Please remember that starting System Access should automatically close an existing screen reader. However, in case this doesn't happen, you will have two voices talking to you at once. You may find it helpful to first unload your running screen reader before starting System Access. Please consult your screen reader's documentation regarding this step.
Start the standalone copy of System Access by pressing CTRL+Alt+S. This is done by holding down the Control Key, the Alt key, and pressing the letter S simultaneously. When these keys are pressed, System Access will begin talking within seconds.
Most of System Access's keyboard commands are performed by using a modifier key in conjunction with another key. For your convenience, the System Access Modifier is either the "insert" key on the numeric keypad, the "CapsLock" key, or the "ScrollLock" key. For example, to hear the current time and date, press "Insert+F12", "CapsLock+F12", or "ScrollLock+F12". Each provides the same result. While most people use the Insert key located on the bottom left of the numeric keypad, many notebooks, and no netbooks, have a numeric keypad, so the CapsLock key, located above the left Shift key will work. Note: the CapsLock key will not work on Macintosh computers running VMWare fusion. A few other helpful modifier keys include: to enter the System Access Menu, to set your preferences, update and modify your account, and much more, press "Modifier+F". To shut down System Access, press ":Modifier+F4". To see items in your system tray, press "Modifier+F11". To create a list of links on a web page, press "Modifier+F7". To Use the System Access Virtual Mouse, press "Modifier+M". For a complete list of all hotkeys, see Appendix A.
The System Access Menu allows you to temporarily change System Access settings and gives you a quick way to make System Access act and sound the way you prefer. (For more detail, see System Access's Settings.)
To open the System Access Menu, press Modifier+F. Your first option is to connect to the System Access Mobile Network. Note that pausing on a menu item in any menu will always give you the hot key for that menu item. In this case the hot key is the letter S. This means that you could have pressed Modifier+F followed by the letter S to jump quickly to the SA Mobile Network, herein refered to as SAMNet.
Enter preferences by pressing Modifier+F, and then pressing the letter "P", or press DownArrow until you hear the word preferences, and then press enter. Choose the first item, "General Preferences" to set Key Echo, Word Echo, and other verbosity preferences.
Key Echo: Key Echo determines if System Access speaks each key on the keyboard as you type it. If you do not want this to happen, you may uncheck this option by pressing the spacebar. Press tab once to set Word Echo. Press spacebar to check this box if you want the system to echo words that you type after you press the spacebar or enter keys.
Option 2 lets you Select the speech synthesizer that you want System Access to use. The default engine is DECtalk, but you can change it to other speech engines you have installed on your computer. Other voices that may be purchased include: Eloquence, Neospeech Kate, Paul and Julie, any one or more of twelve voices from RealSpeak, or any one or more of four voices from Ivona. Other possible free voices that may or may not show up, depending on your configuration may include: SAPI5 voices from Microsoft including Sam, Mike and Mary if using Windows XP, or Anna if using Windows Vista or Windows 7, the family of free voices from eSpeak, and possibly other SAPI5 and SAPI4 voices you may have installed.
Voice: The Voice menu option allows you to change the voice that your synthesizer uses among the available voices. Go in to "My Account" to sample and purchase other voices for $25 each, or $75 for the three Neospeech voices: Kate, Paul and Julie.
Speaking Rate and Pitch: The Speaking Rate option determines how slow, or fast the speech is. Use the faster and slower buttons by pressing spacebar on them, until you get the speed that works for you. also, use the higher and lower Pitch buttons with the spacebar until you obtain the pitch that sounds right to your ears.
Punctuation: The punctuation option specifies how much punctuation you hear. This varies depending on the voice you are using, therefore, you will need to play with this setting a bit until you find what's right for you.
Link alert type: This option allows you to have links announced with a quick tone, which is the default setting. You can also have links announced by saying the word link, or no announcement. This setting is active when you are reading a web page for the first time, or when using the say all command, Modifier+Down Arrow.
Optional Messages:This setting controls the amount of extra verbosity you here while navigating the desktop and windows. You can have announcements spoken in a different voice, the same voice, or turn this option off completely.
Read Tool Tips: are proceeded by a very quick sound, after which you will hear a very short descriptive message. For example you may hear, "Click here to begin" when you move over the start button. You can leave it at always speak, only speak when in virtual mouse mode, or never speak.
Magnification preferences allow you to use the built-in screen magnification, allowing you to enlarge the screen in point 25 increments from 1.25 to 6X. The magnification preferences are option 3 in the System Access menu. For more information, refer to screen magnification.
Document Scan: Allows you to scan paper documents into your computer if you have a twain compatible scanner attached to your computer.
Remote control Another Computer: lets you control either your home computer, or another users computer after they give you permission of course.
Set Up a U3 Smart Drive: This lets you install System Access Mobile on a U3 smart drive for use when you are away from your home computer.
Submit A Program That Works Well With System Access: This option lets you send a program name that works well with System Access to Serotek.
Help and tutorials: Press and release "Modifier+f" followed by the letter "H" to read and/or listen to help about System Access.
Shut Down System Access: This does exactly what it says. The hot key for shutting down System Access is Modifier+F4. To restart System Access, press "Control+alt+S" from anywhere in Windows.
If you need to explore the keyboard without your keystrokes having any effect, turn on System Access keyboard help mode by pressing Modifier+H. While this mode is on, key presses will be announced; and if you type a System Access hot key, System Access will describe what the hot key does. There are only two exceptions to this: Control+Alt+Delete is handled in the normal way by Windows, and pressing Modifier+H, or the escape key again leaves keyboard help mode.