Chapter 5 Using the Assistive Technologies

The Java Desktop System contains the following applications to enable users with a physical disability to use the desktop:

On-Screen Keyboard
Screen Reader and Magnifier

The desktop applications and utilities in the Java Desktop System are also designed with accessibility and usability in mind. However, there are some exceptions where the default applications are not suitable for users with special needs. In these situations, you must change the default application to an application that is suitable for all users, as described in the following sections:

5.1 On-Screen Keyboard

The GNOME On-Screen Keyboard (GOK) application displays virtual keyboards on your desktop that you can operate using the standard mouse pointer or alternative pointing device. GOK displays the following types of keyboards:

Compose keyboards that enable you to compose text. To type alphanumeric characters, you select the characters on the compose keyboard.
Dynamic keyboards that GOK generates to reflect the applications that are currently running on the desktop. For example, GOK generates keyboards that contain keys to represent the applications that are running on your desktop or the menus that are contained in an application.

To start GOK, click Launch, then choose Applications -> Accessibility -> On-Screen Keyboard. For more information about the application, see the online Help for GOK.

5.1.1 Maximizing Terminal for GOK Users

If you are a GOK user, you cannot use the Terminal application in Full Screen mode because the Terminal window obscures the GOK display.

To resize the Terminal window for use with the GOK application, perform the following steps:

Do not enable the Full Screen mode in Terminal.
Give focus to the Terminal window.
Press F10 to maximize the application.

5.2 Screen Reader and Magnifier

The screen reader and magnifier application is called Gnopernicus. Gnopernicus enables users with limited vision, or no vision, to use the Java Desktop System and associated applications. Gnopernicus provides the following functionality:

Screen reader

The screen reader enables non-visual access to standard applications in the Java Desktop System, using speech and Braille output.
Magnifier

The magnifier provides automated focus tracking and fullscreen magnification to aid low-vision users.

To start Gnopernicus, click Launch, then choose Applications -> Accessibility -> Screen Reader and Magnifier. For more information about the application, see the online Help for Gnopernicus.

5.2.1 Disabling the Screensaver for Gnopernicus Users

To disable the screensaver, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Screensaver.
In the Display Modes tabbed section, deselect the Lock Screen After check box.
In the Mode drop-down list, select Disable Screen Saver.
Choose File -> Restart Daemon.
Choose File -> Quit to close the Screensaver Preferences dialog.

5.3 Displaying Online Help

The default online Help application for the Java Desktop System might not be suitable for some accessibility users. To change the default Help application for the Java Desktop System to an alternative Help application, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> File Associations.
Click on the arrow next to Internet Services.
Select the Gnome documentation entry.
Click Edit.
Replace the contents of the Program field with the following command:

gnome-help "%s"
Click OK.
Click Close.

5.4 Displaying PDF Documents

The default Portable Document Format (PDF) viewer application for the Java Desktop System might not be suitable for some accessibility users. To change the default PDF viewer application for the Java Desktop System to another PDF viewer application, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> File Associations.
Click on the arrow next to Documents.
Click on the arrow next to Published Materials.
Select the PDF document entry.
Click Edit.
Enter the following command in the Program to run field:

/usr/bin/gpdf
Click OK.
Click Close.