested the following assistive technologies:

Use of Other Assistive Technologies

Although MathWorks has not tested other assistive technologies, such as other screen readers or ZoomText® Xtra screen magnifier from Ai Squared, MathWorks believes that most of the accessibility support built into its products should work with most assistive technologies that are generally similar to the ones tested.

If you use other assistive technologies than the ones tested, MathWorks is very interested in hearing from you about your experiences.

Installation Notes for Accessibility Support

This section describes the installation process for setting up your MATLAB environment to work effectively with the JAWS software.

Use the regular MATLAB installation script to install the products for which you are licensed. The installation script has been modified to improve its accessibility for all users.

After you complete the product installation, there are some additional steps you need to perform to ensure the JAWS software works effectively with MathWorks products.

Setting Up JAWS Software

Make sure that the JAWS application software is installed on your machine. If it is, there is probably a shortcut to it on the Windows desktop.

Setting up JAWS software involves these tasks:

  1. Add the Java Access Bridge to your Windows path.

  2. Create the accessibility.properties file.

These tasks are described in more detail below.

Add Java Access Bridge Software to Your Path.  To add Java Access Bridge to your Windows path:

  1. On your Windows system, locate the Environment Variables dialog box.

    The location varies, depending on the version of Windows you are running.

  2. Under System variables, select the Path option.

  3. Click the Edit button.

  4. At the end of the Path environment variable:

    1. See if a semicolon appears at the end of the existing variable value. If not, add one.

    2. Add the folder that contains matlab.exe; for example:

      C:\matlab\bin\win32;

  5. Click OK three times.

  6. Restart your system.

  7. Restart the JAWS software.

      Note   The JAWS software must be started with these path changes in effect to work properly with MATLAB.

  8. When the JAWS software indicates it is ready, restart MATLAB.

Create the accessibility.properties File.  

  1. Create a text file that contains the following two lines:

    screen_magnifier_present=true
    assistive_technologies=com.sun.java.accessibility.AccessBridge
    
  2. Use the file name accessibility.properties.

  3. Move the accessibility.properties file into

    matlabroot\sys\java\jre\win32\jre1.5.0_07\lib\

Pronunciation Dictionary for the JAWS Software.  As a convenience, MathWorks provides a pronunciation dictionary for the JAWS application software. This dictionary is in a file called MATLAB.jdf.

During installation, the file is copied to your system under the root folder for MATLAB at sys\Jaws\matlab.jdf.

To use the dictionary, you must copy it to the \SETTINGS\ENU folder located beneath the root installation folder for the JAWS software.

You need to restart the JAWS software and MATLAB for the settings to take effect.

Testing

After you install the JAWS software and set up your environment as described above, you should test to ensure the JAWS software is working properly:

  1. Start the JAWS software.

  2. Start MATLAB.

The JAWS software should start talking to you as you select menu items and work with the user interface for MATLAB in other ways.

Troubleshooting

This section identifies workarounds for some possible issues you may encounter related to accessibility support in MathWorks products.

JAWS Software Does Not Detect When Installation of the MATLAB Software Has Started

When you select setup.exe, the Windows copying dialog box opens and you are informed. After the files have been copied, the installation splash screen opens, and then the installer starts. However, the JAWS software does not inform you that the installer has begun: the installer either starts up below other windows or applications or it is minimized. Since the installer is not an active item, nothing is read.

Therefore, check the Windows applications bar for the installer. After you go to the installer, you can use the JAWS software to perform the installation.

JAWS Software Stops Speaking

When many desktop components are open, the JAWS software sometimes stops speaking for MATLAB.

If this happens, close most of the desktop components, exit MATLAB, and restart.

Command Output Not Read

In the MATLAB Command Window, the JAWS software does not automatically read the results of commands.

This problem is likely to be caused by the way you have keyboard shortcuts defined in MATLAB. Keyboard shortcuts activate a certain command in MATLAB when you press a key or combination of keys. By default, MATLAB assigns the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to the Previous History and Next History commands in the Command Window. However, JAWS needs these two keys to be assigned to the Cursor Up and Cursor Down commands to be able to automatically read the results of commands.

You can check the shortcut setting for the Up Arrow key simply by pressing this key while in the Command Window. If the cursor moves up on the screen, then your settings are correct and this is not the cause of the problem. If the Up Arrow key displays your most recent command, or performs any action other than moving the cursor up, then follow the steps below to correct the problem.

For more information on either of the procedures described below, see Keyboard Shortcuts.

Assigning Shortcuts for Cursor Up and Cursor Down.  Follow these steps to make the Up Arrow key a shortcut to Cursor Up and Down Arrow a shortcut to Cursor Down. You only need to execute this procedure once. MATLAB saves your settings and restores them in your next MATLAB session.

  1. Select File > Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts.

  2. In the search field (with dimmed text reading "Search by action name or shortcut") enter the words "cursor up", and then click the line that shows the action-to-shortcut key association.

  3. In the Shortcuts for Cursor Up panel click MATLAB Editor. Notice that the check box is selected for MATLAB Editor, but not Command Window.

  4. Select Command Window.

    Move the cursor away, and the Tools with shortcut column now reads All Tools.

  5. The All possible conflicts panel shows that the shortcut you have just established conflicts with an existing shortcut in the Command Window. The Command Window now has two actions, Cursor Up and Previous History Command, assigned to the same key (Up Arrow). To resolve this conflict, select the line that shows Previous History Command, and then click the Unassign button:

    Click Apply to make this setting active.

  6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 to assign the Down Arrow key to the Cursor Down command in the Command Window. This also removes the existing shortcut between Down Arrow and Next History command.

Reassigning Shortcuts for Previous History and Next History.  At this point, you have made assignments for the Cursor Up and Cursor Down desktop actions. The previously defined shortcuts for the Previous History and Next History commands have been removed. If you would like to retain these latter two shortcuts, you need to assign new keys to them. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Type "previous history" in the box above Action name.

  2. Click the line below Action name that reads Previous History Command.

  3. Open the key entry field in the Shortcuts for Previous History Command panel by clicking the plus button.

  4. Press the key or key combination you want to use as the shortcut for the Previous History action. For example, hold down the Alt key and press the Up Arrow key.

  5. View the All possible conflicts panel to see if there are any conflicts with this assignment. If there are no conflicts, click Apply to make the setting active. If you do have conflicts, then either choose a different key to use as the shortcut, or see the documentation on Evaluate and Resolve Keyboard Shortcut Conflicts.

  6. Repeat steps 1 through 4 to assign a shortcut key to the Next History command in the Command Window.

Some GUI Menus Are Treated as Check Boxes

For some GUIs (for example, the figure window), menus are treated by the JAWS software as though they are check boxes, whether or not they actually are.

You can choose a menu item for such GUIs by using accelerator keys (e.g., Ctrl+N to select New Figure), if one is associated with a menu item. You can also use mnemonics for menu navigation (e.g., Alt+E).

Note that check boxes that you encounter by tabbing through the elements of a GUI are handled properly.

Text Ignored in Some GUIs

For some dialog boxes, the JAWS software reads the dialog box title and any buttons, but ignores any text in the dialog box.

Also, in parts of some GUIs, such as some text-entry fields, the JAWS software ignores the label of the field. However, the JAWS software will read any text in the text box.

  


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