Different Types of JAWS Help

Screen Sensitive Help: INSERT+F1

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JAWS Virtual Viewer showing screen sensitive help for the Task bar in Windows.

Another way of getting help is Screen Sensitive Help. This places the current window or control information, what it is used for, and possibly some keystrokes that work in it in the virtual viewer. This works in all cursor modes.

  1. First, press WINDOWS Key+D to move to the desktop.
  2. Press INSERT+T to verify this. INSERT+T is the JAWS keystroke to read the title of the current window. Focus is on the desktop.
  3. The Screen Sensitive Help command brings up the Virtual Viewer with information about different things that can be done. It is a help message based on where the cursor is located. The command is INSERT+F1. Press the keystroke now to get Screen Sensitive help for the Windows Desktop. The JAWS Virtual Viewer opens and automatically reads the help text. You may use standard reading commands to re-read the text. You may also use standard Windows text selection commands to select and copy the text from the Virtual Viewer.
  4. Press ESC to close the Virtual Viewer.
  5. Next, move to the Start button by pressing TAB.
  6. Press INSERT+F1 to get Screen Sensitive help for the Start button. This help message mentions that focus is on the Start button. It also says that you can use the ENTER key to open the Start menu, or the TAB key to move to the taskbar, etc. Press ESC to close the Virtual Viewer for now.
  7. Try it in the Taskbar. Press TAB to move from the Start button to the Taskbar, and then press INSERT+F1 to open Screen Sensitive help there. JAWS displays a message that the task bar contains currently running applications, etc. When you are finished reading the help message press ESC to close the Virtual Viewer.

Use JAWS Screen Sensitive help everywhere. For example, if you're using Google Chrome to browse the web, press INSERT+F1 to get a specific message with an overview of the web page that focus is in. In Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel you'll get a help message describing the document that you're working on in Word or Excel. Try it and use it frequently to get more information about the current app or control with focus.

Please allow [02:08] to watch the short instructional demonstration of JAWS Screen Sensitive Help before continuing to the next topic.

Freedom Scientific, a Vispero brand

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