What’s New in JAWS 15

Presentation for CTEBVI – April 2014

Sweetman Systems

Phone: 818-893-5887

Email: .

Introduction

Touch Screen Support in Windows 8

Improved Start Screen Navigation for Windows 8

Demonstration of Touch Cursor in News App

Using Search or the Standard Desktop in Windows 8

Vocalizer Expressive Synthesizer

Adjusting Speech Rate and Volume Using Gestures

FS Reader 3.0

Downloading JAWS Training Materials

Speech History

Updated Skype Support

Improvements in Error Reporting

Technical Support

Changes to Navigation Quick Keys

Third Party Braille Display Drivers Now Included with JAWS

Turning on Bluetooth Braille Display support for JAWS

Auto Detection of Braille Displays

Additional Braille Options Added to Startup Wizard

Braille Structured Mode Improvements

Changes to Braille Symbols Used in Structured mode

Table Reading in Braille

Using Your Braille Display as a Note Taker

Using FS Reader version 3.0 to read a Bookshare book

Using Research It

Looking Up Reuters News Stories

Looking Up Words in Wiktionary

Searching for a Business Using Research It

Introduction

For this presentation, I am using anIntel-based Microsoft Surface Pro running Windows 8, (a small tablet computer).

If you wish to run JAWS on your tablet, do not purchase the RT version; only the Intel-based Microsoft Surface Pro runs Windows.

This system has the Type cover with keys that can be pressed as opposed to the Touch cover.Press FN+Capslock to toggle function keys on the Surface.

I am using the Logitech K810 bluetooth keyboard; a standard USB keyboard can also be used.

If you don’t want an actual touch screen, you can get an Ultrabook. The Ultrabooks have a less powerful processor, no touch screen,but a lower price point. With an Ultrabook running Windows 8, you can still use the JAWS touch screen keystrokes.

Whatever you purchase, it is a good idea to check out the product at a retail outlet like Best Buy or Fry’s.

Touch Screen Support in Windows 8

JAWS 15 now supports the touch screen, (with gestures or the keyboard).

Improved Start Screen Navigation for Windows 8

Press Windows to open the Start screen.

Turn on touch cursor (Laptop:Shift+Capslock+Semicolon. Desktop:Shift+Numpad Plus).

Flick Up or Down with one finger to move between groups.

Flick Right or Left with one finger to move between all tiles.

Double tap with one finger to activate an item, or press Enter.

Keyboard. Use Up or Down Arrow to move between groups; use Right or Left Arrow to move between all tiles on the Start Screen sequentially. Press Enter to open an item.

Braille display. With the Focus Braille display, use rocker keys to move between groups. Use Dot6-chord or Dot 3-chord to move forward or backward through all tiles.

Demonstration of Touch Cursor in News App

When you run the News app or the Weather app, JAWS turns the touch cursor on automatically.

Press Windows to open the Start Screen.

Type News and press Enter.

Use downarrow to navigate by region.

Use Right arrow to navigate to a story, press Enter to load.

Use Right Arrow to navigate to text at the beginning of the story.

Press Insert+Down Arrow or swipe down with two fingers to read through the entire story.

When done reading the story, press Control+Home to return to top of page.

Press Right Arrow to locate the Go Back button and press Spacebar to return to article list.

Using Search or the Standard Desktop in Windows 8

Pressing Windows on a system running Windows 8 brings up a screen with different-sized tiles, but it still has the search box.

Example: Press Windows, type Word; press Enter.

In Windows 8, the Desktop supports first letter navigation and use of hot keys.

Example:Press Windows+D or Windows+M to focus on the Desktop.

Press the first letter of a program followed by Enter to activate it.

The user can also create shortcuts and assign hot keys: examples, JAWS (CTRL+Alt+J), Microsoft Word (CTRL+Alt+W), or Documents (CTRL+Alt+D).

Vocalizer Expressive Synthesizer

High-quality voices from Nuance Corporation are now available.

Pitch control is supported so the user can determine when letters are capitalized.

Example: Press Ctrl+Insert+S for a list of voice profiles.

Arrow down to Vocalizer Expressive and press Enter.

The new voices can be downloaded from the Internet using the Web Resources submenu located in the JAWS Help menu, and several can be installed from the JAWS DVD.

For more voices, make sure you are connected to the Internet.

Press Insert+J to open the Jaws Window or the JAWS context Menu if JAWS is running in the System tray.

Arrow to the Help submenu and press Enter.

Arrow to the Web Resources submenu and press Enter.

Now, arrow down to the Vocalizer Expressive download page and press Enter.

When the page loads, press H to navigate to the Vocalizer Expressive Voices heading.

Each voice can be downloaded as High Premium or Premium.

Adjusting Speech Rate and Volume Using Gestures

If you have a tablet or laptop with a touch screen, speech rate and volume can be adjusted using gestures.

If you are using a laptop, press Shift+Capslock+Semicolon to turn on the touch cursor.

If you are using a desktop configuration, Use Shift+NumpadPlusto turn on the touch cursor.

Place two fingers on the touch screen and turn them clockwise or counterclockwise until Speech Settings mode is selected.

Swipe up or down to increase or decrease the volume.

Swipe Right or Left to increase or decrease the speech rate.

Press Insert+Semicolon, (NumpadPlus for a desktop), to return to use of the PC cursor.

The new speech rate will remain in effect, even if you restart the computer.

FS Reader 3.0

FsReader now recognizes HTML format in DAISY, so you can navigate as you would on the Internet. For example, pressing H moves to next heading, or P moves to the next paragraph. Use Insert+F7 for a list of links, and Insert+F6 for a list of headings.

In addition to reading the JAWS and MAGic training materials, FS Reader can be used to read DAISY books from services like Bookshare or Learning Ally.

Downloading JAWS Training Materials

The basic JAWS training materials can be installed from the DVD or they can be downloaded. In addition to the basic training materials, there are many additional training materials that are not on the DVD which can be downloaded.

To download training materials, make sure you are connected to the Internet.

Press Insert+J and then open the JAWS Help menu.

Press Enter on the first choice which is Training.

If you wish to install additional materials, press the letter H to navigate to JAWS Features DAISY Books.

By way of example, arrow down to the link for Laptop Keystrokes with JAWS and MAGic and press Enter.

If the book hasn’t been downloaded and installed previously, it will be downloaded automatically from the Internet. Once download is complete, the training materials will be installed and loaded. You can now navigate through the book by heading or paragraph, or press CTRL+P to start or stop normal human speech.

Alternatively press Insert+Down Arrow to read the text using the JAWS voice that you have chosen.

At any time, you can press CTRL+J to return to the Table of Contents.

Speech History

Pressing Insert+Spacebar followed by H now opens a results viewer window containing the last 50 items spoken by the synthesizer. You are placed on the most recent item spoken. This can help in troubleshooting a web page or allow you to determine if your download completed while you were away from the computer.

To clear the history, press Insert+Spacebar followed by Shift+H.

The former Speech History option used by Braille display users has been changed to Speech Output.

Updated Skype Support

Freedom Scientific worked with Doug Lee to include Skype scripts in JAWS 15. Install Skype and switch to Compact View so that your contact list is displayed in the main window.

Alt+Tab will now move between the Main Window and conversation windows. The messaging App supports Grade 2 Braille.

JAWS will announce incoming calls in all applications as well as showing them as a flash message in Braille. If you don’t hear the message the first time, press Insert+Spacebar followed by Shift+R to repeat it. You should assign a hot key other than Alt+CTRL+Page Up, (the voice rate keystroke), (example, Shift+A).

You can press CTRL+1 through CTRL+0 while in a chat window to read the last 10 items in the history list; press twice quickly to show message in virtual viewer.

Press CTRL+Shift+E to move focus to the chat entry field.

PressingCTRL+Windows with 1 through 5 lets you open up to 5 conversation windows. You can then press Insert+Spacebar followed by 1 through 5 to switch between conversations.

Improvements in Error Reporting

If JAWS unexpectedly closes, a memory dump file with diagnostic information is created in the JAWS user settings folder.

If JAWS is still running, but you have lost speech or Braille, you can press Windows+Insert+F4 to close JAWS, create the dump file, and then have JAWS restart automatically with a dialog showing that there was an error and providing an option to send the dump file for analysis by Freedom Scientific technical support.

Location of error logs. With Windows 7, choose All Programs, JAWS 15, Explore My Settings and press Enter to open the User Settings folder. Press Backspace to go back one level to find the logs. For Windows 8, type “jaws 15” and then press Down Arrow until you get to the “Utilities – JAWS 15 App,” and press Enter. At this point, choose Explore My Settings and press Enter.

Technical Support

If you keep getting an error, you can always call Freedom Scientific technical support at Phone 727-803-8600 and choose option 2 for software. Or, send an Email to with a description of the problem and an attached dump file if you have one.

If you have an issue with a Windows product, Microsoft also has a technical support line that is free of charge for persons with disabilities who have questions about Assistive technology. Call 800-936-5900.

If your question is not about assistive technology, call general Microsoft Technical support at Phone 800-642-7676.

There is also a paid Microsoft Technical Support number which is 800-936-5700.

Changes to Navigation Quick Keys

Several navigation quick keys used on the internet were changed to be consistent with the quick keys that are now used for the touch cursor.

Next radio button: A.

Previous radio button: Shift+A.

List radio buttons: CTRL+Insert+A.

Next region: R.

Previous region: Shift+R.

List Regions: CTRL+Insert+R.

Move to the main region of a page: Q.

Next OnMouseOver: Semicolon.

Previous OnMouseOver: Shift+semicolon.

List OnMouseOvers: CTRL+Insert+Semicolon.

Third Party Braille Display Drivers Now Included with JAWS

Most Braille display drivers can be automatically installed and then added through the Synthesizer and Braille manager. If the display supports Bluetooth, it can be connected once it is paired with the computer, and Bluetooth support is turned on in JAWS Braille settings. If you use USB, you only need to obtain the USB driver from the third-party manufacturer.

Turning on Bluetooth Braille Display support for JAWS

Press Insert+F2 to open the JAWS manager.

Press S two times for Settings Center; then press Enter.

Press CTRL+Shift+D so that the change will apply to all applications.

Press B for Braille; then Right Arrow to open Braille Settings.

Arrow down to General; then press Right Arrow to open General settings.

Arrow down to “Autodetect Braille display using Bluetooth,” and press Spacebar to check it.

Press Enter to close the Settings Manager.

From now on, JAWS will automatically detect your Bluetooth Braille display.

Auto Detection of Braille Displays

If you have connected a Braille display, you can plug it in without restarting JAWS.

Additional Braille Options Added to Startup Wizard

You can now choose Braille contraction options, Flash messages, set Braille mode, (structured, line or speech output), enable or disable word wrap, choose reverse panning, or select placement of status cells while in the Startup Wizard. On the Focus displays, you can also set dot firmness in the wizard.

Braille Structured Mode Improvements

In Settings Center, there is a new Structured Mode group where you can quickly define how JAWS displays Braille information about the current dialog and selected control.

Changes to Braille Symbols Used in Structured mode

A – indicates opened or expanded.

A + indicates closed or collapsed.

Disabled or grayed out is now xx.

Pressed is now Dots123456.

Graphics is now indicated by img (image).

The goal of these changes is to save space required on the Braille display. Also, by default, status cells are turned off for the Focus 14 Braille display.

Table Reading in Braille

If JAWS is configured to Display Current Row and also to Show Titles, table cells will be separated by a vertical bar, and the associated column title will be repeated for each cell.

It is now much easier to read the table with speech turned off, (for instance, if you are looking something up on your laptop in a meeting). It also makes tables totally accessible for persons who cannot hear and thus need to rely entirely on Braille output.

If you are using a laptop with a Braille display, you can quickly toggle speech on and off with the layered command, (Insert+Spacebar followed by S).The ability to quickly turn speech on or off enables a person with a laptop and a Braille display to take notes in class using contracted Braille.

Using Your Braille Display as a Note Taker

Use the JAWS startup wizard to set Braille display mode to input/output.

Connect the Braille display using USB or Bluetooth.

Open Microsoft Word.

To take notes quietly, press Insert+Spacebar followed by S to turn speech off.

Now, write normally using contracted Braille on the Braille display.

When done, press Insert+Spacebar followed by S to turn speech on again.

Using FS Reader version 3.0 to read a Bookshare book

For this example, I will use the Humanware Companion program that is provided with the Victor Reader Stream to quickly download a DAISY book from Bookshare.

  1. Start HumanwareCompanion.
  2. Press CTRL+W to start the Bookshare web service.
  3. Enter your Email address and Bookshare password; then Tab to the login button and press Enter. You can now search by Title, Author, or Full Text. For this example, select Title.
  4. Tab to the edit field and type “gone with the wind,” then Tab to the Search button and press Enter.
  5. Press Spacebar to select Gone with the Wind; then press Enter to download the book.
  6. Press Enter to activate the OK button once processing is complete; then press Enter on the Close button.
  7. Close Humanware Companion.

The book, Gone with the Wind, is now saved in the Documents folder.

Read the book with FS Reader version 3.0 as follows.

  1. Start the FSReader 3.0 program.
  2. Press CTRL+O for the Open dialog.
  3. Press Shift+Tab to show items in the Documents folder.
  4. Press the letter G to quickly locate Gone with the Wind,” then press Enter.
  5. Press Spacebar to select the Gone with the Wind file; then press Enter.
  6. Press the letter H about eight times to locate Part 1.
  7. Press the F6 key twice to navigate to the text view.
  8. Press Insert+Down Arrow to read through the book using JAWS for Windows.

At any point, you can set a bookmark by pressing CTRL+B.

Press CTRL+K to view bookmarks.

Using Research It

Research It is a powerful tool that facilitates lookup of news stories, Wikipedia articles, Wiktionary definitions, weather information, and much more. Before starting, be sure you are connected to the Internet.

Looking Up Reuters News Stories

  1. Press Insert+Spacebar followed by R for Research It.
  2. Press the Tab key one time to get to the list of lookup items.
  3. Arrow down to Reuters Top News Stories, or just press the letter R to get there quickly.
  4. Press Enter.

After a few seconds, summaries of the ten top Reuters news stories will be displayed. Following each summary, is a link to the full story.

Looking Up Words in Wiktionary

Suppose that your student is reading a document or is on the Internet and wishes to look up an unknown word or medical term. For this example, use the word ubiquitous. Do the following:

  1. Place the cursor on the word to look up.
  2. Press Insert+Spacebar followed by R, or simply press Windows+Insert+R.

Within a few seconds, the etimology and definition of the word will be displayed. When done reading the definition, press Escape to close Research It.