Using your keyboard instead of your mouse

Often websites are designed without thinking about the needs of non-mouse users, for example people with RSI who can only use an ergonomic keyboard to surf the web. This section explains the ways you can navigate a web page with just the keyboard and explains how special shortcuts known as 'access keys' can make keyboard navigation much easier.

• Tabbing around a page, filling in forms and using drop down boxes using the keyboard
• Using access key shortcuts to navigate BBC online pages and My Web My Way website

Most people think that Windows has to be operated with the mouse and that, if you cannot use a mouse, you cannot use Windows.

This is not the case. In fact not only can Windows be operated entirely from the keyboard, but doing so can often be faster and easier than using the mouse.

It is very easy, for example, to open Windows Explorer by holding down the ' Windows' logo key and pressing ' E'. This is much quicker than clicking on the ' Start' button, then ' Programs', then ' Accessories' and finally ' Windows Explorer'.

The following links list some of the most commmon keyboard shortcuts used in Windows for both XP and earlier version of WIndows.

• Common keyboard shortcuts in Windows 95,98,2000,Me
• Common keyboard shortcuts in Windows XP