Keyboard shortcuts

All questions in NAPLAN are keyboard accessible. Keyboard shortcuts provide an alternative way for students to access the assessment without the use of a mouse or other pointing device. Students are encouraged to try the public demonstration site tests for their year level, using only their keyboard, to experience the complete range of question formats and interactive features available in NAPLAN.

The following list of keyboard shortcuts has been tested on devices and operating systems that meet the minimum technical requirements for NAPLAN. The videos, however, only demonstrate keyboard shortcuts using a PC.

General keyboard operations

In this video, see how to use your keyboard to navigate in and between questions and how to operate basic functions. Transcript (PDF 70 KB).

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac
Move forward through screen elements  Tab  Option+Tab 
Move back through screen elements  Shift+Tab  Option+Shift+Tab 
Access the help menu Shift+?  Shift+? 
Scroll  Arrow keys  Arrow keys 
Navigate to the next question  /  / 
Navigate to the previous question  \  \ 
Flag or unflag questions  F F
View the question progress summary screen Q  Q 
Return to last visited question, from the progress summary screen    Q  Q
Show all questions, from the progress summary screen    Tab to Show all, then Enter  Option+Tab to Show all, then Enter 
Show only answered questions, from the progress summary screen Tab to Answered, then Enter  Option+Tab to Answered, then Enter 
Show only unanswered questions, from the progress summary screen    Tab to Not answered, then Enter  Option+Tab to Not answered, then Enter 
Show only unread questions, from the progress summary screen  Tab to Not read, then Enter  Option+Tab to Not read, then Enter
Show only flagged questions, from the progress summary screen  Tab to Flagged, then Enter  Option+Tab to Flagged, then Enter 
Navigate to any question, from the progress summary screen   Tab to the numbered question, then Enter  Option+Tab to the numbered question, then Enter 
Zoom or unzoom to magnification levels of 100%, 150%, 200%, 300%  Keep pressing Z until you reach the desired magnification  Keep pressing Z until you reach the desired magnification 
Play or pause audio  Tab to play/pause icon, then Enter  Option+Tab to play/pause icon, then Enter 
Mute or unmute audio  Tab to volume icon, then Enter  Option+Tab to volume icon, then Enter 
Adjust audio volume  Tab past volume icon, then Arrow keys  Option+Tab past volume icon, then Arrow keys
Skip audio forward or backward  Tab past the volume icon to audio progress bar, then Arrow keys Option+Tab past volume icon to audio progress bar, then Arrow keys 
Show / hide audio player bar  Tab to audio icon, then Enter Option+Tab to audio icon, then Enter 
Show / hide timer icon  Tab to timer icon, then Enter Option+Tab to timer icon, then Enter  

Multiple-choice questions that require only one answer

In this video, see how to use your keyboard to answer a multiple-choice question that requires only one answer. Transcript (PDF 166 KB).

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac
Select answer Tab to first radio button, then Arrow keys  Option+Tab to first radio button, Enter, then Arrow keys 
Change answer Tab to selected radio button, then Arrow keys  Option+Tab to selected radio button, Enter, then Arrow keys 

Multiple-choice questions that require more than one answer

In this video, see how to use your keyboard to answer a multiple-choice question that requires more than one answer. Transcript (PDF 70 KB).

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac
Select answer Tab to checkbox, then Enter  Option+Tab to checkbox, then Enter 
Select additional answer Tab to another checkbox, then Enter  Option+Tab to another checkbox, then Enter 
Deselect answer Tab to checkboxed answer, then Enter  Option+Tab to checkboxed, then Enter 

Text entry questions

In this video, see how to use your keyboard to answer a text entry question. Transcript (PDF 69 KB).

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac
Enter answer  Tab to text box, then type in answer  Option+Tab to text box, then type in answer 
Clear answer 

Tab to text box, then Delete 

 Option+Tab to text box, then Delete 
Edit answer  Tab to text box, then Arrow key to position cursor  Option+Tab to text box, then
Arrow key to position cursor

Formatting text in the writing test

In this video, see how to use your keyboard to answer an extended text question (writing). Transcript (PDF 70 KB).

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac
Select all Ctrl+A Command+A
Delete text  Backspace 

Delete
Move the cursor   Arrow keys  Arrow keys 
Place the cursor at the beginning of current line  PC: Home 
Chromebook: Arrow keys		 Command+left 
Place the cursor at the end of current line  PC: End 
Chromebook: Arrow keys		 Command+right Arrow key 
Place the cursor at the beginning of the writing response box PC: Ctrl+Home 
Chromebook: Arrow keys		 Command+up Arrow key 
Place the cursor at the end of the writing response box PC: Ctrl+End 
Chromebook: Arrow keys		 Command+down Arrow key 
Move the cursor by one word, before or after  Ctrl+left or right Arrow key  Option+left or right Arrow key 
Move the cursor by one paragraph, up or down  Use the up or down Arrow keys to navigate through each line to reach the next or previous paragraph.   Option+up or down Arrow key 
Undo  Ctrl+Z  Command+Z 
Redo  Ctrl+Y   Command+Y 
Cut  Ctrl+X  Command+X
Copy Ctrl+C   Command+C 
Paste  Ctrl+V   Command+V 
Bold  Ctrl+B   Command+B 
Italic  Ctrl+I   Command+I
Underline  Ctrl+U  Command+U

Questions with interactive features

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac

Drag and drop an answer into place.

Watch how to use your keyboard to answer a drag-and-drop question. Transcript (PDF 69 KB).

 		  

Tab to desired answer, Enter to select. Tab to drop zone, Enter to release

Option+Tab to desired answer, Enter to select. Tab to drop zone, Enter to release 
Move an existing answer into place 

Tab to answer, Enter to select. Tab to new drop zone, Enter to release 

Option+Tab to answer, Enter to select. Tab to new drop zone, Enter to release 
Draw lines to join 2 answers 

Tab to answer in left-hand column, Enter to select. Tab to answer in right-hand column, Enter to join 

Option+Tab to answer in left-hand column, Enter to select. Option+Tab to answer in right-hand column, Enter to join 
Delete a line joining answers  Tab to line, Enter to delete  Option+Tab to line, Enter to delete 

Select or change an answer from a drop-down list.

Watch how to use your keyboard to answer a drop-down question. Transcript (PDF 69 KB).		 Tab to drop-down box, Enter to expand list, use Arrow keys to move between list, Enter to select  Option+Tab to drop-down box, Enter to expand list, use Arrow keys to move between list, Enter to select   

Select or deselect a hot-spot question.

Watch how to use your keyboard to answer a hot-spot question. Transcript (PDF 110 KB).

Tab to desired hot-spot region, Enter to select or deselect 

 Option+Tab to hot-spot region, Enter to select or deselect   

Select or deselect a hot-text question.

Watch how to use your keyboard to answer a hot-text question. Transcript (PDF 69 KB). 		 Tab to desired hot-text region, Enter to select or deselect  Option+Tab to desired hot-text region, Enter to select or deselect 
Show reading text only (hide question panel)  S  S 
Alternate between multiple reading texts  Tab to reading text tab, then Enter Option+Tab to reading text tab, then Enter 

Protractor, calculator and ruler tools in the numeracy test

You need to: PC / Chromebook Mac

Turn the ruler on/off (when available)
Watch how to use your keyboard to access the ruler. Transcript (PDF 69 KB).

 R R

Turn the protractor on/off (when available)
Watch how to use your keyboard to access the protractor. Transcript (PDF 69 KB).

 P P

Turn the calculator on (when available)
Watch how to use your keyboard to access the calculator. Transcript (PDF 119 KB).

 C C
Turn the calculator off Tab out of calculator, then C Tab out of calculator, then C
Move a numeracy tool Type R, P or C, then Arrow keys Type R, P or C, then Arrow keys
Move a numeracy tool quickly Type R, P or C, then Shift+Arrow keys Type R, P or C, then Shift+Arrow keys
Rotate ruler or protractor Type R or P, then Tab to tool rotation handle, then Arrow keys Type R or P, then Tab to tool rotation handle, then Arrow keys
Rotate ruler or protractor quickly Type R or P, then Tab to tool rotation handle, then Shift+Arrow keys Type R or P, then Tab to tool rotation handle, then Shift+Arrow keys

Calculator operations

You need to: PC, Chromebook or Mac You need to: PC, Chromebook or Mac
Add + + or Shift+ Clear all CC
Subtract – - or Shift- Negative(-) N
Multiply x PC:* or Shift*
Chromebook: Shift*		 Numerals 0–9 0–9
Divide ÷ / Brackets () Shift()
Square x2 X Pi π P
Power xy Shift^ Memory add M+ M then +
or
M then Shift+
Square root √ R Memory subtract M- M then -
or
M then Shift-
Equals = Shift= Memory recall MR M then R
Clear entry C Memory clear MC M then C