This is a collection of Jaws scripts that I have written or that others have written for the Jaws for Windows screen reader from Freedom Scientific. Probably the two most common questions I get asked is, can I write scripts for them, and how can I start writing my own scripts? The answer to the first question is the hardest to answer, because I only started writing Jaws scripts because I wanted certain programs to work for me. The second question is somewhat easier to answer. I learned by alot of reading, and examining scripts that others had written. The first and foremost documentation that every person wishing to script for Jaws should read is, the help file for Jaws for Windows. In the help file, you will also find a tutorial on the basics of Jaws scripting that should get you started. Also on this webpage, you may also find a few hard to find programs, and a few programs I have written myself on here too. Many of these scripts were written to make certain things easier for me personally. I have found, however that these Jaws scripts have also helped others. Some of these scripts were done with much time and care while others were done with sort of a quickie Jaws script mentality. In any case, I hope you may find some of them useful. I also started adding programs to this page because many that you will find on here were either written by me, or are pretty hard to find. It also does cost money to keep this site up and running. If you find anything on this site of value to you, please consider donating via the PayPal button below. Thank you for visiting.

Custom Search

The downloads start here

For a short period of time Freedom Scientific offered a downloadable version of Open Book 9 that would work in 40 minute mode. They have since changed it back to the 30 day demo which becomes totally useless after 30 days. However, the version I have here does not expire after 30 days, and 40 minutes should be enough time for most people to do quite a few things. Once the 40 minutes is up, simply restart your computer and you are granted another 40 minutes.

Here is a guy who has developed a free set of scripts for Jaws with iTunes. If you need a bit more functionality when using iTunes with Jaws, definitely give these scripts a try.

Just so happens, this set of scripts is not a set of scripts that I have written. However they do warrant inclusion on this page. The following is the description of the scripts from the site itself. What does Rhapsody Blind do? RhapsodyBlind is a Jaws for Windows script that enables the blind or the visually impaired to use Rhapsody, the music subscription service. The interface is simple and very user intuitive. It enhances the experience of listening to music on demand and supports features like drag and drop to make your music experience more about the music and less about the navigation.

Firefox is a free and open source internet browser. There is of course the long standing debate of which browser is better, Firefox or Internet Explorer. I am not going to settle that debate here. I am instead going to post a link to the Firefox website so you can download it, try it, and decide for yourself. So there is no question, Firefox does work with System Access, Jaws for Windows, NVDA, Window Eyes and I am sure other screen readers as well.

NLite is a program that is a life saver for the independent minded blind person. It creates an unattended Windows disk. Once the disk is created, all a person has to do is place the CD in the tray, press enter and Windows will install itself. However, I would highly suggest that you read through the tutorials, and forums they provide on the site. I am not the creator of this software, so if you ask me questions about it, I will only refer you to the NLite website, tutorials, and forums. However, once you do have an unattended disk created, it will no longer be the total panic, end of the world feeling blind people feel when their computer crashes on them. Also be aware that NLite is not 100 percent usable for the novice screen reader user. If you are using Jaws, you will need to know how to navigate with the Jaws cursor in some parts. If you are an NVDA user, you will have to understand how to navigate using a bit of object navigation in some parts of the program. Your screen reader does provide help documentation on how to do this. Enough fair warning? Good. For the few blind people that do know how to make unattended Windows disks: If you find yourself bored and needing something to do, why not start a community around doing this kind of thing for blind people? I am sure something like that will be much more fun for you than sitting here reading my website. *grins*

Qwitter is a Twitter client that is fully accessible to blind and visually impaired persons. It uses synthesized speech to read back the information to you. Qwitter is also completely controlled by using keyboard shortcut commands. There is also much more that Qwitter can do, but there are just too many things to list them in this tiny description. So, download it and give it a try.

IBM Lotus Symphony may sound like a music program, but it is actually a word processor and spreadsheet similar to Microsoft Office. As of revision 3800 of the NVDA snapshots, it is now accessible to NVDA users.

This is a small and light IRC client that works quite well with both Jaws for Windows and also NVDA. It is the IRC client that I use since I have started using NVDA exclusively. Also, if you are looking for a good IRC chatroom to visit, you can always come hang out with my friends and I at Vampiric World. irc.vampiricworld.net is the address.

This was my first real attempt at making a program using Visual Basic 6. It is a talking slot machine that uses SAPI 5 voices and sounds from an actual Japanese Pachislo slot machine that I own. Some may grumble that it is only a slot machine, but not everyone has all day to sit and play a game like Shades of Doom. So if you find yourself only having a few minutes with nothing to do, why not give The Talking Slot Machine a try.

This is an implementation of the Miranda Multi-messenger client that can speak with Jaws for Windows out of the box with no scripts needed. Although not a program that I wrote, of which you will find some that I did not program, it is still worthy of inclusion on this programs page.

As for it's accessibility with screen readers, Audacity is the best free multi-track sound editor around. Naysayers may say differently, but have them recommend an editor that is accessible, free, and as capable.

This actually is not a Jaws for Windows script. This is the installer for the much more usable Skype version 3.8. While Skype 4 is probably fine for most people; it isn't for me. So, if you are like me and prefer Skype version 3.8, here is the installer for it.

This is also not a Jaws script. However, if you have been looking for a completely free Skype recorder for Windows, here it is. I and the Blind Crawler podcasting crew have started using this little gem to record our shows now. An example of how it records can be heard on Dexter's Medicine Episode 9.

The Kazaa scripts were the first scripts I ever wrote. They were written using Jaws 5 and Jaws 6. You may have also noticed them on the JFW Lite site. Debbie Scales put them on her site shortly before passing away. Thank you Debbie, rest in peace.

This actually is not a Jaws for Windows script. Instead it is source code for a now abandoned project of mine. It is a screen reader that is written in Visual Basic 6 that uses MSAA and SAPI 5. If there are any adventurous programmers out there, feel free to download and play around with the source code to see what you can make it do. There are even a few builds of the project that will even read Windows Live Messenger, as well as being a Narrator like screen reader. I have even gotten this screen reader to work on Windows 98 machines with SAPI 5 installed. I doubt I will work on this project much more than I already have, but if you modify it and make it do other things, I would love to hear about it. So, I hope you will contact me and let me know of the things you do with it. Have fun.

These are Jaws 8 scripts for a soft synth called Mini Mogue va. If you are unaware of what the Mini Mogue was, it was the synthesizer that started it all all the way back in the 70's. If you download and play around with the Mini Mogue program, you will notice that it sounds very similar to every synthesizer ever made. I will leave it up to you to search for the Mini Mogue va program on Google. This is after all, a Jaws scripts page.

This is the installer for Windows Live Messenger version 8. This version as of 10/15/2009 still works. The reason why it is on here is because Windows Live Messenger 9 doesn't work with Jaws 10 and below.

This is the installer for iTunes 8 32 bit. Apple has either made the 32 bit download no longer available, or has stopped offering it, so here it is

This is a modified default Jaws dictionary file to prevent common word crashes that occur when using the Eloquence text to speech engine.

If you have ever wished that you could create your own SAPI 5 text to speech voice, this is the tool that can do it. These scripts are for the SRL inv Tool only and not the Model Talker part of it. The ModelTalker Scripts may come later.

These are Jaws scripts for a program called VCS Voice Changer. VCS Voice Changer does what it says. You start the program, choose your effects etc., and it changes your voice.

Although Text Aloud is mostly accessible to Jaws, there are still a couple of issues that these scripts do try to fix.

OK, if you have reached this page looking for the latest version of the Jaws for Windows scripts for Skype, fear not for this link will take you there.

One of the worst things about listening to alot of the podcasts on Blind Cool Tech is the lack of sound editing skills that many of the people on there have. The Levelator is a tool that does most of the guesswork for you by normalizing and leveling volumes for you. To all of you aspiring podcasters out there, keep in mind that this tool may also introduce signal noise so you will also have to know how to use noise reduction after you use the Levelator tool. Please be aware that you also don't have to use the Jaws scripts in order to use the Levelator program. When you install the Levelator program, it also places an entry in your right click, send to sub menu. So, all you really need to do is find the .wav file you want to use Levelator on, right click or press the applications key on it, go to the send to sub menu, find the Levelator entry and press enter. Please also be aware that the software is designed to work on computers with Windows XP and above.

If you are one of the many that can't afford Jaws, or just refuse to give Freedom Scientific over $1000 for their product, fear not. NVDA is a free open source screen reader that is quite capable of handling most people's screen reader needs. Give it a try, it might surprise you in what it can do. Also be aware, They are always updating NVDA. So, you may want to check for a new version of it as often as you can.

For those who are not aware; System Access has a free option for their screen reader product. With it you get most of the important features of System Access including a free screen magnifier. They have also recently updated System Access to work with Firefox 3 and also iTunes 8.

OK I am now tired of working on this page for now. There will be more Jaws scripts added soon, but for now I am tired of typing. Check back soon for more. Oh, but before I go check out my friend's site here.