Certification Details

This page contains details about the Certification Programs for JAWS and ZoomText, including topics covered, expected proficiency, cost, how the exam works, and resources for studying for the exam.

Certification Program Goals

The Certification Program is an online knowledge-based exam for consultants, trainers, agency staff, and JAWS and ZoomText users. The purpose is to:

  • Help trainers and consultants validate their understanding of the software for companies, agencies, and consumers
  • Increase people’s general knowledge of JAWS and ZoomText software
  • Expand skills and abilities into new product features
  • Present a comprehensive look at all the free training resources provided online and within the software
  • Enhance exposure for certified individuals by listing them on the Freedom Scientific website

Expected Capabilities after Successful Completion

Product installation and setup, including:

  • Software installation
  • Training materials
  • Synthesizers
  • Braille displays (for JAWS)

Thorough understanding of location and availability of training materials and resources, including:

  • Help files
  • DAISY and MP3 files (for JAWS)
  • Archives of recorded webinars
  • Product videos

Product knowledge, including:

  • Basic to advanced product skills
  • JAWS keystrokes for both laptop and desktop layout
  • ZoomText keystrokes for carrying out ZoomText commands
  • How to identify and use key combinations for various functions

Exam Categories

The certification exams cover a wide range of product knowledge. It is not limited to just using the product, but enhancing your knowledge, from installation procedures to where to look when you need to access product information.

JAWS Exam Categories

The JAWS certification exam contains a variety of questions from the following categories:

  • JAWS Features includes in-depth questions on JAWS features and using Braille with JAWS
  • New Features includes questions on the new features in the latest JAWS version
  • Headquarters includes what is available on our web resource pages, along with questions on contacting Technical Support and basic troubleshooting
  • Installation includes all aspects of both typical and custom installation and activation of JAWS
  • Training includes questions on Freedom Scientific’s training resources, JAWS Tandem, and Terminal Services
  • Keyboard Knowledge includes questions on specific desktop and laptop keyboard commands
  • HTML includes questions on all aspects of navigating, reading, and customizing HTML pages
  • Learning JAWS includes the basics of JAWS and customizing an initial JAWS setup

ZoomText Exam Categories

The ZoomText certification exam contains a variety of questions from the following categories:

  • Installation includes all aspects of both typical and custom installation and activation of ZoomText.
  • ZoomText User Interface the ZoomText User Interface or Toolbar serves a hub for users gaining access to both features and help. This category focuses on the features of the user interface.
  • Visual Enhancements includes in-depth questions on ZoomText visual features such as the pointer (mouse), cursor, color, and focus enhancements, zoom windows, magnification, freeze windows, and tracking.
  • Dual Monitor includes questions pertaining to ZoomText’s popular dual monitor functionality.
  • Speech this category covers speech topics including adjusting speech settings, using speech in the varies AppReader modes, available synthesizers, and other speech settings.
  • Keyboard Knowledge includes questions on specific keyboard commands that allow users to use a key combination to carry out ZoomText functions rather than navigating to the user interface and activating a control there
  • Add-Ons includes questions on tools that can be used in conjunction with ZoomText, such as the ZoomText Large Print Keyboard, Dragon Naturally Speaking, and TypeAbility.
  • Compatibility includes questions about ZoomText compatibility with other commercial and assistive technology products.
  • Help includes what is available on our web resource pages, Built-in Help, Training resources, as well as questions about basic troubleshooting and contacting Technical Support.
  • Settings includes questions pertaining to changing and saving ZoomText settings to meet individual user preferences.
  • Tools includes questions about ZoomText’s tools including: AppReader, SpeakIt, Background Reader, Finder tool, Reading Zones, the Recorder tool.

Cost for Certification

There is no cost to study the materials and take the exam. Once you complete the exam with a passing score, you will automatically receive a free electronic certificate in HTML format. You will also be given an opportunity to be listed on our website.

Passing the JAWS exam entitles your name to be on our list of JAWS Certified Individuals.

Passing the ZoomText exam entitles your name to be on our list of ZoomText Certified Individuals.

In addition, after passing the exam, you will be given an option to purchase an official printed certificate from Freedom Scientific. JAWS certificates are produced in high-quality print and braille while ZoomText certificates are produced in high-quality print. The initial certification is $49 for each product, with a $29 renewal fee if you choose to update your certification later. To qualify for the $29 renewal fee, you must retake the exam and earn a passing score.

Exam Resources

The study materials are available in the current versions of JAWS and ZoomText, and can also be found on the Freedom Scientific website. If you have a current version of JAWS or ZoomText and a connection to the Internet, then you already have what you need to study for either exam. No additional study materials are required. The exam questions are based on guides, help topics, DAISY training materials, and web resources.

The study time for each exam is approximately 10 hours. That time is based on listening to all basic training material and suggested DAISY books (for JAWS), reading the guides and websites, and studying the exact JAWS or ZoomText help topics. Study time will vary with your experience, and you may need to concentrate on some areas more than others. It is recommended that you take your time and become familiar with all the study materials before you take the exam.

Below are a list of resources for both JAWS and ZoomText.

Resources for JAWS

JAWS Tandem Quick Start Guide – available from within the JAWS program window. Open the Utilities menu, open the JAWS Tandem submenu, and then open the Quick Start Guide.

JAWS Quick Start Guide – available from within the start menu, Utilities – JAWS 20xx program group, and then open Explore the Manuals. This folder contains the JAWS Quick Start Guide.

JAWS Basic Training Materials – the books are in DAISY format and can be reviewed using FSReader. The basic training materials are a collection of books with more than five hours of lessons. If your copy of JAWS is the downloaded version, you may not have the basic training materials.

The training books are also available for download in MP3 format. Visit Getting Started with JAWS to download either DAISY books or MP3 files.

DAISY Books – the books are available to review using FSReader. FSReader can be opened from within the JAWS program window. Open the Help menu and press ENTER on the Training menu item and FSReader opens. If these books are not installed, pressing ENTER on a link in the JAWS Basic Training Table of Contents causes FSReader to download and install them automatically from the Freedom Scientific web site.

Web Resources – available from within the JAWS program window. Open the Help menu, then open the Web Resources submenu. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the choices in the Web Resources submenu. Spend additional time focusing on JAWS Headquarters, Technical Support pages, Training and Certification pages, and Surfing the Internet.

JAWS Help – JAWS Help topics are found in JAWS F1 Help. It is recommended that you become familiar with the JAWS Help topics. Open JAWS Help by pressing F1 from within the JAWS program window. To quickly find a topic, move to the Search tab, and type the topic name in the search field.

Resources for ZoomText

ZoomText Help – ZoomText Help topics are found in ZoomText F1 Help. It is recommended that you become familiar with the ZoomText Help topics. Providing that are keeping your ZoomText product current by downloading updates, the ZoomText Help within the program may be more current than your printed or downloaded User Guide, as we are providing regular updates that enhance features, and may even provide completely new features. Open ZoomText Help by pressing F1 from within the ZoomText program window. To quickly find a topic, move to the Search tab, and type the topic name in the search field.

ZoomText Users Guide the ZoomText Users Guide ships with the ZoomText product. It can also be downloaded from our Product Documentation page. The user guide provides in-depth information about the ZoomText installation, product features and more.

ZoomText Large Print Keyboard User Guide – the ZoomText Large Print Keyboard User Guide ships with the keyboard. It can also be downloaded from our Product Documentation page. The ZoomText Large Print Keyboard is an optional accessory to the ZoomText program. There may be questions on the exam about the added keyboard functionality so it is good to be aware of the information contained in the Keyboard User Guide.

Web Resources – on our website, we provide many tools that may give you greater understanding of ZoomText features. Specific places to look are the ZoomText videos playlist on YouTube, and help found on the Technical Support Bulletins page.

Taking the Exam

When you are confident that you have spent adequate time covering all study materials, it is time to take the exam. Be prepared to set aside 60 minutes without interruptions to take the exam. Please note — you will not be able to stop the clock on the exam once you begin.

A web page link will take you to the exam log-on page.

You must complete your full name and email address in the edit fields, select your country, and then press TAB to move to the Start Test button. Your exam page will load, followed by a dialog notifying you that you have 60 minutes to complete your exam. Press the OK button and begin.

Exam Navigation

The exam is a web page, so standard JAWS and ZoomText navigation keys in HTML documents apply. For JAWS, pressing P to move by paragraph moves you between the questions and possible answers

During the Exam

At the mid-point of the exam, a dialog will appear to alert you that you are at the halfway point in the exam. You have 30 more minutes from that point. Press the OK button and continue your exam.

The time remaining is displayed at the bottom of the testing page. If you are using JAWS to take the exam, you can use the virtual cursor to read the time. Do this by pressing CTRL+END to move to the bottom of the exam page. Before you move from where you are, you can set a temporary PlaceMarker on the question to easily move back to your spot in the exam. Press CTRL+WINDOWS Key+K to set the temporary PlaceMarker or move it to another spot later in the exam. Press K to move back to your spot after checking the time.

At the end of each question a Resource for that exam question will be noted. It will appear like this: (Resource: JAWS Help or Resource: ZoomText Help). This is a reference for you.

Submitting Your Exam

When you submit your exam, the exam page closes and you are taken to another web page with your results. From there, you can read your final score percentage and review your scores in each of the different categories. For passing scores, you may choose the link to download your free electronic certificate, or choose the link to go directly to the online store to purchase your printed certificate. For non-passing scores, you may choose the link in the results page to go back to the Certification page for further review.

If you do not finish the exam in the allotted time, a dialog appears at the end of 60 minutes and tells you your time is up. Press OK on the dialog button. Your exam will be submitted automatically.

When you submit your exam, the exam page closes and you are taken to another web page with your results. From there, you can read your final score percentage and review your scores in each of the different categories. For passing scores you may choose the link in the results page to go directly to the online store to purchase your Certificate. For non-passing scores you may choose the link in the results page to go back to the Certification page for further review.

Do you want to share a success story involving your JAWS Certification? We would love to hear from you. Submit your comments.

Certification Logo and Inclusion on Website

There are separate exams for JAWS and ZoomText. The exam for the selected software is for both the initial Certification as well as Certification Renewals. Taking an exam is free.

When you pass the Certification exam, you will automatically receive an electronic certificate and are entitled to be listed on our JAWS or ZoomText Certified Individuals pages. Further instructions will be provided in an email you will receive after passing the exam. Inclusion on this website helps to enhance exposure of certified individuals as knowledgeable in the features and use of JAWS and ZoomText. If you have not yet taken and passed the exam, visit the Certification information page for full details.

After passing the exam, you also have the option to purchase an official certificate from Freedom Scientific. JAWS certificates are produced in high-quality print and braille while ZoomText certificates are produced in high-quality print. Additionally, you are granted the right to use the Certification Logo in your correspondence, email signature, or website. Two options exist when making a purchase:

  • Initial Certification – $49.00. For first-time certifications, you need to purchase the “Initial Certification.”
  • Certification Renewal – $29.00. For successive certifications, you can purchase the “Certification Renewal” at this lower cost.

NOTE: Users who purchase the official printed certificate will be validated to ensure they successfully completed the exam. Only individuals that have previously purchased the Initial Certification are eligible to purchase the Renewal Certification.

FAQs

What if I accidentally close my browser while taking the exam?

If your Internet browser closes, or if you have an equipment failure that interrupts your timed exam session, the portion of the exam you took will not be saved. You will have to start the exam again from the beginning.

Is it okay to guess if I am not sure of an answer?

Yes. If you do not record an answer for an exam question, then that question will be marked incorrect. If you are not sure, you may try eliminating the choices that you know are wrong. You are then left with choices that could be correct. From the remaining choices, select the choice that you think is the best answer.

What if I am in the middle of answering a question and the 60 minutes are up, can I finish the question I was working on?

No. When the 60 minutes have elapsed, the focus shifts from the exam question you were working on to a dialog telling you your time is up. You will not be able to go back and finish. Please note – make sure you follow the instructions from that point so that your exam results will be saved.

Do I get a reminder of how much time has elapsed?

At the halfway point, a dialog will appear letting you know that you have 30 minutes remaining in your exam. The time remaining may show on the status bar in Internet Explorer, depending on your security settings. You can read this by pressing INSERT+PAGE DOWN at any time during the exam.

Are there any short answer or essay questions?

No. Exam questions are formatted as multiple choices, true or false, and check all that apply.

Can I go back and change my answers?

During the 60 minutes you can go back and change or review your answers. It is recommended that you go back and review your exam if you finish before the time expires, to ensure that you are satisfied with the choices you made.

How do I view my results?

Your results are available as soon as you submit your exam. After you submit your results, a web page opens with the results page. You will be given an overall score and shown how you scored in each of the categories.

How do I submit my exam?

When you are ready to submit your exam, you must press the Submit button at the end of the exam web page. Please note – if you do not press the Submit button, your exam results will not be saved.

At the end of each exam question there is a resource. What does that mean?

The resource tells you which study materials that exam question was taken from. For example, a resource could be listed like this: (Resource: JAWS Help). This reference tells you that the exam question was taken from one of the JAWS F1 Help topics.

The exam is 85 questions, but my overall score showed that I had 118 correct out of 147. Why is the number higher than 85?

There are 85 questions. The questions are a random selection of multiple choices, true or false, or check all that apply. The “check all that apply” questions are worth more points. Each correct check box is a point. For example, assume you had one “check all that apply” question in your exam and that question had five check boxes. That exam would be scored out of 89 not 85. Note that the exam will have more than one “check all that apply” question.

How many times can I take the exam?

You may take the exam as many times as you wish.

Does a Certification mean I can train the product?

NO, the JAWS Certification does not mean you are capable of training the product. The certification validates your expertise and knowledge of JAWS, but does not in any way confirm your ability to teach the software to other individuals.