March 28, 2017 10:19 am

NV Access is very pleased to offer NVDA Certified Expert accreditation. The certification tests your knowledge of all aspects of the free NVDA screen reader. The exam is online and available now at https://certification.nvaccess.org/. Free for anyone to sit, the test is time limited and takes less than an hour.

Once you pass the exam, you have the opportunity to become an NVDA Certified Expert. For $100 AUD (approximately $75 USD), you receive:

An individual certificate in an accessible PDF, suitable for printing.

An “NVDA Certified Expert” logo, which advertises your accreditation. Some ideas for using this are your website, e-mail signature, business card or fliers.

Listing on the official certification webpage.

The knowledge that your support helps to make computers accessible all over the world.

We love hearing from our users! We have already received some great feedback about the accreditation. Users have asked to opt-in to add contact details to their listing as an NVDA Certified Expert. Listings with contact information would enable users to search the list for a local NVDA Certified Expert. The desire to help others is so typical of our fabulous community! We agree that this is a fantastic way to get more users helping each other. We are not quite ready to roll out a more detailed certified experts page yet, but rest assured we are working on it.

So, what should you study to prepare to become an NVDA Certified Expert? If you have the “Basic Training for NVDA” module, then that is a great place to start. Note that purchasing that module is NOT required to sit the exam or become accredited. Some of the key elements you should be familiar with include:

Starting, basic setting up and use of NVDA

Getting around Windows and reporting the current focus or window title

Switching between programs, accessing the Start menu, taskbar and system tray

Navigating the NVDA menu and familiarity with the menu items available

Understanding settings, where to find them and how to change them

Changing settings with desktop or laptop keystrokes

Reading, writing, editing and navigating documents

Selecting, copying and pasting, and reading the clipboard

Reporting text formatting and formatting changes

File management with File Explorer / Windows Explorer

Browsing the web filling in forms and problem solving navigating tricky sites

Understanding focus and browse modes and how to switch between them

Using the review cursor to read, navigate and copy text

Using object navigation and changing review modes

Understanding how to use, create and trigger configuration profiles

Installing and setting up NVDA and creating a portable copy of it

Changing Braille settings, using add-ons, speech dictionaries and input gestures

While that may seem a lot, your diligence and hard work are worth it. Your users, employer, friends and the wider NVDA community will all thank you. Plus, with that knowledge, you will be able to use the PC faster and with less frustration than ever before!

Need one last little reason to go for it? Become an NVDA Certified Expert today, and be one of the first to experience NV Access’ new branding. The new logo is on the certificate and described. It is not on the website or social media yet; we saved it just for you! The exam and the list of certified users are now online at https://certification.nvaccess.org/.