Windows 11 with JAWS for Windows
Class One

CathyAnne Murtha

www.blind.training

cathy@blind.training

 

Introduction

Hello, my name is CathyAnne Murtha from Access Technology Institute, LLC. I am an Access Technology Trainer. I have taught access technology to blind and low vision computer users and trainers for 25 years. I author textbooks that teach students how to access computers with NVDA and JAWS for Windows screen readers.

 

In this course, I’ll discuss accessing Windows 11 with JAWS for Windows. JAWS for Windows is a screen reader available from Freedom Scientific at www.freedomscientfic.com.

 

Screen readers echo Windows controls and text. Screen readers literally read the screen.

 

Today, I’ll discuss some JAWS for Windows and Windows 11 basics.

 

Contents

Introduction. 1

Launch JAWS for Windows. 1

JAWS Modifier Key. 2

Reduce Speech Rate. 2

Silence Speech. 2

Read the Focused Control 2

The JAWS Startup Wizard. 3

Submit Anonymous Data. 3

Speech Settings. 4

Run JAWS Settings. 5

Common Options. 6

Verbosity Settings. 7

BrailleTranslation Settings. 8

Braille Settings. 9

Adjust JAWS for Windows Speech Rate. 10

Temporarily Adjust Speech Rate. 10

Permanently Adjusting Speech Rate. 10

Exit JAWS for Windows. 11

Windows Text Navigation Commands. 11

JAWS for Windows Say All 12

Read the System Clock. 12

Conclusion. 12

 

Launch JAWS for Windows

If JAWS doesn’t launch when you start your computer, you can start JAWS from the Windows Run dialog.

 

You can also configure JAWS to run automatically on startup or at the logon screen. I’ll discuss both shortly.

 

If JAWS doesn’t start automatically or you need to restart JAWS for some reason, follow these steps:

·       Open the Windows Run dialog WINDOWS KEY-R

o   Hold down the WINDOWS KEY and press R

·       Type the JAWS version you’re using. For example, if you are using JAWS 2023, type “JAWS2023” without the quotes

·       Press ENTER

 

JAWS for Windows launches. If you find yourself without speech, memorize these steps and save yourself a reboot!

JAWS Modifier Key

JAWS for Windows has default Modifier Keys.

·       Desktop Layout NUMPAD INSERT (0)

·       Laptop Layout CAPSLOCK

 

When I reference a keyboard command with “JAWS KEY”, that indicates the JAWS modifier key.

Reduce Speech Rate

If the JAWS for Windows speech rate is so fast that you understand generalities but not specifics, slow down the speech.

 

I’m going to teach you how to access concepts and controls. In order to learn Windows controls, you need to listen carefully as you navigate Windows.

 

You can increase the speech rate when reading a document but, for the purposes of these lessons, I recommend slowing speech to a comfortable level.

Silence Speech

Press either CTRL key to silence speech. Don’t do this too quickly. As you learn Windows with JAWS, you’ll depend on the screen reader to access Windows controls. If you silence speech too quickly, you risk missing important information.

 

I’ve had students open a dialog and immediately silence speech. I ask the focused control and they don’t know. They hit CTRL too quickly!

Read the Focused Control

If you do silence speech too quickly or have difficulty understanding a focused control, use the JAWS command JAWS KEY-TAB to re-read the focused control and contents.

 

Practice using JAWS KEY-TAB when configuring the JAWS for Windows Startup Wizard

 

We’re going to discuss the Startup Wizard next.


 

The JAWS Startup Wizard

When JAWS for Windows is installed, basic configurations are in the JAWS Startup Wizard. The Startup Wizard opens when you first launch the screen reader.

 

Familiarize yourself with basic JAWS for Windows configurations in the Startup Wizard.

 

Open the JAWS Startup Wizard in the JAWS for Windows Help Menu.

 

 

Configure JAWS for Windows basics in the Startup Wizard screens.

 

Each screen has JAWS for Windows configuration controls.

Submit Anonymous Data

The first wizard screen is the Anonymous Data screen:

 

The first wizard screen selects whether to participate in anonymous data submission. Freedom Scientific uses the data to improve JAWS for Windows.

 

This is optional; however, some JAWS for Windows features rely on anonymous data submission. If you opt to not participate, you can change this setting at any time.

 

Press TAB and SHIFT-TAB to navigate controls.

 

The controls include:

 

Two buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

To continue configuration, activate the “Next” button.

Speech Settings

The second Wizard screen configures Speech Settings.

 

Press TAB and SHIFT-TAB to navigate controls. TAB and SHIFT-TAB navigate Windows controls.

 

Configure the following:

 

Three buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

To continue configuration, activate the “Next” button.

Run JAWS Settings

The “Run JAWS Settings” wizard screen configures when JAWS for Windows starts.

 

Configure the following controls:

 

Three buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

To continue configuration, activate the “Next” button.

Common Options

Configure more basics on the “Common Options” Wizard screen.

 

Three buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

To continue configuration, activate the “Next” button.

Verbosity Settings

Configure JAWS for Windows verbosity settings on this wizard screen.

 

Verbosity configures JAWS for Windows help information and speech echo.

 

Configure the following:

 

Three buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

To continue configuration, activate the “Next” button.

BrailleTranslation Settings

The Braille Translation Settings wizard screen configures Braille settings.

Configure the following:

 

 

Three buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

To continue configuration, activate the “Next” button.

 Braille Settings

Configure additional Braille settings on the last Wizard screen.

 

Three buttons are at the bottom of the wizard screen. Press SPACEBAR to activate buttons:

 

If you are finished, activate the “Finish” button.

 

Return to the Startup Wizard at any time to fine-tune basic settings or verbosity. This is an easy-to-access interface that provides ready access to a variety of JAWS for Windows configurations.

          

Adjust JAWS for Windows Speech Rate

Configure JAWS for Windows Speech Rate with JAWS for Windows Keyboard accelerators.

 

Temporarily Adjust Speech Rate

To temporarily adjust JAWS for Windows speech rate:

Permanently Adjusting Speech Rate

Permanently adjust an application’s speech rate:

·       Focus in an application for which you want to permanently adjust the speech rate

·       Permanently increase speech rate CTRL-WINDOWS KEY-ALT-PAGE UP

·       Permanently decrease speech rate CTRL-WINDOWS KEY-ALT-PAGE DOWN

Exit JAWS for Windows

To exit JAWS for Windows, use the JAWS keyboard accelerator JAWS KEY-F4.

 

If you unchecked the Startup Wizard “Prompt to confirm when exiting JAWS”” checkbox, JAWS immediately shuts down.

 

If you didn’t uncheck the Startup Wizard “Prompt to confirm when exiting JAWS”” checkbox, a small dialog opens.

 

“Are you sure you want to quit JAWS? Press ENTER to quit now or ESCAPE to cancel

 

JAWS instructs you to press ENTER because the default button is OK. When you press ENTER, it activates the default button.

 

Press the JAWS command JAWS KEY-E to read the default button.

Windows Text Navigation Commands

Windows features text navigation keyboard commands. These commands are used by both sighted and blind computer users.

 

These commands work in any edit box and on the Internet.

 

Open an email, word processing document, or web page and practice using these keyboard commands.

·       Move to the next character RIGHT ARROW

·       Move to the previous character LEFT ARROW

·       Move to the next line DOWN ARROW

·       Move to the previous line UP ARROW

·       Move to the next paragraph CTRL-DOWN ARROW

·       Move to the previous paragraph CTRL-UP ARROW

·       Move to the end of a line END

·       Move to the beginning of a line HOME

·       Move to the next screen PAGE DOWN

·       Move to the previous screen PAGE UP

·       Move to the next page CTRL-PAGE DOWN

·       Move to the previous page CTRL-PAGE UP

·       Move to the top of the page CTRL-HOME

·       Move to the bottom of the page CTRL-END

 

Using these Windows keyboard commands, you can navigate text in any Windows edit box and on the Internet.

 

Press CTRL at any time to silence speech.

JAWS for Windows Say All

Read a document from the cursor to the end of the document with the JAWS for Windows Say All command.

 

Stop reading at any time with CTRL. The cursor stops at the last word echoed during Say All.

 

To execute Say All:

 

When reading with “Say All,” skim read a document with RIGHT and LEFT ARROW or RIGHT and LEFT SHIFT KEYS.

 

Adjust the speech rate during Say All:

Read the System Clock

Read the system clock with JAWS keyboard accelerators:

·       Press JAWS KEY-F12 to echo the time

·       Press JAWS KEY-F12 twice quickly to echo the date

o   Hold down the JAWS modifier key and tap F12 twice quickly

This keyboard accelerator can be used anywhere in Windows.

Conclusion

While configuring the JAWS Startup Wizard, you accessed a variety of standard Windows controls. I recommend familiarizing yourself with these controls as you’ll use them everywhere in Windows.

 

You also learned some JAWS commands. Let’s review what you’ve learned today..

·       Read the focused control JAWS KEY-TAB

·       Navigate Windows controls TAB And SHIFT-TAB

·       Check checkboxes SPACEBAR

·       Activate buttons SPACEBAR

·       Access radio buttons UP and DOWN ARROW

o   When a radio button is selected, the rest are unselected

·       Access combo boxes

o   Press UP and DOWN ARROW to select an option

o   Press TAB to move to the next control

·       Slider bars – Select a value with the Windows cursor keys:

o   UP and DOWN ARROW

o   PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN

o   HOME and END

·       Temporarily adjust the speech rate:

o   Increase the speech rate CTRL-ALT-PAGE UP

o   Decrease the speech rate CTRL-ALT-PAGE DOWN

·       Permanently adjust the speech rate:

o   Increase the speech rate CTRL-WINDOWS KEY-ALT-PAGE UP

o   Decrease the speech rate CTRL-WINDOWS KEY-ALT-PAGE DOWN

·       Exit JAWS JAWS KEY-F4

·       Read the default button JAWS KEY-E

·       Say All

o   Desktop layout is JAWS KEY-NUMPAD 2

o   Laptop layout JAWS KEY-DOWN ARROW or JAWS KEY-A

·       Read the system clock

o   Time JAWS KEY-F12

o   Date JAWS KEY-F12 twice quickly

 

Please take the time to configure JAWS Startup Wizard and speech rate to suit your needs. Open the Startup Wizard and practice accessing Windows controls. These are used throughout Windows. The more you practice, the better you’ll do in these lessons.

 

Practice navigating text edit boxes and web pages with the Windows text navigation commands and Say All.

 

I’m CathyAnne. Find me on the web at www.blind.training. I’ll see you next time. Thanks George.