JAWS - Configure speech to announce font colour and attributes

JAWS - Configure speech to announce font colour and attributes

Problem

A JAWS user wishes to set JAWS to announce font and other attribute changes in text when they are navigating a document.


Applies to

  1. JAWS

Resolution


Notes
Note
Font and colour information can be retrieved from most common applications including web browsers and Microsoft Word. For other applications the effectiveness of this feature may vary.

Method 1 - Permanently adjusting speech and sounds scheme

JAWS has a range of speech nd sounds schemes designed to provide this information.  The steps below allow the select on of one of these shcemes to be pemanently active.

  1. Press JAWSKey+6 on the number row whilst in the application you wish to have JAWS speak the extra font and colour information.
  2. Then search the word “Scheme” without the quotes and press down arrow to Active Speech and Sounds Scheme.
  3. Then press F6 to switch window pane.
  4. Then press ALT+DOWN arrow to open the drop down list and select the desired scheme.  To enable announcement of font changes select select  “Proofing (Font attribute and colour)" scheme, or to disable any font changes select "Classic" scheme.
  5. Then press Shift+F6 followed by TAB to reach the Apply button and press spacebar.
  6. Then press ENTER to dismiss the window and return to the application.


Notes
Note
This setting will stay in place until you decide to change it. To use it navigate the document as you would normally. When you reach a place where the font or colour changes JAWS will announce it. To read the colour at the cursor position press JAWSKey+5 on the number row.


Method 2 - Quickly Select a scheme by keystroke

One may also activate a specific speech and sounds scheme momentarily instead when needed instead of being permanently active.  Please note the keystrokes below to do this which are for desktop and laptop layouts:
  1. Desktop:  ALT+INSERT+S
  2. Laptop:  ALT+CAPS LOCK+S
After pressing the above hotkey use the ARROW keys to select the required Speech and Sounds scheme, selecting Classic will disable announcements of font and colour.

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