20 Using the JAWS Dictionary Manager

This learning module is entitled, “Using the JAWS Dictionary Manager.” This lesson introduces you to the JAWS Dictionary Dialogue and shows you how to change the pronunciation of specific words or phrases.  Currently I have only two programs running, JAWS and HJPad.  Please load these programs if you have not already done so.  Switch to the HJPad program before you begin this lesson.

We can either activate the Dictionary Manager from within the JAWS Manager’s Dialogue by pressing the key combination INSERT+F2, or by using the keystroke INSERT+D.  Either way, we’ll open the exact same dialogue.  Activating the Dictionary Manager from within an application will bring up the Dictionary Manager for that application.  If no dictionary file exists for that application, JAWS will create one for you with an extension of JDF, or JAWS Dictionary File.

In HJPad type the following word:  A n s p a c h

If my cursor is to the left of any of the characters of this word, when I activate the JAWS dictionary dialogue, JAWS will already know what word we’d like to change the pronunciation of.  Since I’m currently at the end of the word “Anspach” on a blank space, I’m first going to press the HOME key to move to the beginning of the line and that puts the cursor on the “A” in Anspach.

Next, I’m going to press the JAWS keystroke that activates the JAWS Dictionary Manager. That keystroke is the INSERT+D as in dictionary.

So you hear that we’re in the JAWS Dictionary Manager Dialogue and we’ve ended up on the add button. Let’s go ahead and tab through the other controls in this dialogue. 

DISCUSS APPLICATION SPECIFIC VERSUS DEFAULT (When and why?)

You can press CONTROL+SHIFT+D to load the default JAWS Dictionary file. Whenever you load any of the managers from within a specific application, the rules or settings that you specify within that application take priority over the default manager settings when you’re working in that application.

Discuss the various controls in the Dictionary Manager dialog box first.

Try INSERT+F1 help for JAWS in list view.

This list view is where all our new entries are going to appear for the HJPad application. Because HJPad doesn’t have any dictionary rules already specified there are zero items in this list box. I’m going to press TAB.

Tab. Search for entries. Edit. 

Here we are in a search for entries edit field. This is an incremental search edit field, which means, if we had an extensive list of dictionary rules in that list box, as we typed in this field, our selection in that list box would move to the closest item matching those letters. This is really not necessary as we can do the same thing directly in the list view itself.  I’ll press TAB again.

Tab. Add dot dot dot button.

We’re back to the add button. I’m going to press ENTER now to activate this button.

We land in the “actual word” edit field, with the word Anspach pulled in directly from the document.  This word is highlighted, so remember, if you press any key while in this field, you will replace what is there with whatever character you typed.  Press TAB to move to the next field, the Replacement Word field.

Tab. Replacement word edit.

Next, I’ll type in a phonetic spelling for the word “Anspach” that sounds right.  I’ve found that the spelling O n s p o c k seems to work well in this case.

To verify how my new definition sounds, I’ll press INSERT+UP ARROW to have JAWS say the current line, I’ll hear that Anspach is now pronounced the way it should be.  One thing to remember is that this can take a little bit of experimentation.  You will have to try different things to make some words pronounce correctly.  Just be patient and use your imagination, and have fun with it!

I’m going to TAB to the next control.

Tab. Okay button.

And press ENTER to activate the okay button.

Enter. Add dot dot dot button.

We hear that our focus returns back to the JAWS Dictionary Manager Dialogue. However, notice if I press the TAB key, I’ll go ahead and do this now,

Tab. Dictionary entries extended select list box not selected.  Anspach = Onspock. One of one.

We now have one rule in this list view.  Currently it is not selected, so press the SPACEBAR to highlight, or select, this dictionary rule.  Now that we’ve selected an item in our list view, this dialogue has changed and we have some additional options that were not available to us before. I’m going to go ahead and press TAB to the next control.

CONTINUE TABBING AND EXPLORE UNTIL YOU LAND BACK ON ADD BUTTON.

ALT+F4 to close and say YES to changes.

BACK IN HJPad:
Use the phrase United States of America
Use the ACRONYM, DRS

I’m going to press ALT+F4 to exit the JAWS Dictionary Manager Dialogue.

We’re back in our HJPad application. Now, whenever JAWS sees the words or phrases we’ve assigned rules to when in HJPad, it will pronounce them correctly. However, remember that this change was made within the HJPad Dictionary file and will not be carried over into other applications. Remember, if you create custom dictionary rules as one is reading, you will hear the rule, not the actual word. So instruct your users as to the rules you've created in case they are proof reading a document. In such cases, they need to navigate by word over any item changed by dictionary manager to the actual spelling of that word, phrase, etc.

This is the end of the section on the JAWS Dictionary manager.



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20 Using the JAWS Dictionary Manager