JAWS Testing

JAWS (Job Access With Speech) testing uses the leading commercial screen reader for Windows to evaluate accessibility. JAWS is particularly common in enterprise environments, making testing with it important for business applications.

What Is JAWS Testing

JAWS is a commercial screen reader for Windows developed by Freedom Scientific. It has been a leading assistive technology since 1995 and is widely used in corporate and government environments.

JAWS testing matters for:

• Enterprise web applications
• Government and regulated industries
• Organizations providing JAWS to employees
• Comprehensive accessibility coverage

JAWS commonly pairs with Chrome, Edge, and Internet Explorer (in legacy environments), and offers extensive customization and scripting capabilities.

How JAWS Testing Works

Accessing JAWS:

• Commercial license required
• 40-minute demo mode available for testing
• Restart computer to reset demo timer
• Many organizations provide licenses for testing

Basic JAWS commands (Insert as modifier):

• Insert + Down Arrow: Say all (read continuously)
• Up/Down Arrow: Read by line
• Left/Right Arrow: Read by character
• Ctrl: Stop reading
• Tab: Move to next form field
• Enter: Activate links
• Space: Activate buttons
• Insert + F6: Heading list
• Insert + F7: Links list
• Insert + F5: Form field list
• Insert + Z: Toggle virtual cursor

Virtual cursor versus forms mode:

• Virtual cursor: Navigate and read content
• Forms mode: Interact with form controls
• JAWS auto-switches when entering form fields
• Insert + Z: Manual toggle

Testing workflow:

1. Launch JAWS
2. Open target page in Chrome or Edge
3. Navigate using heading, landmark, and tab navigation
4. Complete key user tasks
5. Test form interactions
6. Verify dynamic content announcements
7. Document issues with specific elements

Key Considerations

• Use JAWS with Chrome or Edge for testing
• Understand virtual cursor versus forms mode
• Test full user task flows, not just navigation
• Verify ARIA roles and states work with JAWS
• Check that keyboard shortcuts do not conflict
• Test with current JAWS version for accuracy
• Document enterprise-specific issues

Common Questions

Is JAWS necessary for testing if NVDA is already used?

Both have value. NVDA and JAWS have different behaviors and capabilities:

• Some ARIA features work differently between them
• JAWS is more common in enterprise environments
• NVDA is more common among general users

For comprehensive testing, use both. For resource-limited testing, NVDA provides good coverage due to its widespread use.

How does the JAWS demo mode work?

JAWS offers a 40-minute demo mode without purchasing. After 40 minutes, JAWS stops functioning until the computer restarts.

This provides enough time for focused testing sessions. Plan testing sessions around this limitation or use an organizational license for extended testing.

What JAWS settings affect testing?

JAWS verbosity, punctuation speaking, and virtual cursor settings affect announcements. Default settings represent typical user experience.

JAWS also has many customization options that users may enable. Testing at default settings plus any organization-standard configurations provides relevant coverage.

Summary

JAWS testing uses the leading commercial Windows screen reader, particularly important for enterprise and government applications. Understanding virtual cursor navigation, forms mode, and JAWS-specific behaviors ensures compatibility for users in environments where JAWS is the standard assistive technology.