NLS Braille eReader Accessible Manual

First-time keyboard guide

Use this short routine before following the NLS Braille eReader Accessible Manual procedures. It explains exactly how the keyboard directions in this manual work.

Press a single key

1. Find the named key without pressing it if possible.
2. Press and release the key one time. Do not hold it unless the step specifically says to hold it.
3. Stop and listen to the full screen-reader announcement before pressing another key.

Press a keyboard combination

1. When a command contains a plus sign, such as Ctrl+S, hold down the first key.
2. While continuing to hold the first key, press and release the final key once.
3. Release the first key. The plus sign is not a key and should not be pressed.
4. Listen for the expected result described in the procedure. If nothing changes, verify that the correct application or webpage has focus and try the command once more.

Press a sequence of keys

1. When keys are separated by commas or the word “then,” press and release them in order instead of holding them together.
2. After each key, listen for a menu, tab, control, or new screen before continuing.
3. If the announcement does not match the step, press Escape once to close the current menu or dialog and restart that procedure.

Know which navigation key to try

• Tab and Shift+Tab: move forward and backward among buttons, links, fields, and other controls.
• Arrow keys: move inside menus, lists, groups of choices, text, and many screen-reader reading views.
• Enter: opens the selected item or activates the focused command.
• Space: activates many buttons and checks or clears checkboxes. In a text field, Space types a space.
• Escape: cancels or closes the current menu, list, or dialog without intentionally accepting a change.

Verify before moving on

1. Listen for the window, page, or application name so you know where focus is.
2. Perform only one numbered step.
3. Compare what the screen reader announces with the “What should happen” information in the procedure.
4. If the result is wrong, stop. Use the procedure’s recovery directions, Escape to cancel, or Ctrl+Z to undo when that command is supported.
5. Continue only after you can identify the result. Save completed work with Ctrl+S whenever the application supports saving.

First complete independent workflow

This rehearsal joins existing procedures into one uninterrupted session without repeating their directions. Follow the linked procedure when a step names it, then return here for the next verification.

Safety check: Confirm the exact device model, firmware or software version, active connection, battery level, and storage location before using a command.

1. Open NLS Braille eReader Accessible Manual and wait until its name, starting screen, or connected-device status is announced.
2. Choose a fictional, public, disposable, or instructor-provided practice item. Do not use private client, student, medical, financial, or account-recovery information.
3. Open Return to the Main Menu and open a book. Read its “What you will learn,” “Before you begin,” keyboard-command, and expected-result information before pressing anything.
4. Complete that procedure one numbered action at a time. After each key, stop and identify what changed before continuing.
5. State the result aloud or record it in a practice note. If it differs from “What should happen,” use that procedure’s recovery directions before advancing.
6. Continue directly to Navigate, search, and identify your position without closing the application or device session. First confirm that focus, account, file, book, conversation, or project context is still correct.
7. Complete the second procedure and verify the resulting name, state, location, permission, value, or content. Do not rely only on a success sound.
8. Save or synchronize when the product supports it. Wait for the completed state before disconnecting a device, closing a browser, or switching accounts.
9. Continue to Insert and return to a bookmark. Use the exact command listed there; if the command varies by model or version, use Keyboard Help, the product’s shortcut list, or the linked official reference instead of guessing.
10. Introduce one harmless recoverable error, such as opening the wrong menu or moving focus away. Press Escape once, identify the active window or device area, and return to the correct step.
11. Review the finished practice item from its beginning. Confirm its title or filename, structure, content, destination, sharing state, and saved or synchronized status as applicable.
12. Close and reopen the item or return to it from the product’s main screen. The workflow is complete only when you can locate it and verify the same result independently.

Success standard: Complete all three linked tasks, explain the commands used, recover from the practice error, and locate the finished result without another person directing the next key.

Purpose and setup

This manual supports independent practice with NLS Braille eReader on Windows. Use the exact software version, device model, account permissions, and workplace policy available to you. Commands and labels can change after updates.

• Start JAWS before opening the application or connecting a braille device.
• Use Insert+T for the window title, Insert+Tab for focus, and Insert+1 for Keyboard Help.
• Practice with fictional, public, instructor-provided, or redacted information only.
• Never submit passwords, recovery codes, government identifiers, protected books, or private workplace data.
• Save a backup before changing, deleting, converting, or remediating a file.

Identify your model before using commands

• Zoomax: has six display keys labeled D1 through D6, four system keys labeled S1 through S4, and five navigation keys. S1 opens the Main Menu.
• HumanWare: uses four thumb keys for menu movement and does not use the Zoomax S1 through S4 arrangement.

Important: Both models have 20 braille cells and Perkins-style keys, but their navigation and file commands are not interchangeable.

HumanWare model: Basic and advanced how-tos

Keyboard commands: HumanWare eReader commands use braille chords, thumb keys, Enter, and Backspace as described in each task.

Return to the Main Menu and open a book

Device commands: Space with M, dots 1-3-4, opens the Main Menu. Up and Down thumb keys move through items. Enter opens the selected item.

1. Press Space with M.
2. Move to Book Reader and press Enter.
3. Open Book List.
4. Use the thumb keys to find the intended title.
5. Press Enter and use the panning keys to read.

You should feel: The selected title followed by its opening text.

If that does not happen: Press Space with M once and confirm whether Book Reader stopped or another message is displayed.

Navigate, search, and identify your position

Device commands: Space+Dot 1 or Space+Dot 4 moves by paragraph; Space+Dot 2 or Space+Dot 5 moves by page; Space+F, dots 1-2-4, searches; Space with the W-H sign, dots 1-5-6, gives Where am I.

1. Open a practice book.
2. Move forward and backward by paragraph, then by page.
3. Press Space+F, type a word, and press Enter.
4. Use Space+N for the next result or Space+P for the previous result.
5. Press Space with dots 1-5-6 to confirm the location.

If that does not happen: Check spelling and whether the search started after the current position.

Insert and return to a bookmark

Device commands: Enter+B, dots 1-2, inserts a quick bookmark. Enter+J, dots 2-4-5, opens the bookmark list.

1. Move to a passage you want to save.
2. Press Enter+B and note the bookmark confirmation.
3. Move several pages away.
4. Press Enter+J, enter the bookmark number if requested, and press Enter.
5. Use Where am I to verify the restored position.

If that does not happen: Open the Bookmark Menu with Enter+M and inspect saved bookmark numbers.

Find and download a BARD title

1. Connect to a trusted Wi-Fi network.
2. Press Space+M and open Online Services, then NLS BARD.
3. Open Search collection, enter a title, author, or keyword, and press Enter.
4. Move through results and press Enter for title information.
5. Choose Download or Download Then Open.
6. Wait for completion, return to Book Reader, and confirm the title in Book List.

If that does not happen: Check the Wi-Fi and BARD status. Never include BARD credentials in a lesson file.

Manage a file without losing it

Device commands: Space+D selects a drive; Space+I gives information; Backspace+C copies; Backspace+X cuts; Backspace+V pastes.

1. Open File Manager and press Space+D to select the drive.
2. Use thumb keys to select the file and press Space+I to confirm its name and location.
3. Use Backspace+C to preserve the original or Backspace+X only when moving it.
4. Open the verified destination and press Backspace+V.
5. Confirm both source and destination before deleting anything.

If that does not happen: Preserve every copy and check available storage with Space+I.

Zoomax model: Basic and advanced how-tos

Return to the Main Menu and open a book

Device commands: S1 or Space with M, dots 1-3-4, opens the Main Menu. Navigate up or down with N-Up, N-Down, D1, D3, D4, or D6. Dot 8, N-Center, or a cursor router activates the selected item.

1. Press S1.
2. Move to Book Reader and press Enter.
3. Open Book List.
4. Move through titles until the intended book is displayed.
5. Press Enter and use D2 or the left panning key to pan left; use D5 or the right panning key to pan right.

You should feel: The selected title followed by its opening text.

If that does not happen: Press S1 once and check for a startup, storage, or error message before reopening Book Reader.

Navigate and identify your reading position

Device commands: Dot 1 moves to the previous paragraph and Dot 4 to the next paragraph. Dot 2 moves to the previous page and Dot 5 to the next page. Space with the W-H sign, dots 1-5-6, gives the current position.

1. Open a practice book.
2. Move forward and backward by paragraph.
3. Move forward and backward by page.
4. Press Space with dots 1-5-6.
5. Read the reported page, volume, and position information.

If that does not happen: Confirm that focus is inside the open book rather than Book List or a menu.

Search for text

Device commands: Space with F, dots 1-2-4, opens Find. Space with N, dots 1-3-4-5, finds the next occurrence; Space with P, dots 1-2-3-4, finds the previous occurrence.

1. Move to a known point in the book.
2. Press Space+F, type the search term, and press Enter.
3. Read the surrounding line to confirm the match.
4. Press Space+N for the next match or Space+P to move backward.
5. Use Where am I to record the result’s location.

If that does not happen: Check spelling, braille grade, and whether the search begins from the current position.

Create and return to a bookmark

Device approach: Press S3 for the Context Menu, then select the bookmark command shown for the current book.

1. Move to the passage you want to save.
2. Press S3 and find Set Bookmark.
3. Activate it and confirm the bookmark message.
4. Move several pages away.
5. Open the Context Menu again, choose Go to Bookmark, select the bookmark, and press Enter.
6. Use Where am I to verify the restored position.

If that does not happen: Confirm that the book supports bookmarks and that the bookmark was created in the current title.

Find and download a BARD title

Device command: Space with A, dot 1, opens BARD from anywhere after the device is configured.

1. Connect to trusted Wi-Fi and press Space+A.
2. Choose a title, author, subject, or keyword search.
3. Enter the search text and press Enter.
4. Move through results, open the intended title, and review its information.
5. Choose Download or the current download-and-open option.
6. Wait for completion, then open Book List and verify the title.

If that does not happen: Check Wi-Fi and BARD sign-in status without putting credentials in a lesson file.

Use File Manager safely

Device commands: Space with F, dots 1-2-4, opens File Manager. S2 opens the application menu; S3 opens the context menu.

1. Press Space+F and identify the current drive and folder.
2. Move to the file and confirm its complete name.
3. Press S3 and choose Copy when the original must remain, or Move only when relocation is intended.
4. Navigate to the destination folder and use its context or application menu to paste.
5. Verify both locations before deleting anything.

If that does not happen: Preserve every copy and check available storage before repeating the operation.

Connect the Zoomax eReader as a braille display

Device commands: Space with T, dots 2-3-4-5, toggles Bluetooth. The Power On quick menu also offers Bluetooth and USB modes.

1. Save current reading position and work.
2. Choose Bluetooth or USB mode on the eReader.
3. On the computer or mobile device, open the screen reader’s braille-display settings.
4. Select the NLS eReader Zoomax and complete pairing or USB setup.
5. Move focus on the host device and verify matching braille.

If that does not happen: Confirm the selected mode, cable or Bluetooth state, screen-reader display choice, and paired device before restarting.

Ten-lesson learning path

1. Lesson 1: Orientation, Power, and Main Menu — Create a tactile orientation and power checklist.
2. Lesson 2: Bookshelf and File Organization — Submit a bookshelf navigation log.
3. Lesson 3: Read and Navigate a Book — Create a reading-navigation command reference.
4. Lesson 4: Search, Bookmarks, and Reading Position — Submit a search-and-bookmark report.
5. Lesson 5: Notes and the Editor — Create NLS-eReader-Lesson-5.txt or BRF.
6. Lesson 6: Obtain and Transfer NLS BARD Content — Write a credential-free BARD transfer checklist.
7. Lesson 7: Terminal Mode and Computer Connection — Submit a terminal-mode connection log or a model-capability report.
8. Lesson 8: Settings, Language, and Status — Create a settings inventory without serial numbers.
9. Lesson 9: Safe Troubleshooting and Updates — Create a safe troubleshooting decision guide.
10. Lesson 10: Final Independent Reading Project — Complete an independent accessible-reading workflow.

Accessible working routine

1. Confirm the window, document, device, or webpage title.
2. Identify keyboard focus before typing or activating a control.
3. Navigate by real structure—headings, lists, fields, tables, or menus—when available.
4. Review the result with JAWS or a braille display from beginning to end.
5. Verify the destination and filename before saving, uploading, sharing, or deleting.
6. Save the requested practice file locally with the exact filename given in the lesson. Assignment uploads are currently paused.

Important: These course controls complement, and do not replace, browser, operating-system, screen-reader, braille-display, or other assistive-technology settings.

Official references

Use these primary sources when a label or command differs from the lesson:

• NLS Braille eReader resources
• NLS HumanWare eReader user guide
• NLS Zoomax eReader user guide

Basic and advanced step-by-step procedures

These procedures make the manual usable on its own. The separate lessons provide assignments and progress tracking when you want a course experience.