<div dir="ltr">I agree with Ms. Walker. The most accessible path for your student is to have them build labs completely from scratch, rather than use the timed activities from netacad. The student will hit Shift+W to open the wiring closet, from there a totally blind student can use the arrow keys, enter and spacebar to select different devices from the prescribed categories. If you continue tabbing, a list of cable types would appear. You can likewise use a combo box to select a slot on that specific device. Functionally speaking, when the student adds devices to there workspace, it will look as though all of the routers and switches are stacked on top of one another. However, this is only visual. As long as the student checks the routing table and does show run, tests/pings properly, packets will carry all the way through. I have had visual interpreters from a service called AIRA or be my eyes spread out my devices for better readability for my sighted instructor, however this matters not. The GUI for the simulated servers and actuators have mixed results in terms of readability. At last check in 2025, I could navigate the terminal within a sswitch or router using insert + the arrow keys on NVDA. I would recommend you simply build a lab guide or template ahead of time, and let the blind students know what devices you are using . e.g. the 2901 router, with a SFP, etc. <div>You are welcome to email me off-list to chat about this more. Strictly speaking, I do not know if your university has a cyber range, but I feel that even with the accessibility barriers removed, Packet Tracer will have very limited benefit, because she cannot feel the device and know where expansion slots are located. I do not know if your university has a budget for it, but even having one refurbished router, switch and firewall appliance in the classroom, for example can make a world of difference. However, I am priveleged in this respect, because I intern at the SOC for my college. The two networking classrooms have a full wrack in front of each desk. Which again, I am told is extremely difficult in most places around the U.S. I have not tried GNS3 or any other route that involves flashing the OS on a virtual device, however I wonder if this is worth attempting? Again, of course Cisco operating systems are super spendy as we all know.</div><div>Please reach out to me at this address: <a href="mailto:ameliapelli95@gmail.com">ameliapelli95@gmail.com</a></div><div>I'm open to hopping on a chat with you and/or the student on a conferencing platform if we need to go that route. </div><div>HTH</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Sep 15, 2026 at 11:54\u202fAM Wendy Walker via NFBCS <<a href="mailto:nfbcs@nfbnet.org">nfbcs@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg-6617162280742274133"><div lang="EN-US" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="m_-6617162280742274133WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Good morning,<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I am a cybersecurity student who has used Packet Tracer a number of times. It was a couple of years ago but I used it for several classes. If I remember correctly, the instructor sent a text document for the lab instructions to make it easier but the workspace was accessible. Sometimes you had to play around with your screen reader or change to a different one (JAWS to NVDA or vice versa). When I last used it, the accessibility of it was greatly increased from even two years before that. It is not perfect but it is usable. I am a totally blind screen reader user.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">My main suggestion is to try a different screen reader to see if it works better. Many tools and programs have accessibility issues with one screen reader and not another. That is why it is important to use more than one.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Best regards,<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wendy Walker<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:rgb(225,225,225) currentcolor currentcolor;padding:3pt 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> NFBCS <<a href="mailto:nfbcs-bounces@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbcs-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Cook, Avery B via NFBCS<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 15, 2026 9:50 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nfbcs@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbcs@nfbnet.org</a><br><b>Cc:</b> Cook, Avery B <<a href="mailto:avery.cook@sctcc.edu" target="_blank">avery.cook@sctcc.edu</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBCS] Accessibility of PacketTracer<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Good Morning al! <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I hope this email finds your week going well! I am the Accessibility Services Coordinator at St. Cloud Technical & Community College and I am working with a student who is blind and has started in our Cybersecurity program this semester. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I was hoping to reach out to this amazing brain trust of professionals to see if anyone has any experience working with a software called PacketTracer through Cisco. The student has been having trouble with their screenreader using this software. The folks at Cisco have assured us that things are fully accessible, but we are still finding hiccups. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In summary, the instructions in PacketTracer work with the student\u2019s screen reader but the command line window to configure in PacketTracer is full not working with the screen reader. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Does anyone have any thoughts on how to best support this student? <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Thank you for your time! <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">AC<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Times;color:black">Avery Cook, M.S.</span><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Times;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(95,120,58)">Accessibility Services Coordinator | SCTCC Women\u2019s Club Staff Advisor <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">St. Cloud Technical & Community College<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/1540+Northway+Drive,+St+Cloud,+MN+56303-1240?entry=gmail&source=g">1540 Northway Drive, St Cloud, MN 56303-1240</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><a href="tel:(320)%20308-5064" value="+13203085064" target="_blank">320.308.5064</a> | </span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:avery.cook@sctcc.edu" title="avery.cook@sctcc.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(95,120,58)">avery.cook@sctcc.edu</span></a></span><span style="color:rgb(83,129,53)"> </span><span style="color:black">| </span><span style="color:rgb(95,120,58)"><a href="https://www.sctcc.edu/accessibility-services" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(95,120,58)">sctcc.edu/accessibility-services</span></a></span><span style="color:rgb(83,129,53)"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(83,129,53)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;color:rgb(95,120,58)"><a href="https://sctcc.edu/accessibility-scheduling" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(95,120,58)">Click Here to Book an Appointment</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">Pronouns: She | Her | Hers<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.65pt"><b>TRULY HUMAN NOTICE:</b> Getting this email out of typical working hours? The ways in which we work have changed. Everyone processes information in different ways and often at different times than what we think of as typical. We now often work at a digitally-enabled relentless pace, which can disrupt our ability to sleep enough, eat right, exercise, and spend time with the people that matter most. <u>I am sending you this email at a time that works for me. I only expect you to respond to it when convenient to you.<u></u><u></u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.65pt"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10pt;line-height:115%"><span><img border="0" width="288" height="92" style="width: 3in; height: 0.9583in;" id="m_-6617162280742274133Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:ii_1a0a5fef9214ce8e91" alt="The SCTCC Logo: a green and orange circle with the words St. Cloud Technical and Community College (a member of Minnesota State)."></span><span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">St. Cloud Technical & Community College Mission</span></i></b><i><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">: We provide the education, training, and support necessary for equitable participation in our society, economy, and democracy.<u></u><u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">**Confidentiality Notice</span></i></b><i><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">: The information included in this e-mail is intended only for the recipient to whom it is addressed. The message and any attachments may contain confidential information. Any transmission or disclosure of the information by persons other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this information in error, please contact the sender and delete the information immediately.</span></i><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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