JAWS Comments

JAWS is a Valuable Work Tool for Braille Monitor Editor

"I want to tell you how much I really appreciate the features of JAWS^®. Now that I edit the Braille Monitor, the little catches that are so hard to hear with speech are tremendous. What I like is that you have gone beyond the idea that errors are only things that can be found intuitively, and you have written software that can intelligently search for common ones. Multiple spaces between words are generally not heard. A space before a punctuation mark can easily go undetected. Text Analyzer is a real help in helping blind people create something that is good when it leaves their desk and not just something that has to be observed by a proofer with vision. Keep raising the bar and making us more independent.”

- Gary Wunder, Editor
Braille Monitor

Accessing iTunes with JAWS

"With the added support of iTunes® accessibility in JAWS 12 and later, I really like using this feature. No relying on scripts or a bunch of sighted help. I can use iTunes with my iPod Touch® to delete songs, sync, etc. Very cool!”

- Macy McClain

Computer Technology Teacher Praises JAWS

"I am a computer/technology teacher who has taught JAWS to students from K-21 years old at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh for 13 years. I don't have a clue to how students that are blind could have ever used a computer without JAWS. Great product! Thank you freedom Scientific!”

- Pam Snyder, M. Ed, VI; GMS Computer / Technology Teacher

Teen JAWS User from Israel Loves the JAWS - Focus 40 Blue Wireless Braille Display Duo

"I'm a 13 year old school student. JAWS for Windows is the best screen reader for me. It lets me to do everything I need. If I want to have Braille, I have it by plugging in my Focus 40 Blue Braille Display, and it works right out of the box. The Focus Blue gives me Braille everywhere, and that's what I like and need. I love the JAWS Hebrew support and the close cooperation with the local dealer, Lets Talk - thanks to them as well. Thanks for giving me the ability to own a computer and study at school like anybody else.”

- Adi Kushnir, Hadera, Israel

JAWS Inspired Career as a Visual Access Technical Trainer

"My JAWS experience has been outstanding! In June 2008 ... I heard the following words, 'JAWS for Windows is ready!' Honestly, JAWS was my first step to independence! In 2005, I lost my sight to a pituitary tumor. I became a man without a vision to see or dream. I would awake each day with the same question 'Can I continue my Information Technology career?' After my first initial JAWS experience, I was provided an answer. JAWS gave me the ability to independently use a computer. I was able to write letters, search the Internet, send e-mails, and even write HTML scripts!

Just to be totally honest, I fell in love with JAWS and set a new career goal. I wanted to introduce JAWS to everyone who lives with a visual disability. I created my own visual aide technical training business to help accomplish my goal. Advance Technology Service Community is my business name. Also, I felt that I needed to learn about all capabilities of JAWS before I could help anyone, so I enrolled in a JAWS training seminar at Freedom Scientific. During my training seminar, I recieved daily user-friendly instructions to fully maximize all JAWS capabilities. I was introduce to capabilities of MAGIC (screen magnification software) and OpenBook (scanning and reading software), as well. After my training seminar was complete, I still had one remaining question about JAWS: How far can JAWS take me? So far, JAWS has allowed me to recieve a service contract with the Georgia Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, but my JAWS journey is not complete.”

- Timothy Risby, Hawkinsville, Georgia

JAWS User Loves RealSpeak Voices, Research It, Forms Mode and More

"I have used JAWS since 2009. It's awesome! No other screen reader is half as customizable, easy to use, and easy to understand as JAWS for Windows. Before JAWS, I was using (another) screen reader … and at the time, I thought it was really cool. But that was then. Now I've come to expect more, including responsiveness, functionality, and easy-to-understand speech through the use of JAWS. I love the fact that RealSpeak^® Solo Direct is now supported by JAWS. And I love the Research It feature. If I want to know what a word means, or what the current weather is, I just hit Insert plus Spacebar and then R, and I've got it right there. Really awesome feature! And Auto Forms Mode is simply fantastic. There are so many other things I love about JAWS but that would mean describing all the features that JAWS has because I love all of them. Thank you Freedom Scientific for making the lives of visually impaired computer users so much better.”

- Daniel Parker, Croton-on-Hudson, NY

JAWS' Clear Speech Helps Woman with Hearing Impairment

"I took up computers in school many years ago, but because I'm hearing impaired, I had a hard time understanding the speech. Then comes JAWS! Being hearing impaired, I have tried other speech programs, but could not understand the speech. JAWS seems to speak more clearly for me. I can accomplish things on the computer independently without having to depend on others. I pretty much taught myself everything that I know by using the JAWS training materials that are provided. JAWS helps me to search the Web and shop online, and it allows me to correspond with many of my friends. I love looking up different things. I used to have to get someone else to do things online for me, but now, it's much easier for me.

I never thought that I'd ever want a computer, but now I wouldn't do without it! Thank you Freedom Scientific.”

- Melissa Stott - Oldtown, Maryland

Music Lover Appreciates JAWS with iTunes, Sirius Satellite Radio

"As a blind Licensed Real Estate and Mortgage Broker for forty two years, JAWS and OpenBook^® have become a part of my everyday life, for I use these tools in my business extensively and also on a personal level. I could have not survived or have been as successful without them. At this time, I would like to share on a personal level my pleasant surprise that the latest version of JAWS works as well as it does with iTunes and Sirius radio. It is providing me the music I never dreamed of - listening to, storing, recording CDs, copying, managing my music library and Sirius Radio - it is something out of this world. You have access to radio stations from all over the world, and you can listen just about to anything that you can think of. I have never experienced the availability of music and information that I have right now. Thanks, Freedom Scientific and staff for all your effort with the tools you are making for us.”

- Erodio Diaz, Realtor - Hialeah, Florida

JAWS Dictionary Manager is a Favorite

"I have used JAWS since the 4.51 version. It's a great product! My favorite feature is the Dictionary Manager because you can customize JAWS to speak words and phrases in a way so you can understand them. With JAWS, I can write papers, send e-mail, and browse the Internet. The Technical Support team is fantastic and friendly. Keep up the great work, Freedom Scientific!"

- Jen - Connecticut

Customer Support Sold her on JAWS

"Without JAWS, I wouldn't have discovered the Internet. Your customer support is very clear and concise, and it made me change my mind about buying a new laptop."

- Pauline - Student- Sunnyvale, California

JAWS with Research It Helps Young Student

"I have used Freedom Scientific products since I started using computers for the first time. They have helped me a lot. I have learned about computers in three years, and I couldn't of done it without Freedom Scientific products such as JAWS and OpenBook. I've tried other screen readers, and I like JAWS the most! I'm also 13 years old, and JAWS with it's Research It feature has helped me a lot for school."

- Santiago - Middle School Student- Hollister, California

Being Customizable and Having Good Customer Support Makes JAWS #1

"I love JAWS. I have used every screen reader that there is, and I always go back to the trusty shark. I basically taught myself to use JAWS. It took me a few weeks, and I was surfing the Internet, checking e-mail, and listening to music. I now own two computers, and both of them have JAWS on them. Without JAWS, I would not be able to use the computer. JAWS is the most customizable screen reader, plus, Freedom Scientific's support is top notch. Everytime i have contacted them, they have helped me any way they could. Thank you, guys, for so much, and I look forward to future developments of JAWS."

- Austin Grace - Brandon, Florida

Surf's Up Helps Sixth Grader Quickly Learn JAWS

"I am enjoying your program Surfs Up. It’s nice to be able to use the instructions you give and to be able to see it actually perform as it is supposed to. I feel that it is beneficial to my ability to learn and remember the commands for each new element of the training. Thank you."

- Sixth Grade Student - Sandstone Middle School - Hermiston, Oregon

Social Networking with JAWS

"I am a JAWS user. I use JAWS everyday, whether it be for going on social networks or doing research for a paper. Having JAWS allows me to be like my sighted peers. It gives me the ability to go on social networks such as Facebook and MySpace, and it allows me to browse videos on YouTube. "

- Jalys - Kissimmee, Florida

Braille Challenge Winner Finds JAWS, PAC Mate Ideal Study Aids

"I use both JAWS and the PAC Mate^™. I find them both very helpful. I record things with my PAC Mate to remind me of what I have to do. I use JAWS when I'm on the Internet. I can do almost anything on the Internet now that I have JAWS. The PAC Mate I use to print things out for my teachers. I'm only 10 years old, and I've found many uses for these products. I won the PAC Mate at the Braille Challenge, and I borrowed a laptop computer from my school. My technology teacher, who is blind herself, installed JAWS on it for me. All of this happened in the last few months. "

- Cricket Bidleman – San Diego, California

JAWS as a Learning and Life Aid

"JAWS is my eyes. I've been using JAWS since 2001, and it has helped me wonders, right through my educational period at college up till now in my professional life as a computer instructor to blind learners. I learned so much through JAWS. It gives me the immense pleasure of surfing Internet independently, reading books, communicating people all over the world, learning different applications and training others. It's so amazing. I love Freedom Scientific for their major contribution for blind. Keep up the good work. "

- Salman Khalid – Lahore, India

Change to JAWS Gives Low Vision Student Success

"I have been legally blind since birth. I used (another) screen magnifier for some time, until I came across JAWS (through a friend of mine) and honestly, I couldn't be more satisfied. JAWS allows me to surf the Web, listen to music, create documents and e-mails. Most importantly, JAWS gives me the ability to complete my assignments just like my sighted peers. For that, I thank Freedom Scientific. "

- Marissa – California

Well-Written Manuals Make Expanding JAWS Expertise Easy

"The manuals for JAWS are written so well that I have no problem finding anything I need to find quickly. I have seen many screen reading applications, and this one is by far the best of them all. I started with version 2.0 and steadily advanced up to the present version through the years, and I can say that no other product can even remotely compare with this one. I am truly impressed, and impressing me is no easy chore either. I have never seen a product which can be adapted so quickly and so well to virtually any Windows application. The manuals are so well written that anyone who wants to learn to script, for example, can easily gain that knowledge. Everything about the application is fantastic and still improving. "

- Ricky Goines – Nederland, Texas

JAWS Feature Gives Voice to India

"I am a blind person from India. I wish to point out a powerful feature of JAWS. JAWS reads Tamil and Hindi well. The feature, JAWS Menu/Languages/Voice Profiles/New Profile, helps us to add a SAPI 5 speech engine. I have added a SAPI 5 eSpeak synthesizer and read Tamil and Hindi content on the Internet. JAWS never hangs when I use the synthesizer. My eyes filled with tears of joy when JAWS first read the Google Tamil pages. It reads the entire Tamil content well, and I can easily select check boxes and combo boxes. I visited the Tamil BBC Web site and read the page easily and activated the voice media player with JAWS. Many, many thanks with tears of joy from a blind person from the soil of India."

- Kannan. b – Chennai, India

JAWS Makes the World Accessible with Technical Support Second to None

"I’ve been a JAWS user since 1997, and I’m a big believer in accessibility for the visually impaired. JAWS makes the world accessible to me, just the way it should be. I use JAWS to access e-mail, to manage documents, and for surfing the Internet. JAWS makes using the Internet a high-quality and productive experience each and every time. JAWS gets me where I need to go and helps me meet my objectives. I can’t imagine being without the access JAWS provides. Your Technical Support team is second to none. Everyone in that group is very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. They all seem very willing to go out of their way to assist me. Whenever I’ve had occasion to contact Technical Support, I’ve gotten positive results, and it has been a pleasant experience. Keep up the good work!"

- Anthony Vece – Williamstown, New Jersey

"I have been a JAWS user for several years. I consider JAWS to be the most innovative pieces of software in the world! With it, I can access the Internet, read e-mail, and use any program I want. In my opinion, Freedom Scientific's Technical Support Department is better than the support departments of all other companies! Whenever I e-mail or call Tech Support, I receive knowledgeable and courteous responses. Freedom Scientific Tech Support serves as a model for Tech Support departments at all other companies. Everyone at Freedom Scientific, Keep up the excellent work!"

- Blake Roberts – Felton, Delaware

“On a few occasions within the past year, I have had to e-mail or call for JAWS Tech Support. On each of these occasions, I found the Tech Support reps not only to be very knowledgeable, but also extremely friendly and courteous. It is not often that one finds friendly and courteous Customer Service/Tech Support reps, and I commend Freedom Scientific for this new trend.”
- Jacob Joehl - Evanston, Illinois

JAWS-MAGic Training and Surf's Up are Top Notch

"I have to say that I am more impressed today than I ever have been with JAWS. Testing and reviewing the Surf’s Up! – Surfing the Internet with JAWS and MAGic training Web site has given me the opportunity to delve into the JAWS interface in more detail, and it is very impressive. Please pass my comments on to those great developers and technical writers who have created such good product and training materials. Using Surf’s Up! has allowed me to work more on improving and perfecting my knowledge of JAWS.

I look forward to continuing to work with this great product and the team at Freedom Scientific. You have convinced me that Freedom Scientific, its people, and its products are all top notch. Thanks for a great job!"

- Jose Tamayo - Miami, Florida

Rabbi and Author Credits JAWS

"There is no question that JAWS has changed my life. There is zero chance that I could have or would have accomplished the things I have were it not for JAWS. In writing my book, all of my research was conducted using JAWS, and I never would have attempted such an undertaking without it. The same is true for becoming an ordained Rabbi and running for political office. Each of these pursuits required hundreds of hours of reading and research. While it may have been possible with the assistance of sighted readers, tapes, and Braille, I doubt I would have passionately pursued any of these endeavors had it not been for JAWS.

I don’t go anywhere without my laptop and without my current version of JAWS up and running. Your products have revolutionized the way I move through my days and my workloads. With JAWS on my laptop, I can manage my hectic schedule very effectively. JAWS has radically changed the way I do my work, the way I access information, the way I communicate, the ways I bank and shop - everything really.

I offer my sincerest thanks to everyone at Freedom Scientific for enabling me to lead a fulfilled life in service to others.”
- Dr. Dennis Shulman - Demarest, New Jersey

Learning JAWS Was Easy and Beneficial

"After losing most of my eyesight, I stopped using a computer. When I moved to the United States, I went to the Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB) to continue my education. At OSSB, I saw several students using a computer with JAWS, and I learned about Freedom Scientific’s Web site. I already knew how to use a computer, and I was very excited to use a computer again, but this time with JAWS. On the same day, with my brother’s assistance, I downloaded the demo version of JAWS into his computer. The installation process was very impressive. During the installation, JAWS read all the messages in the installation wizard. After installing JAWS, within minutes and without any assistance, I was surfing the Internet, reactivated my Hotmail account, signed on to Windows Messenger, and I was chatting with my family and friends around the world.

Since I already knew how to use a computer, learning JAWS was not difficult at all. In the beginning, I used the computer’s basic keystrokes to function all the applications. After that, in school, I learned the JAWS keystrokes to operate the computer more effectively.

I have been using a computer with JAWS since 2002. Now I can use a computer for studying, banking, communicating, shopping, ordering food, etc. I can perform these tasks with the help of JAWS. All the credit goes to my instructors, Freedom Scientific, and the developers of JAWS.”
- Zaheer Sheikh - Columbus, Ohio

Terminal Service Support Opens IT Access from a Single Computer

"I am the IT manager for a growing medical testing company. Because we are a small company and our needs are rapidly changing, I am responsible for handling all aspects of our IT infrastructure. JAWS makes it possible for me to accomplish this by providing support for terminal services. Specifically, I am responsible for installing new software on people's machines, managing backups of our network, and troubleshooting any network access issues that may arise. Without terminal services support from JAWS, I would have to physically go to the machine in question and perform my work. This isn't always possible as some of our systems are located in a working lab, and space may be at a premium. In addition, having the ability to access remote systems allows me to use a VPN connection from home to perform server maintenance and fix problems that may occur after hours or on a weekend. In short, JAWS gives me the ability to work just like any other IT support person."

- Brett Lewis - Spokane, Washington

JAWS - Easy for Novices, Advanced Functionality for Power Users

"I have used screen readers for a little under 10 years and have never seen a screen reader that is as powerful yet easy to use as JAWS. JAWS includes functionality found in no other screen reader, and Freedom Scientific continues to stay on the forefront of developing adaptive technology. JAWS contains advanced features that allow the user to control every aspect of the screen reading experience. Some of these features include Skim Reading mode, Custom List Views, and Labels and Highlighting. JAWS also has a built-in scripting language so you can write scripts or programs that help JAWS read the screen. Couple this advanced functionality with control and context sensitive help, and you have a screen reader that is easy enough for beginners and power users alike."
- Patrick Turnage - Tampa, Florida

JAWS Scripting Adds Value to Screen Reader

“As a Trainer and Technical Consultant within the UK, much of my work involves customizing JAWS for Windows for non-standard workplace applications, using the JAWS scripting language. Without the many scripting tools for JAWS, I can genuinely say that people would not be able to work at the same level within employment as their sighted co-workers.

At another level, we have used the JAWS scripting language predominantly to create a bridging technology entitled J-Say, providing inter-operability between JAWS and Dragon NaturallySpeaking. We have used the high quality access already given to JAWS users with Microsoft® applications, coupled with the design of our own script-T-based utilities, to allow people who are unable to use the keyboard and are visually impaired to access computer technology which has been life-changing for many people.”

- Brian Hartgen - Threntham, Stoke-on-Tent, UK

Years Didn't Stop Him from Learning JAWS

“I can never forget the new world that opened up almost instantaneously the first time I sat down at a Windows 95 computer equipped with JAWS. With a few basic instructions and a bit of orientation, I was surfing the Web and, in fact, listening to a New York Yankees baseball game from an Internet stream of WABC 770 New York. I was able to accomplish this after only about an hour or so of training.

With (more recent) JAWS innovations such as the Virtual Viewer, Internet Quick Navigation keys and various other specialized keystrokes for navigation, today it takes literally seconds to access such complex Web pages as multimedia newspapers and magazines, TV and radio station sites, and a whole host of music download and Flash-oriented sites.

I have built my use of JAWS into an access technology career which I thoroughly enjoy, as well as a series of Internet-oriented hobbies that have made my life fuller and richer. My hobbies include Internet telephony, streaming audio, news groups, music downloading, and a voracious amount of reading.

I would strongly recommend JAWS for Windows to any blind or visually impaired person who wants to join the growing number of people whose lives have been made more interesting and successful by the use of a Windows-based computer! It shouldn't matter what age you are (I was 43 when I began). The comprehensive audio tutorials on tape and DAISY format can telescope a lot of learning into just a few short lessons.

Looking back, I wonder how I ever got along without JAWS for Windows. Thank you Freedom Scientific!”

- Ron Canazzi - Cheektowga, New York

JAWS Opens Work Opportunities for Aussie

“I have been using JAWS now for 10 years. In the time I have used JAWS, it has opened work opportunities that otherwise would have not been available. JAWS has allowed me to work in the USA for six months, obtain a highly technical support manager role, and permitted me to access a large range of information. The flexibility and customization of JAWS provides users more control in how they work than any other screen reading product.”

- Sean Murphy - Mt. Colah, New South Wales, Australia

JAWS Boosts Productivity for the Blind

“Custom Labels, used together with other JAWS HTML features such as Personalized Web Settings and PlaceMarkers, give you the tools you need to make inaccessible sites more accessible and to make accessible sites easier to use. These JAWS tools make you more efficient and allow you to customize the Web browsing experience and even fine tune how JAWS interacts with HTML applications. This helps improve your productivity.”

- Brian Walker - Des Moines, Iowa