Training Links

• Online Learning - NEW
• JAWS Training
• MAGic Training
• PAC Mate Training
• Training Downloads Page
• Workshops and Upcoming Events
• WYNN & TestTalker Training
• Accessibility Web Page
• Surf's Up (Surfing the Internet) Training

Use Check for Updates to Download Training Materials

The new JAWS 11 Basic Training is included on the new JAWS program DVD. It is also available now on the Training Downloads page. JAWS users can also use the JAWS Check for Updates feature to find it. Here's how to use the Check for Updates feature:

1. Go to the JAWS Help menu and press P to choose Check for Updates. A dialog box appears that contains a list of check boxes for all updates that are available, including any DAISY training materials.
2. Press UP or DOWN ARROW to move through the list.
3. Press SPACEBAR to check any items you want to download and install.
4. Then press ENTER to activate the Install button. The download begins and when finished, a new dialog box appears that asks if you want to install the files, with a Yes and No button.
5. Choose Yes. After the installation is complete, the final dialog box appears that tells you that the updates were successfully installed.
6. Choose the OK button, and the dialog box closes. Now you can use FSReader to read the newly installed book. In FSReader, just choose CTRL+O to reopen the File Open dialog box and choose the new book.

New Workshop for Web Page Testing with JAWS

Learn to use JAWS® screen reading software to test Web pages and other HTML or PDF documents for accessibility and usability. This two-day hands-on workshop is designed for Web page authors, Web masters, accessibility testers, and anyone else who is interested in learning how JAWS can be used to test and validate accessible Web page design.

Emphasis is placed on being able to use JAWS to gather information from the visual appearance of Web pages as well as from the virtual HTML environment, where some text and attributes may not be visible on the screen.

Equal emphasis is placed on testing for usability, and not just accessibility.

Visit the Freedom Scientific Workshops page for the schedule of workshops and more information on these and other upcoming training opportunities.

Free Software for Saint Petersburg Workshop Attendees

The Training department at Freedom Scientific offers hands-on workshops throughout the year at our Saint Petersburg, Florida, headquarters. As an added value, those who attend training workshops at our headquarters in 2009 will receive a free copy of TypeAbility, the outstanding talking typing tutorial from YesAccessible!, as well as a free copy of
J-Tools from T&T Consultancy, Ltd.

TypeAbility 3.0 for JAWS is compatible with JAWS 6 and higher and with MAGic 10.5 or higher. To read more about TypeAbility, visit YesAccessible!

J-Tools is an exciting new suite of software tools for users of JAWS 9 and higher that assists when working with word processing, e-mail, calendar, and the Internet. T&T Consultancy Ltd (UK) is well-known for developing products reliant upon the world’s most popular screen reader, JAWS for Windows and more recently, MAGic screen magnification software. Equipped with easy to use documentation and tutorials, the products are developed by and for visually impaired people.

In addition to J-Tools, their product range includes:

• J-Say, a joining of JAWS for Windows and Dragon® NaturallySpeaking™, allowing complete control of the computer using the human voice with no keyboard input required.
• Say-MAGic, providing a fantastic range of features to give low vision users of MAGic access to Dragon NaturallySpeaking. This is the newest product in the range.
• J-Tunes, provides high quality access to Apple iTunes. iTunes is a complete music management system, and J-Tunes is by far T&T’s most popular product and is being updated on a very frequent basis.

To read more about J-Tools, visit T & T Consultancy, Ltd.

With TypeAbility priced at $100 per copy and J-Tools priced at £45 (approximately $85 USD), this adds great value to the hands-on instruction and dynamic training one receives by coming to a training workshop in Florida.

Visit the workshop schedule page for dates and more information.

Online Learning Now Available from the Freedom Scientific Training Department - NEW

Learn to use JAWS® screen reading software, MAGic® screen magnification software, PAC Mate Omni™ accessible Pocket PC, and more from the convenience of your home or office. With travel expenses on the increase, working online to learn new skills makes even more sense than ever. Visit the e-Learning Webinar page of the Training Department for more information on this new learning opportunity from Freedom Scientific. View the schedule and register now for upcoming Webinars.

Revised Basics of Scripting Manual Posted

The Basics of Scripting manual has been updated to reflect changes in JAWS along with the Keyboard and Script managers. The manual is a great resource for anyone who is interested in learning how to customize JAWS through the use of the powerful JAWS scripting language. This comprehensive manual walks you through the very basics of the JAWS scripting language and includes exercises at the end of each chapter to help reinforce the concepts taught in that chapter. Concepts taught include:

• Using the Keyboard Manager to add, change and update keystrokes for JAWS
• What are scripts?
• The differences between scripts and functions
• Using the Script manager to create and compile scripts and functions
• Script file documentation and structure
• Using the New Script and Insert Function dialog boxes
• Manipulating cursors to read areas of text on the screen
• Controlling flow: sequential, conditional, and iterative (looping)
• Passing keystrokes
• Types of functions including: built-in, event and user-defined
• Virtual Viewer concepts
• And much more

Download the Basics of Scripting Manual.

Choose this link to go to the Training Downloads page and get the Basics of Scripting manual.

Web Design and Using JAWS on the Internet

Bring greater accessibility to your Web site. Learn more about how JAWS works on the Web. Visit our Surf's Up Web site for examples of how to write effective HTML code and use JAWS and MAGic on the Web. Find more information on our Accessibility Tips and Web Design page, with links to free HTML tutorials, validation tools, guidelines, and other resources.

Power to Work - Power to Learn - Power to Grow

PowerPoint 2003 and 2007 Training with JAWS and MAGic

Learn how to create and give PowerPoint 2003 and 2007 presentations using JAWS and MAGic. This lesson teaches you how to use the keyboard to create and give presentations, and includes a link to practice files.

Some of the things you will learn include how to:

• Use JAWS or MAGic and the keyboard to create and present slide shows
• Set a background color for all slides in the presentation
• Use a photograph as a background for an entire slide
• Label pictures and objects with alternate text
• Use design templates in PowerPoint to choose a variety of different slides
• Navigate at the object as well as the text entry level of slides
• Insert a button to play a sound on a slide
• Use slide animation effects to fly in bullet points one at a time
• Rearrange animation effects for a more effective presentation
• Insert and be able to read speaker's notes during your presentation
• And much more.

Go to the PowerPoint 2003 and 2007 with JAWS and MAGic training page now and get started, or use the link on that page to download the lesson along with practice files and work offline at your leisure.

Creating Accessible Forms in Excel Using Input Messages DAISY Book

This DAISY book teaches how to create accessible forms in Excel®.

Authors of workbooks using the Microsoft spreadsheet program Excel can use the Input Message feature of Excel to create accessible forms that provide outstanding feedback and instructions for users of JAWS and MAGic. Hyperlinks can be used to expedite navigation within the form for JAWS and MAGic users.

The book is available for download in the JAWS and MAGic sections of the Training Downloads page. The title of the book is Creating Accessible Forms in Excel Using Input Messages and is offered in a text-only DAISY format.

NOTE: An HTML version of the instructions for creating accessible forms in Excel is also available on the Training Department Accessibility Web page.

Introduction to Windows Vista for JAWS and MAGic

Be the first to get your copy of the free book that introduces JAWS and MAGic users to the Windows Vista® environment. The new book is formatted in both text and audio DAISY format, proven to be the best for all-around learning. Read it at your own pace with JAWS or MAGic, or sit back and relax as you listen to the narrated audio. One hour and 18 minutes in length, topics covered in this book include:

• Installing JAWS or MAGic in Windows Vista (installation, authorization, activation, startup wizard, and RealSpeak™ Solo synthesizer installation)
• User Account Control (UAC) - What is it? How do I enable or disable it?
• Main parts of the Windows Vista Screen
• Main parts of the Start menu (search edit field, all programs, right pane, tab order in the Start menu, turning off the computer)
• Uninstall or Change a Program
• Windows Vista Explorer
• Volume Mixer
• Sidebar and Gadgets

The installer puts our DAISY books in the proper place for either JAWS or MAGic users to find them. Please visit the Training Downloads page and look in the JAWS Training Downloads Section to download the appropriate version. Note that the books are exactly identical in content, they just install to the proper location for each product.

These books are also available on the Training Download page in MP3 format.

JAWS Navigation Quick Keys in Microsoft Word

JAWS has Navigation Quick Keys for Microsoft® Word that provide you with an easy and efficient way to move through a document. Quickly move the insertion point to a number of different page elements, including headings, footnotes, endnotes, comments, tables, form fields, pages, sections, and more, with simple keystrokes.

To learn more and find practice files, visit the JAWS Navigation Quick Keys with Word Web page.

RSS Feeds on the Web

Feeds on the Web allow you to automatically receive updated information from your favorite Web sites. Feeds are provided by more and more Web sites all the time. Basically, the process involves you subscribing to the feed, which usually is free, and then your feed reader (Internet Explorer or other feed reader) shows if there is any updated content. Here is what to look for and how it works with Internet Explorer.

Internet Explorer checks every Web page you visit for feeds. If a feed is available, the graphic button for feeds on the Internet Explorer toolbar changes from gray to orange. JAWS verbally announces feeds on Web pages you visit, beginning with version 8.0 and later. You may have heard JAWS announce "RSS Feeds" on some pages you visit and may have wondered what that means. Finally, you can also set up Internet Explorer to play a sound when it notices a feed for a page. Choose this link to learn more about Feeds on the Web and how to subscribe to and use them.

Training Department Information

The Freedom Scientific Training Department's motto is, “Power to work, power to learn, power to grow.” We have grown over the years and have created some wonderful training materials that we want to share with you. Please take advantage of all of the training information and materials we have posted here on our site. We hope you will come back often to see what is new.

The Freedom Scientific Training Department
Contact us at 800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000, extension 1016
FAX: 727-471-7927

E-mail: training_info at FreedomScientific.com

Microsoft®, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Outlook®, and Windows Vista® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

JAWS®, MAGic®, and ONYX™ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Freedom Scientific, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.