"Keyboard shortcuts" are keyboard equivalent commands that serve as an alternative for commonly-used actions that are used to control the operating system or application. For example, in Microsoft Word, one can open a document either by selecting "Open" from the "File" menu using the mouse, or by typing Alt followed by F followed by O on the keyboard. Some software publishers also refer to keyboard shortcuts as "accelerators" or "hotkeys," so those terms can be useful when researching whether a particular application is keyboard-accessible. Since a blind student will be using the keyboard as their primary means for controlling the computer, it is essential that keyboard shortcuts are available for all of the applications that the student must use.