JAWS (screen reader)
JAWS ("Job Access With Speech") is a computer screen reader program for Microsoft Windows that allows blind and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to-speech output or by a refreshable Braille display. JAWS is produced by the Blind and Low Vision Group of Freedom Scientific.
| Developer(s) | Freedom Scientific |
|---|---|
| Initial release | January 1995 |
| Stable release | 2024.2312.53
/ December 20, 2023 |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Type | Screen reader |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | Official website |
A May–June 2021 screen reader user survey by WebAIM, a web accessibility company, found JAWS to be the most popular screen reader worldwide; 53.7% of survey participants used it as a primary screen reader, while 70.0% of participants used it often.
JAWS supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 along with all versions of Windows Server released since Windows Server 2016. There are two versions of the program: the Home edition for non-commercial use and the Professional edition for commercial environments. Before JAWS 16, the Home edition was called Standard, and only worked on home Windows operating systems. A DOS version, sometimes also known as JDOS, is free.
The JAWS Scripting Language allows the user to use programs without standard Windows controls, and programs that were not designed for accessibility.