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The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy. -Alfred North Whitehead (1861 - 1947) Powered by SFEBanner Thinkzo: Resource ArticleWhat is JAWS?
by Greg EpleyNovember 2003 First revision, August 2005 JAWS, or Job Access With Speech, is a class of technology known as a screen reader. A screen reader is software that uses synthesized speech to allow a blind or visually impaired person to use a computer without sighted assistance. The screen reader can interpret the graphical user interface of the computer, with it's icons, windows, buttons and other controls, and turn them into synthesized speech, providing access to most features of the computer. For example, if you use your mouse to click the Start menu or press the Windows key on your keyboard, the Start menu pops open and highlights some specific item. You can see what's happening, but you likely don't hear anything other than the click of the mouse or the keyboard. Close your eyes and imagine what it would be like to try to tell what was happening if you did these things and you couldn't see the screen. At first, this may seem like a very slow and cumbersome way to use a computer, but most blind or visually impaired persons can learn to use a computer with a screen reader and perform tasks faster than their sighted counterparts. It takes time and practice, at least a few weeks, but the independence and opportunities it offers are immense. The JAWS screen reader from Freedom Scientific is just one brand of screen reader, and care should be taken in selecting the one that works best for the end user. You can get more information (and typically a free trial download) from each of the major manufacturers' web sites. An internet search on most any internet search engine for the words "windows screen reader download" should return enough results to locate the information needed. |
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