What is Jaws?
JAWS (an acronym for Job Access With Speech) is a
screen reader, a software program for visually
impaired users produced by the Blind and Low Vision
Group at Freedom Scientific of St. Petersburg,
Florida, USA. Its purpose is to make personal
computers using Microsoft Windows accessible to
blind and visually impaired users. It accomplishes
this by providing the user with access to the
information displayed on the screen via
text-to-speech or by means of a braille display and
allows for comprehensive keyboard interaction with
the computer.
It also allows users to create custom scripts, which
can alter the amount and type of information which
is presented by applications, and ultimately makes
programs that were not designed for accessibility
(such as programs that do not use standard Windows
controls) usable through JAWS.
The History of Jaws Freedom
Scientific is a corporation which researches,
creates, and sells technology intended for people
who are blind or have low vision and those with
learning disabilities. The company's Blind and Low
Vision Group's products include software and
hardware to help people with low vision work with
their computers, organize information, and work with
standard printed materials. Their Learning Systems
Group provides tools to help people with reading
and/or writing difficulties work more effectively
with written material.
Freedom Scientific was created in April 2000 by the
merger of Henter-Joyce, Blazie Engineering, and
Arkenstone, Inc. Henter-Joyce, founded in 1987 by
Ted Henter, was known for its JAWS screen reader and
MAGic screen magnifier for the PC. Blazie
Engineering, founded in 1986 by Deane Blazie, was
known for its braille and speech-output note takers,
braille displays, and braille embossers. Arkenstone,
founded in 1989 by Jim Fruchterman was known for
producing page scanning software to permit blind
people to read print books and documents through
voice synthesizers and braille displays. Freedom
Scientific still sells all of these products, and
its technology is still expanding. The founders of
all three of the companies are still on the board of
directors. Its President and CEO is Dr. Lee
Hamilton. It is headquartered in St. Petersburg,
Florida, USA, it has a computer lab in Palo Alto,
California, and its European center is located in
Germany.
How Jaws applies to BCNV.org The
creators of BCNV.org have made every effort to
insure the compatibility of this website with the
JAWS program to assist our visually impaired
citizens in experiencing a pleasurable and easily
navigatable visit. If you have comments or
suggestions, please call our webmaster anytime at:
702-321-8988.