Testing Web Pages with JAWS

Deciding Which Browser to Use

According to the WebAIM Screen Reader Survey #10 (2024):

• 24.7% of screen reader users use JAWS with Chrome.
• 11.4% use JAWS with Edge.
• 2.6% use JAWS with Firefox

Modifier Key

To prevent JAWS keyboard shortcuts interfering with default keyboard behaviours, JAWS uses a modifier key in combination with some keyboard shortcuts.

The JAWS modifier key on desktop is the Insert key. On a laptop it is the Caps lock key.

In this document, we will be using Caps lock as the modifier key.

You can check which keyboard you are using in JAWS preferences by selecting Options > Basics and then looking for the 'Use Keyboard Layout' combo box.

Speech History Window

A history of the last 50 items spoken by JAWS can be accessed by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar and then pressing H .

You can keep the Speech History Window open during testing. To update it, press Caps lock + Spacebar and H again.

You can clear the contents of the Speech History Window by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar and then Shift + H.

Speech Rate

• To temporarily increase the speech rate press Ctrl + Alt + PageUp
• To temporarily decrease the speech rate press Ctrl + Alt + PageDown
• To permanently increase the speech rate press Ctrl + Alt + Windows + PageUp
• To permanently decrease the speech rate press Ctrl + Alt + Windows + PageDown

Navigating

• H = Next heading
• Shift + H = Previous heading
• L = Next list
• Shift + L = Previous list
• I = Next list item
• Shift + I = Previous list item
• G = Next graphic
• Shift + G = Previous graphic
• T = Next table
• Shift + T = Previous table
• R = Next landmark/region
• Q = Main content region
• Caps lock + End = Top line of window
• Caps lock + F5 = List of form elements
• Caps lock + F6 = List of headings
• Caps lock + F7 = List of links
• F6 = Browser address bar
• Control + Home = Top of the page

Reading

• Control = Stops JAWS reading. Everyone's favorite key
• ↓ = Next line
• ↑ = Previous line
• → = Next character
• ← = Previous character
• Caps lock + → = Next word
• Caps lock + ← = Previous word
• Caps lock + ↓ = Read all
• Caps lock + ↑ = Current line

Testing forms

JAWS has two modes of operation: browse mode for navigating and reading the page and forms mode for interacting with controls, such as form input fields.

In browse mode, keyboard shortcuts help the user to navigate. For example, the H key will move focus to the next heading.

When a user inputs data into a form field, they want characters to appear when pressing keys. For example, the H key should enter the symbol 'h', rather than move to the next heading. To achieve this, screen readers have a forms mode (sometimes called focus mode). When a screen reader enters forms mode, keyboard shortcuts are disabled.

1. Open JAWS
2. Open the web page containing the form in Chrome

   Note: By default JAWS will read out the whole page. Press Ctrl to stop JAWS reading

3. Tab down to the first form input field
4. JAWS will make a high pitch click sound.
   

   Note: JAWS automatically changes to focus mode when it enters a form. You can move out of focus mode by pressing +

5. Use Tab and Shift + Tab to move forward and backwards through the focusable elements in the form. Use F and Shift + F to move between form fields
6. Check that everything that appears on screen is read out to the screen reader
   

   Note: Insert + F5 displays a list of form elements

Tables

When keyboard focus is in a table, things behave a bit differently.

• → = Next character
• ← = Previous character
• Control + → = Next word
• Control + ← = Previous word
• Control + Alt + → = Next cell in a row
• Control + Alt + ← = Previous bell in a row
• Control + Alt + ↓ = Next row
• Control + Alt + ↑ = Previous row
• Windows Key + Alt + → = Move to top of next column, then read column
• Windows Key + Alt + ← = Move to top of previous column, then read column

See also : Tech Standards: Navigating a Table Using JAWS, Perkins School for the Blind

Links

• Using JAWS to Evaluate Web Accessibility, WebAIM
• JAWS Screen Reader Shortcuts
• JAWS Screen Reader Shortcuts, Deque