Address Bar and Search Box

Two often confused terms and areas of a web browser are "Address Bar" and "Search Box."  These are two distinctly different areas of a web browser and web page, each with its own function.  Address Bar is a part of the actual web browser, while the Search Box is a part of a search engine web page such as "Google."  Following are simple definitions which should clear up any confusion.

Address Bar:  The Address Bar is found generally at the top of the web browser, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari.  In the new Windows 8.1 it may be located at the bottom of the browser.  You can use any number of key commands to get to the Address Bar.  This may depend on whether you are using a notetaker, or a computer.  On a computer commands such as F6, Alt d, Control l, and others take you directly to the Address Bar.  One on the Address Bar, type the actual name of a web page you want to go to.  Examples include but are not limited to:  www.cnn.com m.cnn.com www.facebook.com m.facebook.com www.google.com www.brlsts.us and many others.  The Address Bar is a part of the web browser, and not a part of the web page.  Remember, you are not searching for anything, you are telling the computer to go to a specific website.

Search Box:  The Search Box is found on the actual web page--it is not a part of the actual web browser.  Instead of telling the computer to go to a specific web site, you are asking the computer to search for something.  With some screen readers you can hit the letter e to move to the Search Box.  This may take a number of times.  The key command letter e may be different for the program you are using.  Once in the Search Box, type out what you want to search for and then hit the Enter key one time.  A new web page will come up with many links to web pages concerning what you are searching for.  For example, you might type in the Google Search Box, "how to make an apple pie."  You can use open and close quotation marks to narrow down the search.  When you hit Enter a new web page with many links will come up regarding how to make an apple pie.  You will also find a sequential number at the bottom of this page.  If you go to the number "2" and hit Enter a new page of links for how to make an apple pie will come up.  The web browser almost always puts the links closest to what you are search for on the first page, and links less like what you are search for on other pages.

Search Engine:  Any web page designed to help you search for web sites containing information you want to read.  Google and Bing are two major search engines--there are a number of other search engines.  Examples of what you might search for are: a school, a bank, city transportation, driving and walking directions, dogs, cats, government offices, how to items, computers, countries, states, translation for a word or phrase, time and weather for a city, and countless others.

Try the following to increase your skills.

NOTE:  If you are viewing this lesson on the internet, you will need to press Control t to make a new web page tab, then type in www.google.com, hit Enter one time, and then press and hold down the Control key and hit the Tab key to move back-and-forth between your Google page and this lesson.

1.  Open the Internet.
2.  Hit the F6 key one time.
3.  Type www.google.com
4.  Hit the Enter key one time.
5.  Tab to or hit the letter e to move to the Search Box.
6.  With some screen readers you will need to hit Enter or a key combination to go into "Forms Mode."
7.  Type what you want to search for, using the open and close quotation marks if you want to narrow the search.
8.  Use the screen read links list, or Tab, or hit the letter u (unvisited) or v (visited) to move down the links on the web page.
9.  Press and hold down the Shift key and hit the Tab, or letter u, or letter v to move up (or backwards) the page to hear the links.  If you are in a links list, use your up and down arrow keys.
10.  When you hear the link you want hit the Enter key one time and that page will open.
11.  Use your screen reader "read all" command as a very slow and general method for reading what is on the web page.
12.  Hit the backspace key, or Alt left arrow (will not work with ZoomText) to move back to your original list of links.  If you are using the mouse, click the left arrow found somewhere at the top of the web browser, usually top left.
13.  Find another link on the page.
14.  Hit Enter one time and use your "read all" key command to get a general idea--you will learn more advanced methods for exploring a web page in upcoming lessons.
15.  Go back one web page and repeat steps 8 through 12 above.
16.  Close the web browser, and then repeat steps 1 through 12.

Do the preceding until you quick and accurate.

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