Shortcuts for Google Docs for the Visually-Impaired
Recently, a student of mine who is blind expressed a need to find “a video with shortcuts for Google Docs.” If you are wondering why a blind person would want to watch a video of shortcuts to Google Docs, it is in hope of hearing the shortcuts read alound. Visually-impaired persons have taught me that the fastest way to learn something is often to find a video and listen to it.
The Staunton Media Lab has just posted a video version of Shortcuts for Google Docs on YouTube as an assist to the visually-impaired who want to use Google Docs. We took a set of shortcut keyboard commands, stripped out all the graphics, reformatted the instructions to be read by a screen reader, and then recorded the screen reader speaking the keyboard shortcuts.
We then took that excellent recording and re-attached it to PDF slides in Keynote, then output the whole thing as a video and uploaded it to YouTube. We also added a text version of the shortcuts in the video description on YouTube. If you know how to use screen readers, and you want the shortcuts read in a different voice, you can copy them out of the description on YouTube or out of this post, below.
This is just one of many assitive technology hacks we will be bringing you from The Staunton Media Lab in the weeks to come. Please be sure to share this information with the ones you love who can’t see so well and still want and need to use computers.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
Text-Only Version for Screen Readers
From the Stanton Media Lab
Copyright Free. Use as you please.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
Note: For Windows users, substitute Control Key for Command Key
1. Navigating Google Docs
Arrow Left, Arrow Right Jump one character to the left or one character to the right
Command + Arrow Left, Command + Arrow Right Jump one word to the left or one word to the right
End,, Home Jump to the end of a line or to the beginning of a line
Arrow Down, Arrow Up Jump one line down or one line up
Command + Arrow Down, Command + Arrow Up Jump one paragraph down or one paragraph up
Page Down, Page Up Jump one screen down or one screen up
Command + End, Command + Home Jump to the end of the document or to the beginning of the document
Command + Semicolon Move to next misspelling
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
2. Selecting Text
Shifft + Arrow Right, Shifft + Arrow Left Extend selection one character to the right or one character to the left
Command + Shifft + Arrow Right, Command + Shifft + Arrow Left Extend selection one word to the right or one word to the left
Shifft + End, Shifft + Home Extend selection to the end of the line or to the beginning of the line
Shifft + Arrow Down, Shifft + Arrow Up Extend selection one line down or one line up
Shifft + Page Down , Shifft + Page Up Extend selection one screen down or one screen up
Command + Shifft + End, Command + Shifft + Home Extend selection to the end of the document or to the beginning of the document
Command + a Extend selection to the entire document, also called “select all”
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
3. Formatting Text
Command + b Bold
Command + i Italics
Command + u Underline
Command + period Superscript
Command + comma Subscript
Command + Option + c Copy formatting
Command + Option + v Paste Formatting
Command + \ or Command + Space ) Clear formatting
Command + Option + zero Normal paragraph style
Command + Option + numbers 1 through 6 Header style 1 through 6
Command + Shifft + l Align left
Command + Shifft + “e” Align center
Command + Shifft + r Align right
Command + Shifft + j Margin justified
Command + Shifft + 7 Numbered list
Command + Shifft + 8 Bulleted list
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
4. Manage Google Docs
Option + Shifft + f Move focus to menu bar
Command + p Print
Command + s Save
Command + Shifft + f Compact controls
Shifft + right-click Show the browser’s right-click menu
Shifft + Esc Chat
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
5. Edit Documents
Command + x Cut
Command + c Copy
Command + v Paste
Command + z Undo
Command + y Redo
Tab Increase paragraph indentation
Shifft + Tab Decrease paragraph indentation
Command + k Insert link
Command + Shifft + y Get definitions
Command + Option + f Insert footnote
Command + f Find
Command + Shifft + c Word count
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
6. Comment View
Command + Option + p Open comment view
Command + Option + m Insert comment
j Select next comment
k Select previous comment
“e” Resolve comment
Escape Move focus outside of input box
Shifft + Enter, or, Command + Enter Submit comment
Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs
7. Discussion View
j Select next discussion
k Select previous discussion
“e” Resolve discussion
Escape or U Close discussion view
Shifft + Enter, or, Command + Enter Submit discussion
This has been a production of The Stanton Media Lab.
Vocational education for the deaf, blind, and uniquely-abled.
More information is available at Stanton Media Lab Dot Com.
