Kestrell

Where did they move the insert key to on the Microsoft Surface Go laptop?

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 20:53:44 GMT

I love my little laptop but, as a Jaws user, it is kind of a nuisance that the designers put the power button where the insert key typically goes, to the left of the delete key.

While Jaws can use the caps lock key in the laptop configuration as a meta key, there are a lot of keyboard commands that only work with the insert key.

I'm currently using a USB keyboard plugged into the laptop, but the more I think about it, the more it drives me crazy.

Can anyone find a picture on the web which indicates where they hid the insert key?

I already had to call the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk once this week, and I would rather not call them again if I can avoid it.

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Freedom Scientific Jaws and Fusion learning resources all on one page

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 10:27:45 GMT

This is actually called the "Teaching Resources" page, and it is typically aimed at teachers, but it is a clear and concise way to find all the vast help docs and resources that are sometimes more difficult to find.

https://www.freedomscientific.com/training/teachers/

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Pricing increase for Jaws, ZoomText, and Fusion

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:13:59 GMT

From Casey at WebFriendlyHelp.com
https://webfriendlyhelp.com/pricing-increase-for-jaws-zoomtext-and-fusion/#content

block quote start

Just wanted to pass this on for anyone that uses the above products.

Starting on March 1st the pricing of home annual subscriptions will be as follows.

JAWS=$95

ZoomText=$85

Fusion=$170

Professional versions of the above products are higher in price.

If you need to renew, I suggest doing it before March to save a bit of money.

This can really add up if you pay for 3 or 5 years ahead for your access technology.

If you are using the older SMA authorization this pricing doesn’t apply.

In this case I recommend always renewing before the next major version is released. This usually happens in the October/November timeframe.

block quote end

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Upcoming webinars: "3D Printing for the Classroom" and "JAWS and Citation Styles"

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 12:48:49 GMT

Access Academy upcoming webinars

3D Printing for the Classroom: Where to Start
February 1, 2021, 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST
How does DNA work? How do cars navigate intersections? How are a person’s lungs and heart positioned within the chest cavity? Describing complex ideas to students with vision loss can be challenging. Join this webinar and learn how to bridge this gap the by producing manipulatives using a 3D printer.
Register here
https://aph.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9XR4PNCLTZqHEAS2ZDxRXw

JAWS and Citation Styles: Did someone say citation styles?
February 9, 2021, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM EST
What citation style are you and your students using to reference research papers? MLA, APA, or something else? No matter the style, Elizabeth Whitaker of Vispero will outline features in JAWS to confirm you know where your periods, quotations, and other formatting styles are at in those papers.
Register Here
https://aph.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Da_mWe_kTl-fLJsIX-WKvQ

For more information about Access Academy and upcoming Access Academy webinars, please visit the
About Access Academy webpage.
https://www.aph.org/educational-resources/training/access-academy/

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Webinars: MS Teams, Good Maps, 3D printing to teach BVI students

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 12:48:24 GMT

1. From the Jaws blog: Microsoft Teams Beyond the Basics
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/join-us-for-microsoft-teams-and-jaws-beyond-the-basics/

Do you use Microsoft Teams with JAWS at work or school? Need to access valuable features using the keyboard?
Join us Thursday, January 21 at noon Eastern time for a live webinar, “Microsoft Teams and JAWS, Beyond the Basics.”

What We’ll Cover
We’ll provide an overview of the Teams interface, and talk about navigation improvements in JAWS and Fusion 2021. We’ll demonstrate how to:
• Chat with others
• Post in Teams channels
• Attach and open files
• Access the calendar
Register
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PSgOhhs5RDaoH_7Y8NcWXg

Webinars on Demand
https://www.freedomscientific.com/training/freewebinars/archivedwebinars/

2. From Access Academy (formerly #AtHomewithAPH
For more information about Access Academy and upcoming Access Academy webinars, please visit the
About Access Academy webpage.
https://www.aph.org/educational-resources/training/access-academy/

January 21, 2021,  3 PM to 3:45 PM EST
It is a Good Time to Go Exploring with GoodMaps
GoodMaps has created an accessible indoor/outdoor navigation tool, GoodMaps Explore, that offers hands-free navigation capabilities for blind or visually impaired users to travel freely throughout their surroundings. We invite you to learn more about GoodMaps Explore from Mike May and Evelyn Tichenor in the first APH Partner Showcase of 2021. Join us and discover all that GoogMaps Explore offers for independent navigation.
Register Here
https://aph.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N9CfNqjbTAmaCoAgcVFyJg

3. February 1, 2021,
1:00 - 2:00 PM EST
3D Printing for the Classroom: Where to Start
How does DNA work? How do cars navigate intersections? How are a person’s lungs and heart positioned within the chest cavity? Describing complex ideas to students with vision loss can be challenging. Join this webinar and learn how to bridge this gap the by producing manipulatives using a 3D printer.
Register here
https://aph.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9XR4PNCLTZqHEAS2ZDxRXw

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New update to Doug Lee's Jaws scripts for Discord

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 12:36:18 GMT

Updated as of Dec. 2020
https://dlee.org/discord/

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Updated Jaws scripts for Discord by Doug Lee

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 11:03:25 GMT

Updated as of Nov. 2020, with more background about using them
https://www.dlee.org/discord/

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Interview with Doug Lee, blind programmer

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:18:51 GMT

Freedom Scientific's FS Cast 191 includes an interview with Doug Lee, whose scripts I have mentioned a number of times over the past few months. He writes scripts which make Jaws more accessible with various programs, including scripts for using Discord, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. This is me trying not to make squeeing fangirl noises.
Links to be podcast can be found here
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast-191-all-about-computers-for-the-blind-and-an-interview-with-jaws-scripter-doug-lee/

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Picture Smart improvements in Jaws 2021

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 12:41:55 GMT

Kes: I'm still amazed by this feature - the details are listed after the URL

What's New in Jaws, Zoom Text, and Fusion 2021
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/whats-new-in-jaws-zoomtext-and-fusion-2021/

Improvements to Picture Smart
Introduced in JAWS and Fusion 2019, the Picture Smart feature analyzes photos and displays a description in the Results Viewer, which can be read with JAWS. To use Picture Smart:

Press INSERT+SPACEBAR to activate layered commands.
Press P to activate the Picture Smart layer.
Press A, F, C, or B for a description, as described below:
Press A for a description of a photo acquired from a flatbed scanner or PEARL camera.
Press F for a description of an image file you selected in Windows Explorer.
Press C for a description of a control in focus. This can include a graphical button in a dialog box or other area of the screen.
Press B for a description of an image on the Windows Clipboard.
Several improvements to this feature are available in JAWS and Fusion 2021. These include:

Providing descriptions of images on web pages
Submitting images to multiple services for a more accurate analysis
Using Picture Smart with multiple languages
Learn more about Picture Smart in JAWS Help, or press INSERT+SPACEBAR, followed by P, then ? (question mark) for additional information.

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Keyboard shortcuts for Webex accessibility

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:07:16 GMT

Downloading and joining a meeting using Webex with Jaws https://radr.rutgers.edu/resource/how-access-webex-jaws#main-content

Complete list of Webex keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac https://www.brooklinema.gov/Webex-Accessibility#cc5f8c90dc-b4cb-431b-90ee-10648f8df655

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Freedom Scientific Webinar: Exploring the Edge Chromium browser with Jaws

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 09:53:06 GMT

Description
Are you new to the Microsoft Edge Chromium web browser? Want to get the most out of browsing the internet?
Join us Thursday, September 17 at noon Eastern
During this webinar, we will:
- Introduce you to the Edge browser
- Demonstrate important features and settings
- Provide useful keyboard commands that improve your web browsing experience
Time
Sep 17, 2020 12:00 PM in
Eastern Time (US and Canada) Switch Time Zone

Register at
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t-ThOTgmR5iSMTyeeFmkAQ

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Jaws settings users should be aware of when doing web design

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 11:58:45 GMT

Kes: I posted a question to a blind computer users list asking why a link on my webpage, which I had written so that the link and the title of the link appeared on the same line, was being broken up to two lines, one for the text title and the other for the actual link itself. Below is the answer I received from Heather Thomas, a technology instructor at the Carroll Center for the Blind. I have a little more info added after her answer.

from Heather Thomas:

The default behavior of JAWS is that it breaks each link onto its own line. This will be true even if that link appears in the middle of a sentence or on what sighted individuals perceive as a single line containing multiple links. This makes it easier to activate the links by pressing Enter because it is very clear what has focus. This is what Freedom Scientific calls “simple layout.” You can change the “document presentation mode” to “screen layout” within Quick Settings (JAWS key + V) if you want JAWS to announce information in a way that is similar to what a sighted user sees on the screen. I will warn you that, even in screen layout, you still will not hear lines exactly as they appear visually, but it will be closer than in simple layout. For comparison, NVDA’s default behavior is closer to the JAWS’s “screen layout” document presentation mode. So, you might either check out how your page presents when using JAWS in “screen layout” or read it with NVDA. Also, always keep in mind that screen readers are accessing the underlying code, so there may be other times where your sighted professor “sees” your screen content differently than you do.

Kes: I changed the Jaws setting for document presentation mode to screen mode and it does indeed show my webpage very close to how I wrote the HTML for it: if there are deviations, they aren't apparent at first look.

Here are basic steps to changing the document presentation setting:
1. Jaws settings are contextual, so you need to have a webpage or virtual document open to have the document presentation mode show up in the settings options.
2. Press Jaws+v to open Jaws settings.
3. Start typing document presentation mode in the search edit field: you should hear Jaws auto-fill potential search results, so listen for "document presentation mode".
4. You will hear Jaws say something like "Two results": down arrow to the combo box.
5. Press the spacebar to expand the combo box.
6. There will be two options: simple, which is the default to which Jaws is now set, and screen, which is what you want to press spacebar and enter to select.
7. You may at some point later wish to repeat the first few of these steps and browse through the other settings that control how Jaws presents web pages and virtual documents, but I don't recommend changing any other settings unless you know what you're doing.
8. To learn more about Jaws settings which format how webpages and virtual documents are presented, refer to the following document:
JAWS Settings to Change for Web Page Testing
https://doccenter.freedomscientific.com/doccenter/doccenter/rs11f929e9c511/2014-12-02_webpagetesting-l1/02_JAWS-Settings.htm

Final comment: this is probably another reason why blind software developers and programmers seem to all be using NVDA and Firefox.

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Using Jaws with the new Microsoft Edge browser

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 10:11:29 GMT

The Freedom Scientific blog has a new post about using Jaws with the new Microsoft Edge browser
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/you-ask-we-answer-4-questions-about-transitioning-to-the-edge-chromium-browser/
The article answers some questions, along with providing tips for making the transition.

More info about exact dates when Microsft will stop supporting IE from the following article
https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/17/21372487/microsoft-internet-explorer-11-support-end-365-legacy-edge#content
Microsoft will end support for Internet Explorer 11 across its Microsoft 365 apps and services next year. In exactly a year, on August 17th, 2021, Internet Explorer 11 will no longer be supported for Microsoft’s online services like Office 365, OneDrive, Outlook, and more. Microsoft is also ending support for Internet Explorer 11 with the Microsoft Teams web app later this year, with support ending on November 30th.
Meanwhile, there is the
new Internet Explorer legacy mode
https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/6/18527875/microsoft-chromium-edge-new-features-build-2019
in the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser which might help users with the transition.

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Join Freedom Scientific's FSOpenLine on Thursday

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 11:40:31 GMT

Kes: This one is going to discuss the next release and how to get involved in beta testing, so I plan on listening.

FSOpenLine, Freedom Scientific’s global call-in show, will take place Thursday, August 27 at 3 P.M. Eastern time.

Do you have questions about our software or hardware products? Want to share an idea? Join us to have your voice heard by key members of Freedom Scientific’s product management and engineering teams.

In this show, we will cover:

The upcoming releases of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2021
How to participate in the upcoming Public Software Beta
How you can help improve Freedom Scientific products through anonymous usage data

Details on how to join can be found on the blog
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/join-us-for-fsopenline-2/

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David Kingsbury to discuss his new book on Tech Talk tonight

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 18:40:33 GMT

David is one of the technology instructors at the Carroll Center for the Blind, and I had three very full days of instruction with him earlier this summer. Even if you are a proficient screen reader user, David probably knows alternate ways of performing the same task, some of them maybe even faster and easier. I already bought his new book, because I want to learn NVDA.

Here's the Tech Talk info:

Tek Talk welcomes David Kingsbury, an Assistive Technology Instructor at The Carroll Center for the Blind. Topic: David Kingsbury will discuss his new book: “When One Web Browser Is Not Enough: A Guide for Windows Screen Reader Users.”

August 24, 2020
Time: 8:00 pm Eastern.
David Kingsbury, an Assistive Technology Instructor at The Carroll Center for the Blind in Massachusetts, has recently written a book entitled “When One Web Browser Is Not Enough: A Guide for Windows Screen Reader Users.” Published by the Carroll Center, the book is intended to help JAWS, NVDA, and Narrator users to effectively use the four leading web browsers - Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge - in ways that build on the strengths of each of them.

During the August 24 Tek Talk episode, he will discuss:
• His current work as an assistive technology instructor.
• Why he wrote the book.
• Brief overview of tools and techniques covered in the book, and
• Some of his favorite tools that create synergies between the browsers.
The book is available in Word format for $20. If you are interested in ordering a copy, go to:
https://carroll.org/product/when-one-web-browser-is-not-enough/

Date: Monday August 24, 2020
Time: 5 pm Pacific, 6 pm Mountain, 7 pm Central, 8 pm Eastern and throughout the world, Tuesday 0:00 GMT.
Zoom invitation
( continued below the cut )

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Jaws script with Slack

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 12:20:07 GMT

I received an invite to join Slack, so I'm currently trying to absorb the interface. Luckily, I remembered that Doug Lee's scripts page also had scripts and a help doc for
Jaws scripts with Slack
https://www.dlee.org/slack/

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Upcoming webinar on Jaws and Gmail

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 10:59:48 GMT

American Printing House for the Blind will be hosting a webinar on
JAWS and Gmail

Description
Want to know how to access your Gmail from anywhere using Google’s Web Mail option? This presentation outlines optimal accessibility settings, show you how to work with messages, and discuss important features designed to enhance your email experience.
Time
Jul 15, 2020 11:30 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register here
https://aph.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hC67ypICRBOKE9YI8u3j9w

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Zoom advice, Freedom Scientific webinars, NVDA testers wanted

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 11:55:32 GMT

Here are more technology-related links from this week's Top Tech Tidbits. You can
subscribe and read the entire newsletter online at
https://www.toptechtidbits.com/tidbits2020/07022020/

Top Tech Tidbits is conducting a poll on their Facebook page asking their readers how many use more than one screen reader
https://www.facebook.com/toptechtidbits/app/126231547426086/?app_data=%7B%7D

TTT has a disclaimer regarding malfunctioning Zoom links from last week's newsletter, and offers the following advice:
you can circumvent this behavior currently, on any device, by opening up the Zoom Meeting App directly (or visiting https://zoom.us/join), pasting in the Zoom Meeting ID number, and then clicking the "Join" button. The Meeting ID number should always be the series of numbers immediately following the letter "j" within the Zoom Meeting link that you've been provided.
If you still have questions, this free one hour and twenty one minute course from LinkedIn Learning, which provides professional grade audio and video, as well as complete transcripts for each course, may provide answers:
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/learning-zoom/stay-connected-with-zoom-meetings

NV Access is looking for testers for the forthcoming NVDA version 2020.2 as they develop support for a new braille display, support for 1Password and improved performance with Windows OneCore voices
https://www.nvaccess.org/post/in-process-25th-june-2020/

WebFriendlyHelp has added accessibility directions to Dropbox's help on
Request fiels from anyone via Dropbox
https://webfriendlyhelp.com/request-files-from-anyone-via-dropbox/

Freedom Scientific has upcoming webinars which include a Q&A on low-vision devices, how to access FS training without using a computer, and an introduction to technology for teachers who are teaching blind and low-vision students.
https://www.freedomscientific.com/training/freewebinars/?utm_content=130235926&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&hss_channel=tw-2382446636

Blind Bargains Cast 211 has a plethora of links to more info about iOS accessibility features
https://blindbargains.com/bargains.php?m=21985

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Freedom Scientific is extending the Free Home-Use Software Until August 31, 2020.

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 13:28:12 GMT

From the email announcement: remotely. Due to Covid-19, and the impact to our customers, during Summer Schools sessions especially, we have decided to extend the expiration date on the Free June 30th software licenses to August 31, 2020. Your license will automatically be extended so there is nothing extra for you to do. As many people have requested to continue using the product past the August 31st expiration, *we are offering a 20% discount to anyone in the United States to extend their Home Annual License if you purchase your renewal before July 31st.* All you need to do to take advantage of this offer is to go into the software licensing portal https://portal.freedomscientific.com/SponsoredSoftware#main-content prior to July 31st and choose the Renewal Option and select 1, 3, or 5 years for the Home Annual license of that product and the renewal time will begin after the August 31st date.

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