Freedom Scientific Blog - Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 8:28 AM
Learn More, Do More, New Features in JAWS: Improvements to Contracted Braille
Input
This week’s look into the new features of JAWS and Fusion 2020 will be of
special interest to those who use a refreshable Braille display with JAWS to
enter text.
At Freedom Scientific, we have always been a champion of Braille literacy, both
in the classroom and on the job. From our popular and feature-rich Focus Blue
line of Braille displays to the powerful features available in JAWS and Fusion
with a compatible Braille device, we try to ensure that Braille users can
access the information they need as efficiently as possible.
When using JAWS with a Braille display that offers an 8-key Perkins-style
keyboard, such as the Focus, you can use Contracted Braille to type in many
applications, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Google Docs. As you type
Braille contractions and dot patterns for words, numbers, and punctuation, JAWS
instantly translates your input into normal text so it can be read by a sighted
teacher or parent. For users of the ElBraille, a braille notetaker that runs on
Windows®, which relies on the Focus display as the primary means of operating
the device, ensuring this feature works reliably is critical.
For users who prefer to enter text directly from the Braille display, JAWS 2020
offers significant improvements when typing in contracted Braille:
Support for Contracted Braille input in more applications, including PowerPoint
and TextPad.
The ability to enter and edit text in numbered and bulleted lists in Word,
WordPad, Outlook, and Windows Mail.
Improved Contracted Braille input in WordPad, especially when editing a
numbered or bulleted list created in Word and opened in WordPad. This includes
properly handling wrapped items, which previously showed the number or bullet
on subsequent wrapped lines rather than indenting the text.
Improved Contracted Braille input in Chrome as well as online editors like
Google Docs, which is used increasingly in schools for collaboration between
students and teachers.
Typing very rapidly using Contracted Braille in Microsoft Office and other
applications no longer results in scrambled text.
Register for our webinar on January 16, 2020 at noon Eastern time (UTC-5:00) to
learn more about using the Focus Blue Braille displays. You can also visit our
Focus product pages for additional information.
Check out the ElBraille product page for more information about this innovative
speech and Braille solution.
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/learn-more-do-more-new-features-in-jaws-improvements-to-contracted-braille-input/
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info
