Microsoft MakeCode screen reader

NVDA, JAWS, Voice Over, ChromeVox and Windows Narrator.

With Windows Narrator, you need to turn ‘scan mode’ off to use MakeCode. To turn ‘scan mode’ on or off, press your screen reader key (usually Insert or Caps Lock) and Space.

Yes, a refreshable braille display can be used with MakeCode. If a student typically uses a refreshable braille display, then we recommend using it with MakeCode.

If a student already uses a screen reader for another reason, then they can also use it with MakeCode. If a student has not used a screen reader previously, then we recommend learning to use one before using MakeCode.

Students can explore the components when the micro:bit is powered off. It is important to follow the safety guidelines for the micro:bit.

Activity 1: Beginner text tour of the micro:bit helps students to orientate the device. The top of the micro:bit is the long edge where the cable is attached and the bottom of the micro:bit V2 has five indents. The front of the micro:bit has the A and B buttons and the LED display and the back has the speaker and other components.

The standard length of the micro:bit which comes with the micro:bit kit is 30cm. We recommend using a USB cable that is 50cm to 1m in length. This allows students to freely pick up, explore and shake the micro:bit.

Yes, you can use a V1 micro:bit with a screen reader. You will need to connect headphones or a speaker to receive audio output.

You can set the volume of the micro:bit to a maximum of 255 with the ‘set volume’ block. You can also connect headphones or a speaker to increase the volume of the audio output in a noisy classroom.

The resources use Unified English Braille (UEB) Grade 1 which is suitable for beginners. Editable resources are provided for students who prefer contracted braille.

The resources are designed using a Unified English Braille (UEB) 9mm font size. Use the downloadable Swell Braille font which offers an automatic braille cell size for the selected braille size.

Yes, the projects and tactile resources can also be used with partially sighted and sighted users in mixed settings. The MakeCode tactile blocks have Latin character text in addition to braille. Projects can be customised to include the LED display.

NVDA may save the previous position on the page. Instead, press Control + B on Windows or Command + B on Mac, and then press 4 to go to the workspace.

If the screen reader is not reading blocks correctly, then you may have intentionally or accidentally turned on the caret browsing feature in your web browser. Press the F7 key in most browsers to turn the feature on or off. Caret browsing should be turned off to use MakeCode with a screen reader.

Yes, a single L keypress can be used by the student to download a program to the micro:bit. The first time you download, you need to go through a series of steps to connect the micro:bit to MakeCode. These steps are screen reader accessible and users are taken through them, if needed, when they press L (or otherwise press Download). However, educators may choose to complete these steps as part of preparation for this activity to give students a straightforward first experience. To do this in MakeCode, press Control + B (Windows) or Command + B (Mac) to open the area menu. Then press 5 to move to the bottom bar. Press Tab to move to the Download Options button, then press Enter. Choose Connect Device, then follow the steps.

Sometimes students may want to stop the current screen reader speech output. For example, the screen reader output can interfere with hearing the sound on the micro:bit when you download a program that plays sound on start. For most common screen readers, you can press Control to interrupt the screen reader and stop the current announcement.

To add an ‘else if’ branch to an ‘if’ block, you first need to add an ‘else’ block using the add button.

When you use the add button again it will add ‘else if’ branches.

You can delete the ‘else’ branch if you do not need it, but the next use of the add button will add an ‘else’ branch before further ‘else if’ branches can be added.

Yes, many features of the simulator are accessible using a screen reader. Press Control + B on Windows or Command + B on Mac, then press 2 to navigate to the simulator. Use Tab to move between controls in the simulator and use Enter, Space and arrow keys to interact with the controls.

We recommend using a physical micro:bit device with beginners, if available, as this offers an immediate tactile experience. When focused on the workspace, pressing L to download allows students to quickly get their program running on a paired micro:bit.

The touch logo appears as a control in the simulator if you use any micro:bit V2 blocks, including some blocks from the Music section.

The ‘play melody’ 8 notes block is the first block in the Music section. The block has an interactive editor that can be used to compose a melody of eight notes and has a gallery of melodies that can be selected and loaded into the editor.

The ‘play melody’ 8 notes block has a melody input. The melody input has two parts: an input for the 8 notes and an input for the bpm (beats per minute). Press the right arrow key twice to move to the 8 notes input, initially it is empty, press Enter to open the editor.

Use the left and right arrow keys to move between the Editor and the Gallery.

Composing a melody in the editor

With Editor selected, press Tab to move to the note editor.

Use the left and right arrows to select the previous or next note in the sequence. If the note is turned on, it will play.

Use the up and down arrows to select the note pitch.

Press P to play the current note. Note that P will play the current note even if the note has not been turned on.

Use Enter or Space to toggle the note on or off. If the note is off then the melody will rest for that note.

When the note is turned on it will stay turned on when you use up and down arrows to change the pitch.

Press Tab from the grid to move to a control to edit the bpm (beats per minute), a button to play the whole melody and then a ‘Done’ button.

Choosing a melody from the gallery

Go to the Gallery, press Tab to move to the table of melodies.

Use the up and down arrows to move through the melodies.

To preview the selected melody press the right arrow key to move to the preview button and then Enter.

To open a melody in the Editor, select the melody and press Enter. The Editor will open with the notes of the melody. Press Tab to move to the notes editor to change the melody.

The ‘play sound effect’ block is the second block under the micro:bit (V2) heading in the Music section. It has an interactive editor. It also has a gallery of sound effects that can be selected and loaded into the Editor.

The ‘play sound effect’ block has an input with a sound effect input and button for revealing more options.

With a ‘play sound effect’ block selected, press the right arrow key twice to go to the sound effect input and press Enter to open the editor.

Use the left and right arrow keys to move between the Editor and the Gallery.

Composing a sound effect in the editor

When you add a new ‘play sound effect’ block, it has a sound effect, press P to hear it.

Press Tab to move to the Close button and then again to move to the Play button in the editor.

Keep pressing Tab to discover the settings that can be changed:

• Waveform: use left and right arrow keys to choose a waveform then Enter to select
• Duration of the sound wave is in milliseconds. Type a number or use up and down arrow keys to choose from a list of options.
• Effect: choose from a list of options
• Interpolation: choose from a list options
• Frequency start and end: use the up and down arrow keys and other standard slider controls
• Volume start and end: use the up and down arrow keys other standard slider controls
• Generate similar sound button: press Enter to change the options to create a new similar sound

Choosing a sound effect from the gallery

With Gallery selected, press Tab twice to move to the table of melodies.

Use up and down arrows to move through the sound effects.

To preview the selected sound effect, press the right arrow key to move to the preview button and then Enter.

To open a sound effect in the Editor, select the sound effect and press Enter. The Editor will open.

You can use the audio recording extension to record and play back sound clips on the micro:bit.

To add the extension, go to the workspace and press T to open the toolbox, then use the down arrow key to get to Extensions. Press Enter to open the extensions page, then use Tab to reach the audio recording extension and press Enter to add it.

You will return to the MakeCode editor with a new Record category in the toolbox.

The Funny voice recorder project demonstrates using the sound recorder.

You can increase the sample rate to record better quality audio. You can connect headphones or a speaker to get higher quality audio output.