diff --git a/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js b/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
index e190bfd7..cb09432b 100644
--- a/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
+++ b/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
@@ -3718,6 +3718,13 @@ function Ace2Inner(){
           firstEditbarElement.focus();
           evt.preventDefault();
         }
+        if ((!specialHandled) && isTypeForSpecialKey && keyCode == 67){
+          // Alt c focuses on the Chat window
+          parent.parent.chat.show();
+          parent.parent.chat.focus();
+          $(this).blur(); 
+          evt.preventDefault();
+        }
         if ((!specialHandled) && isTypeForSpecialKey && keyCode == 8)
         {
           // "delete" key; in mozilla, if we're at the beginning of a line, normalize now,
diff --git a/src/static/js/chat.js b/src/static/js/chat.js
index 811b1320..021a906a 100644
--- a/src/static/js/chat.js
+++ b/src/static/js/chat.js
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ var chat = (function()
       chatMentions = 0;
       Tinycon.setBubble(0);
     },
+    focus: function () 
+    {
+      $("#chatinput").focus();
+    },
     stickToScreen: function(fromInitialCall) // Make chat stick to right hand side of screen
     {
       chat.show();
diff --git a/src/static/js/gritter.js b/src/static/js/gritter.js
index 9778707e..7f8c5b6e 100644
--- a/src/static/js/gritter.js
+++ b/src/static/js/gritter.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 		_tpl_close: '<div class="gritter-close"></div>',
 		_tpl_title: '<span class="gritter-title">[[title]]</span>',
 		_tpl_item: '<div id="gritter-item-[[number]]" class="gritter-item-wrapper [[item_class]]" style="display:none"><div class="gritter-top"></div><div class="gritter-item">[[close]][[image]]<div class="[[class_name]]">[[title]]<p>[[text]]</p></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="gritter-bottom"></div></div>',
-		_tpl_wrap: '<div id="gritter-notice-wrapper"></div>',
+		_tpl_wrap: '<div id="gritter-notice-wrapper" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="false" aria-relevant="additions" role="log"></div>',
 		
 		/**
 		* Add a gritter notification to the screen
diff --git a/src/templates/pad.html b/src/templates/pad.html
index c18a67d9..32cf7296 100644
--- a/src/templates/pad.html
+++ b/src/templates/pad.html
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@
               <a id="titlecross" onClick="chat.hide();return false;">-&nbsp;</a>
               <a id="titlesticky" onClick="chat.stickToScreen(true);$('#options-stickychat').prop('checked', true);return false;" title="Stick chat to screen">█&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>
             </div>
-            <div id="chattext" class="authorColors">
+            <div id="chattext" class="authorColors" aria-live="polite" aria-relevant="additions removals text" role="log" aria-atomic="false">
                 <div alt="loading.." id="chatloadmessagesball" class="chatloadmessages loadingAnimation" align="top"></div>
                 <button id="chatloadmessagesbutton" class="chatloadmessages" data-l10n-id="pad.chat.loadmessages"></button>
             </div>