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What's New in JAWS 6.20 This page lists the new features and significant bug fixes available in the version 6.20 update of JAWS. This is a free update for all current JAWS 6.0 and 6.10 customers that are using Internet License Manager (ILM) or dongle authorization. JAWS Features Braille Microsoft Office Bug Fixes Download JAWS 6.20 JAWS Features PAC Mate Desktop PAC Mate Desktop allows you to control your desktop computer with your PAC Mate via an ActiveSync connection. While this feature was introduced in version 6.10 of JAWS, most users could not make effective use of it because it required PAC Mate firmware version 3.0 which, at the time, had not been released. The release of JAWS 6.20 is intended to coincide with the release of PAC Mate 3.0. PAC Mate Desktop has been improved in this version of JAWS, and is now more responsive and reliable. Tip: You can download the latest version of the PAC Mate firmware from PAC Mate Headquarters. New Location for Automatically Start PAC Mate Desktop Check Box The Automatically Start PAC Mate Desktop check box allows you to start PAC Mate Desktop when JAWS starts. In JAWS 6.20, this check box is now located in the Basic Settings dialog box. You no longer need to activate the Advanced button to find this option. Remote Access Speech and Braille You can now direct speech and braille output through the host of a remote session, rather than the client's hardware. Speech feedback is sent to the host's sound card and is spoken using the host's speech synthesizer. Braille feedback is sent to the host's braille display. This feature is especially useful for PAC Mate Desktop users, who can now use their desktop computer and peripherals to process JAWS feedback instead of the PAC Mate's built-in speakers and optional braille display. To enable this feature, do the following: From the Options menu, choose Basics. Choose the Advanced button. Clear the Try Remote Access Speech on Startup and/or Try Remote Access Braille on Startup check boxes. Enforced Write Protect Leave the Enable Enforced Write Protect check box cleared if you use your computer for multi-session work, such as Citrix/Terminal Services remote access or fast user switching. You should also leave this check box cleared if your network administrator uses service management software to install updates or make changes to your computer remotely. If you select this check box, your network administrator cannot update or modify JAWS files remotely. To change this setting, open the JAWS Options menu and choose Basics. Then, choose the Windows System Parameters button. Braille Typing Mode for Focus Braille Displays Freedom Scientific's Focus braille displays can now take advantage of a new feature called Typing Mode. When Typing Mode is enabled, all dot patterns that you type using the keyboard on your Focus braille display are translated into ASCII characters. This allows you to type alphanumeric characters using your braille display's keyboard instead of your computer's keyboard. While Typing Mode is enabled, any commands associated with the dot patterns you type are not performed. For example, pressing DOTS 1-2-4-5 while Typing Mode is enabled allows you to type a "g" rather than turning grade 2 braille on or off. To turn typing mode on or off, press CTRL+INSERT+B to open the Adjust Braille Options dialog box, select "Typing Mode," and press the SPACEBAR. You can also press LEFT SHIFT+RIGHT SHIFT CHORD. Microsoft Office Override Named Titles in Word and Excel Document authors can use bookmarks in Word and names in Excel to define row and/or column headings. However, these named titles may become outdated or may be incorrect. JAWS 6.20 includes a new verbosity option for Word and Excel that allows you to ignore or suppress these named titles. To use this feature, press INSERT+V while in Excel or Word. Select "Override Named Titles" and use the SPACEBAR to cycle through the available options. Choose "On for the current file" to override named titles only in the currently open file. Choose "On for all files" to override named titles in all files that you open in the program. If you want to use the named title information provided by the author again, choose "Off." Word 2003 Reading View Warning When Word 2003 displays an e-mail attachment in Reading Layout view, JAWS now warns you that this view is not supported. You can then press INSERT+F1 to read information on how to disable Reading Layout view. Bug Fixes The following is a list of the most significant bug fixes included in JAWS 6.20: The JAWS Virtual Find feature (CTRL+F while in Virtual Mode) now properly locates the text you are searching for and reads the text that is found in Internet Explorer and HTML help. In Microsoft Word, when using a speech and sounds scheme that announces attributes, JAWS now correctly speaks attributes even when navigating by word or character. Fixed a reported problem regarding row headings in Microsoft Word tables always reading the first cell in each row. JAWS has features that allow you to identify which column should be used for row headings, but this was not working correctly. This issue is now resolved regardless of whether you define the row heading in the INSERT+V dialog box or use the new feature introduced in JAWS 6.0 that allows document authors to use bookmarks to identify the proper row and column heading. In previous versions, JAWS would sometimes read the entire line instead of announcing by words or characters in Microsoft Excel. This problem has been resolved. Fixed an issue for the Microsoft Outlook spell checker where, the first time a spell check was run, it would not say and spell the misspelled word. Resolved an issue with losing the focus when creating a new folder in Outlook (all versions). In Outlook 2000, the currently selected item in a context menu is now read and tracked correctly. Resolved an issue where text would be truncated on the screen after starting a Microsoft Office product under Windows 98. In Outlook Express 6, navigation now functions properly after you use ALT+GRAVE to go to the message body. Automatic speaking in Microsoft ActiveSync has been improved, including the main screen and the state of check boxes. ActiveSync is used when sychronizing between your desktop computer and a pocket PC device, such as PAC Mate. Fixed some instances in Adobe Acrobat/Reader where the Say Line command would fail to read buttons and combo boxes. Fixed an issue where the Virtual Viewer was not displayed the first time you pressed INSERT+F1 during a JAWS session. Text displayed with the MessageBox function is now read automatically, as expected. Resolved certain JAWS and MAGic compatibility issues reported by some customers. These issues included some screen corruption when using certain MAGic features. Switching between Eloquence and Access32 when running JAWS as a service has been improved. Note that this fix applies to the version of Access32 previously distributed by Henter-Joyce or Freedom Scientific. Eloquence no longer fails when it encounters a certain spelling of the word "seizure." This fix is also available for previous versions of JAWS. Please refer to the following TSN for more information. Resolved problems reported by some customers using ILM versions of JAWS and dongles for temporary authorization. In some of these cases, JAWS could not find the dongle and would attempt ILM activation. After returning from hibernation, JAWS should now find the network license server correctly, rather than going into 40 minute mode. You can now assign Eloquence languages in dictionary rules for your text. For example, you can create a dictionary rule so that JAWS reads words like "organización" using the Spanish language of the synthesizer. Fixed a reported crash that occurred in Keyboard Manager after you closed the Add New Keyboard dialog box. Assigning custom highlight colors to Windows-only now works as expected. This feature was broken in JAWS 6.10. Switching to the PC Cursor now refreshes braille correctly. The shortcuts in the Explore JAWS submenu now work correctly in non-English versions of Windows and localized versions of JAWS. Many improvements have been made to braille flash messages. JAWS no longer attempts to install Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) components on Windows 2000 because Service Pack 4 already contains the necessary files. When installing JAWS remotely via Terminal Services or Citrix, the JAWS Remote video driver is now properly hooked into the video chain. Modifications were made to update JAWS for Japanese localization efforts in this current JAWS release. Download JAWS 6.20 You must download the version of JAWS that is compatible with your Windows operating system. If you have Windows XP, 2000, or NT, use the links in the section JAWS for Windows XP/2000/NT. If you have Windows ME, 98, or 95, use the links in the section JAWS for Windows ME/98/95. Note: You must have the Internet License Manager (ILM) version of JAWS 6.0 or 6.10 to update to version 6.20 (the ILM version can also use a dongle for authorization). If your version of JAWS still uses the 3.5-inch disk authorization, contact Freedom Scientific Sales for details on switching to ILM authorization. JAWS for Windows XP/2000/NT Download JAWS 6.20 ILM Version for Windows XP/2000/NT Download Free DEMO of JAWS 6.20 for Windows XP/2000/NT JAWS for Windows ME/98/95 Download JAWS 6.20 ILM Version for Windows ME/98/95 Download Free DEMO of JAWS 6.20 for Windows ME/98/95 Download the JAWS Basic Training in DAISY Format (178 MB)