Accessibility features help a user who has a physical disability, such as restricted mobility or limited vision, to use software products successfully. The major accessibility features in z/OS enable users to:

• Use assistive technologies such as screen readers and screen magnifier software
• Operate specific or equivalent features using only the keyboard
• Customize display attributes such as color, contrast, and font size.

Assistive technology products, such as screen readers, function with the user interfaces found in z/OS. Consult the assistive technology documentation for specific information when using such products to access z/OS interfaces.

Users can access z/OS user interfaces using TSO/E or ISPF. Refer to z/OS TSO/E Primer, z/OS TSO/E User's Guide, and z/OS ISPF User's Guide Vol I for information about accessing TSO/E and ISPF interfaces. These guides describe how to use TSO/E and ISPF, including the use of keyboard shortcuts or function keys (PF keys). Each guide includes the default settings for the PF keys and explains how to modify their functions.

Syntax diagrams are provided in dotted decimal format for users accessing the z/OS Information Center using a screen reader. In dotted decimal format, each syntax element is written on a separate line. If two or more syntax elements are always present together (or always absent together), they can appear on the same line, because they can be considered as a single compound syntax element.

Each line starts with a dotted decimal number; for example, 3 or 3.1 or 3.1.1. To hear these numbers correctly, make sure that your screen reader is set to read out punctuation. All the syntax elements that have the same dotted decimal number (for example, all the syntax elements that have the number 3.1) are mutually exclusive alternatives. If you hear the lines 3.1 USERID and 3.1 SYSTEMID, you know that your syntax can include either USERID or SYSTEMID, but not both.

The dotted decimal numbering level denotes the level of nesting. For example, if a syntax element with dotted decimal number 3 is followed by a series of syntax elements with dotted decimal number 3.1, all the syntax elements numbered 3.1 are subordinate to the syntax element numbered 3.

Certain words and symbols are used next to the dotted decimal numbers to add information about the syntax elements. Occasionally, these words and symbols might occur at the beginning of the element itself. For ease of identification, if the word or symbol is a part of the syntax element, it is preceded by the backslash (\) character. The * symbol can be used next to a dotted decimal number to indicate that the syntax element repeats. For example, syntax element *FILE with dotted decimal number 3 is given the format 3 \* FILE. Format 3* FILE indicates that syntax element FILE repeats. Format 3* \* FILE indicates that syntax element * FILE repeats.

Characters such as commas, which are used to separate a string of syntax elements, are shown in the syntax just before the items they separate. These characters can appear on the same line as each item, or on a separate line with the same dotted decimal number as the relevant items. The line can also show another symbol giving information about the syntax elements. For example, the lines 5.1*, 5.1 LASTRUN, and 5.1 DELETE mean that if you use more than one of the LASTRUN and DELETE syntax elements, the elements must be separated by a comma. If no separator is given, assume that you use a blank to separate each syntax element.

If a syntax element is preceded by the % symbol, this indicates a reference that is defined elsewhere. The string following the % symbol is the name of a syntax fragment rather than a literal. For example, the line 2.1 %OP1 means that you should refer to separate syntax fragment OP1.