Find out about some of the new features in JAWS, ZoomText and Fusion 2024 updates. Get introduced to Roxana Fischer. Hear about our 2025 Public Beta from Mohammed Laachir. And finally, after two years, re-visit with Eric Damery.  

On this “back-to-school” issue: Rachel Buchanan, our director of user education and technical support, introduces Sharkvember and The Next Big Thing contest. Dr. Denise Robinson, the founder of Your Tech Vision, discusses technology, education and math. And finally, Olga Espinola, our test engineer and a highly experienced technology user,  explains the new math-related features in JAWS.

On this episode, Glen Gordon interviews Oleg Shevkun, our new FSCast host, and passes on the baton. Then, we hear from Mohammed Laachir, a product owner at Vispero, on some exciting AI-related developments in JAWS and Fusion.

On FSCast 246, we’ll meet psychiatrist Dr. Tim Cordes.  He’s been working in addiction medicine for nearly 20 years, and back in 2005 was the second totally blind person to graduate from medical school.  Then all about Microsoft’s Disability Answer Desk that can help solve problems related to Microsoft software.  Crystal Jones will be here with all the details.

On FSCast 245, a demo of how PictureSmart just got smarter thanks to the new chat feature.  Then Alice O’Reilly, Chief of the Collections Division, and Tamara Rorie, head of Patron Engagement at NLS, talk about the array of free services and devices available to people living in the United States.  Plus, we’ll get to know Gordon Legge, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Minnesota Laboratory for Low-Vision Research.

On FSCast 244, we’ll meet Ana Gonzalez Arean.  She’ll talk about growing up in Venezuela and becoming a language professor at two universities, but then needing to move to Spain to start a new life for herself.  Then, Cathy Miller and Nicky Gillies from the Louisiana DeafBlind project discuss some of the challenges of identifying deafblind kids young and helping them to achieve their potential.

On the archive of the March FSOpenLine, people share their favorite things to do with PictureSmart AI, including how to use it with FaceInView to describe what’s in the background. And of course questions on a variety of other topics including why JAWS place markers sometimes lose their place, why Thunderbird speaks incoming email notifications multiple times, and  how to quickly find out who has hands raised in Zoom.

On FSCast 242, we’ll put the newly released Picture Smart AI through its paces, and you’ll hear the detailed descriptions it can generate for everything from a bar chart to a frame from a YouTube video. Then, a visit with longtime blindness advocate Anil Lewis, Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives of the National Federation of the Blind. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com

On FSCast 241, guest host Mohammed Laachir introduces us to the world of accessible gaming.  He'll visit with Jesse Anderson, who runs the IllegallySighted YouTube channel, to talk about some of the games that you can play if you're blind or low vision.  Then Mohammed talks with NightBlade, who runs an annual Game Jam to get sighted developers excited about accessibility.   Links and transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 240, we're joined by screen reading pioneer Doug Geoffray.  We’ll hear about the development of Vocal-Eyes, Window-Eyes, and Doug’s eventual transition to Microsoft, where he helps ensure that their new products are accessible.   Then, a deep dive into password managers, two-factor authentication, and a demo of using the Bitwarden password manager with JAWS. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On the archive of FSOpenLine from November 2023, some Freedom Scientific developers and testers offer an inside look at  our process for developing and refining new features. We also take your calls on a variety of topics including: the accessibility of the new Outlook interface and how to enable or disable it, how to use the Quick Access bar to get to frequently used commands in Microsoft Office apps, regressions with JAWS access to the Game Bar in Windows 11, and a request  to be able to automatically switch between voices from different synthesizers.

On FSCast 238,  the finals of our November 14 Next Big Thing contest. You'll hear  a presentation of the top three ideas, questions from our panel of four judges, some great entertainment, and of course, the   person selected as the winner. Transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com

On FSCast 237, a visit with Pete Torpey.  You probably know him as the co-host of the Eyes on Success podcast, but prior to that, he had a distinguished career as a research fellow at Xerox.  Then, Space Camp for interested visually impaired students.  We'll get all the details from Group Coordinator Dan Oates and Space Camp Vice President Robin Soprano. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 236, we’re joined by Catherine Getchell, Director of Disability Resources at Carnegie Mellon University.  We'll hear about her path to the job at CMU and what motivates her to do this kind of work. Then, to celebrate October as Disability Employment Awareness Month, Lori Scharff and Richard Rueda from the American Printing House for the Blind's CareerConnect program.

On the archive of the August FSOpenLine, news about Sharkvember and our Next Big Thing contest, features you can now try in our 2024 product betas, and of course your calls on a variety of topics. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 234, guest host Brett Lewis offers up a preview of what’s coming in the public betas of JAWS, Fusion, and ZoomText. He’ll also do a demonstration of the new JAWS Face in View feature, and visit with Billy Henry, the President and CEO of the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes. Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com.

On FSCast 233 we’ll meet Andrew Leland.  His brand new book, “The Country of the Blind,” is a thoughtful exploration of the world of blindness as he discovers his place in it.  Then Ian Stenseng from The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. and longtime JAWS scripter Steve Clark will be here to talk about their creative ways of making The Lighthouse factory equipment accessible. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 232, we’ll give a tour of the just-released Message Center.  It’s a great way to keep up with product news and announcements, but to read them when it’s convenient.  Then we’ll meet longtime JAWS developer Brett Lewis.  In his other life, he’s a former Paralympian in judo, and loves the sport so much that he still teaches it three nights a week.

On the Archive of the May FSOpenLine, an overview of features new to the June product updates, resources for learning Slack, and your calls on a variety of topics including: JAWS getting stuck thinking menus are active, and Adobe Reader not always bringing focus  to the dialog for setting document tagging options.

On FSCast 230, we’ll get to know retired Army Major Scotty Smiley.  He was blinded by a suicide bomber when fighting in Iraq; but came back, taught at West Point, and became the military’s first totally blind active-duty officer.  Then, Dr. Michele McDonnall will be here to discuss the second year of the AT in the Workplace study conducted by Mississippi State University.

On FSCast 229, when Mandy Van Cleave started her job as an assistive technology trainer, little did she know that she would soon need that technology for herself.  We hear from Mandy about her personal and professional experience, as well as about a new ZoomText feature that might change the way you use screen magnification.  We also give a few tips on how to stay on the same page with your sighted colleagues and friends, and how to write bug reports that stand out.

On FSCast 228 I’m joined by retired Paralympic swimmer Donovan Tildesley.  We’ll hear about his odyssey of being removed from a Virgin cruise because the crew panicked when they saw a solo blind passenger, and how his social media presence allowed him to negotiate a solution.  Then, a look at Visual Studio Code and why it’s an accessible way to learn to program. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On the archive of the February FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: Slack conversations unexpectedly scrolling to previous  content, Notepad starting up slowly on Windows 11, Fusion sometimes scrolling the screen away from the mouse location, the newly added WhatsApp scripts for JAWS, and how to prevent Zoom from automatically announcing incoming chat messages.

On FSCast 226, we’ll get to know longtime JAWS beta tester, self-proclaimed language nerd, and software developer Andre Polykanine. Then Andre will serve as translator for a visit with Sasha Hordiiko and Igor Kushnir of the Ukrainian Association of the Blind. We’ll hear about their work and find out what life has been like since the beginning of the war.

On FSCast 225, we celebrate Braille Literacy Month with two guests for whom braille plays a pivotal role.  Bill McCann, founder of Dancing Dots, has been helping blind musicians with all aspects of music creation for the past 32 years.  And Campbell Rutherford, a former Freedom Scientific Student of the Month, is now studying applied mathematics at Harvard.   Transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 224, it's the archive of the November 2022 FSOpenLine. We discuss improved support for the Outlook Scheduling assistant in JAWS 2023, and take your questions on a variety of topics including: searching for commands in JAWS and Office apps, preventing mail from going to the Outlook Junk folder, and providing resources to people who create inaccessible PDF files.   Transcript at Blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 223, it’s the Second Annual Audio Description Awards put on by the American Council of the Blind.  We’ll hear about some of the winners and talk about all things audio description with Kim Charlson, co-chair of the ACB Audio Description Project, and Thomas Reid, audio description narrator and host of the Gala two years running.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 222, we’ll demonstrate how creating rules to manage notifications just got more powerful, thanks to the use of regular expressions.  It may sound a bit intimidating, but we’ll take it step by step, and you’ll see just how easy it really is. Then we’ll meet M. Leona Godin and hear about her book “There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness.”   Transcript and links available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 221, we’ll get to know chef and entrepreneur Christine Ha.  Since winning “Master Chef” Season 3 back in 2012, she’s published a cookbook, opened multiple restaurants, hosted a cooking show on AMI Canada, and more.    Then Judy Dixon will be here to talk about her latest book.  It’s about Microsoft Word and called “Formatting Documents for Appearance.”   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On the Archive of the August 2022 FSOpenLine, Ryan Jones, Glen Gordon, and Rachel Buchanan take your calls on a variety of topics including: Math in Braille with JAWS, switching Braille tables on the fly, Quick Keys in Word, efficiently reading Windows event logs, and    why new JAWS  versions are installed along side old ones.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 219, we’ll spend some time with Ryan Jones, Freedom Scientific’s new Vice President of Software Product Management.  He’ll share a bit of his background, talk about what’s coming in the JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2023 product betas, and demonstrate the new JAWS Smart Glance feature.    Then a visit with Svetlana, the Freedom Scientific July Student of the Month.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 218, Eric Damery joins Glen Gordon for what will probably be the last time. After over 28 years tirelessly advocating for JAWS and other software, and always being around to help users who are having problems, he’s decided to retire.  This time, rather than talking about a new product feature, Eric is here to reflect upon some of the highlights of his career.   You can read the transcript, and listen to some of the obsolete 1996 JAWS 2.0 training tapes, at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On the archive of the June 2022 FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: using JAWS with the Dvorak keyboard layout,  a request for better support of WhatsApp on Windows, using JAWS with the touch screen on a Surface Pro, switching  from JAWS Professional to a Home license, and   lack of spoken feedback when selecting messages in Thunderbird.   Read the transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On FSCast 216, we have an answer to the age-old question, “What do you do about applications that tell us too much?” It’s the new JAWS Notification History Manager to the rescue. With it, you can gain precise control over which messages are spoken and which are shown in Braille. We’ll get you started by demonstrating how to make Microsoft Edge less chatty.   Then we’ll get to know Richard Oehm, electronics engineer, entrepreneur, doctor of Optacons, and all-around interesting guy.   Read the transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 215 we’ll get to know long-time developer Joe Stephen.  In addition to his work on JAWS, he does manual labor on his family farm in rural Tasmania and manages  to find the time to add accessibility support to some handheld ham radios.    Then Toby Willis will be here to talk about Expedia and their current initiatives to make booking travel more inclusive.   Text transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On FSCast 214, Adrian Amandi will be here to talk about the Second Annual National Coding Symposium.  It’s aimed at blind students of all ages to get them interested in careers in software development.  The conference is free, online, and available to people worldwide.    Then we’ll get to know Gary O’Donoghue, Chief North America Political Correspondent for the BBC, and longtime JAWS user.

On FSCast 213, Dr. Robert Englebretson, Associate Professor of Linguistics at Rice University, discusses the Braille code for the International Phonetic Alphabet, why reading Braille is different than reading print, and his ongoing research about how Braille is taught.   Transcript available at https://blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On the archive of the February 2022 FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: new VocalizerExpressive voices in  the latest software updates, keystrokes for identifying the site to which a link points, finding out where a file will be saved, Eloquence spontaneously  getting louder mid  sentence, and certain video cards hijacking keystrokes to rotate the screen.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/FSOpenLine.

On FSCast 211, Chancey Fleet discusses training workshops offered by the New York Public Library, many of which are online and available to everyone.  She’s also quite the expert on 3D printing and will share some resources for doing that accessibly.    Then Glen demonstrates using the new Windows Terminal, and gives an introduction to working at the Windows Command Prompt.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On FSCast 210,  a focus on accessible science.  Maureen Hayden will share her experiences being low vision and doing her Ph.D. in marine biology.  Then Dr. Greg Williams and Ashley Neybert from Independence Science demonstrate the Talking LabQuest and Logger Pro® software, tools for making science experiments accessible.  Of course, JAWS plays an active part in the accessibility story.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast.

On FSCast 209, Ryan Jones is here to talk about the process of running is annual Christmas light show involving thousands of lights choreographed to music. He does everything from putting lights on the roof to sequencing the light display using special software that JAWS makes accessible.   Then we'll meet Pedro Zurita who has spent his life advocating for blind people around the world and served as secretary general of the World Blind Union from 1986 to 2000.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast, as is the letter Pedro Zurita wrote to Louis Braille.

On the archive of the December FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: ideas to improve Text Analyzer, JAWS failing to announce word count when reading the Word Status Bar, shortcut keys for JAWS speech history, simplified Braille tables for Braille learners, and the status of JAWS running on computers that use an ARM processor.

On FSCast 207, improvements to Tandem security require JAWS and Fusion to be up to date, and Richard Kuzma tells us how he’s using a combination of Tandem and Voice Assistant to support a fellow blind user.   Though Windows 11 sports a new visual look, it’s very much like Windows 10 if you’re a JAWS user. We’ll demonstrate some of what’s changed to help you decide if now is the time to update.   Plus, a visit with Cassandra McNabb McKinney whose low vision and works as a funeral director and Embalmer. She had a personal calling to pursue this profession, and we’ll here the story of what it took to get to where she is today.

On FSCast 206, McDonald’s has partnered with Freedom Scientific and TPGI to develop their accessible self-order kiosks.  Over 500 have rolled out throughout the U.S., with more coming before the end of 2021.    Ryan Jones will give us a demo.  And then we’ll talk with Kelsey Hall, a product manager on the McDonald’s Digital Accessibility team, about how all the pieces of the project came together.   Transcrript at blog.freedomscientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 205, Eric Damery is back with more about what’s coming in JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2022, and how you can try those features early.  Then we’ll meet Daniele Casarola.  He spent over two years teaching himself stenography and now works as a court reporter in Italy.  He does it with the help of a JAWS plugin for Plover, his stenography program.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/FSCast.

On the archive of August FSOpenLine, public betas of JAWS, ZoomText and Fusion have been released, home annual licenses are now available in Canada, and severe memory leaks on many computers running Dell Waves Audio. Plus, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: a request to show a running clock on Braille status cells, a desire for advanced Teams training, a push for additional Vocalizer Expressive voices, and hearing JAWS when a Bluetooth headset  is on a call.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com.

On FSCast 203, Eric Damery is here to talk about some of the new features coming in JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2022, and how you can try them out early as part of our public betas.    Then we’ll get to know Cory Jackson.  He’s an escalation specialist in our tech support department, but in his free time has developed a sizable YouTube and TikTok following.

On FSCast 202 we’ll get to know financial educator Chris Peterson and learn about some of the advantages of opening an ABLE account.   Then, to celebrate World Emoji Day, I’ll be joined by Garreth Tigwell and Benjamin Gorman, two authors of the paper “Emoji Accessibility for Visually Impaired People.”   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast

On FSCast 201, Judy Dixon is here to discuss her new book “Audio Description: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Use It.” Then we’ll meet blind math professor Betsey Doane. She spent over 30 years teaching sighted students, and came up with lots of creative ways of showing math visually.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast.

On FSCast 200, it’s the archive of FSOpenLine from May of 2021. We had a great group of callers on a variety of topics including:  the best way to fast forward YouTube videos, how to give someone remote control of your PC, JAWS sometimes errantly turning on quick keys when responding to email, and how enabling Braille support in Narrator prevents JAWS from recognizing Braille displays.

On FSCast 199, a recording of Glen Gordon’s presentation at the National Coding Symposium, a recent virtual event put on to encourage high school students to think about careers involving programming.   Then, a visit with Rocio Casati, the person who’s been making our products work well in Spanish for over twenty years. The process of doing that is far more involved than you might think.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast

On FSCast 198, what it takes to make astronomy accessible to people who are blind or low vision.  We’ll meet Kate Meredith, President of GLAS Education, and two students involved with the project, to hear how it all came together.    Then a visit with legendary GPS pioneer  Mike May to hear about his life, and learn what’s new in indoor wayfinding.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast

On FSCast 197, a spotlight on a great Twitter app for Windows called TWBlue.  We’ll meet its author, Manuel Cortez, and hear the program in action.  Then a visit with Michael Hudson, longtime JAWS beta tester and the Director of the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at Michigan State University.   Transcript available at https://blog.freedomscientific.com/FSCast

On the archive of the February FSOpenLine, highlights of  the February software updates, improved compatibility of JAWS with AVG/Avast antivirus, and your calls on a variety of topics including: Using the Canvas and Blackboard learning platforms, JAWS sluggishness in audio editors, excessive chattiness of recent versions of Zoom, and showing UEB attribute markers in Braille.  

On FSCast 195 we’ll meet civil rights activist Ever Lee Hairston.  From fighting discrimination and demonstrating with Dr. Martin Luther King, to her journey with vision loss and becoming a leader in the NFB, she has lots of life experience to share.    Then Lil Deverell talks about mental mapping and its impact on how we navigate in the world.

On FSCast 194, Matthew Horspool shows us how he uses JAWS Speech and Sound Schemes.  He’ll also talk about the perils of having perfect pitch, and the challenges of working as a braille transcriber.  Then Joe Sullivan discusses the early years of developing the Duxbury Braille Translator.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast.

On FSCast 193 we’ll meet Taylor Cox.  She’s our first Freedom Scientific Student of the Month.  Then it’s over to Amsterdam for a visit with Mohammed Laachir.  We’ll hear how he rapidly switched from using ZoomText to using JAWS full-time, and how he went from being an FSOpenLine caller to a JAWS developer.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com.

On the archive of FSOpenLine from November 2020, Your questions about a variety of issues including: Getting Chrome to automatically describe images, JAWS on ARM processors,  and multiple selection of  items in  list boxes on the web.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com

On FSCast 191, Christy Householter talks about Computers for the Blind, a place to get a refurbished computer if you live in the U.S.  Then a visit with JAWS scripting ninja Doug Lee.  We’ll learn about his life and why he scripts so many popular apps for free.  And, finally, a song about JAWS keyboard commands from the students at the Texas School for the Blind.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com.

On FSCast 190, news about the release schedule for Jaws, ZoomText, and Fusion 2021. Rachael Bradley Montgomery talks about escape rooms, what they are, and what Vispero has  done to prove that they can be made inclusive of people with disabilities.  Then Ed Potter drops in.  He’s the man who created Playback, a cassette magazine where blind people turned for technology news long before the Internet.

On FSCast 189, the 2021 versions of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion are just around the corner. We’ll demonstrate the new Voice Assistant, OCR directly to Word, improvements to Picture Smart on the web, and the new streamlined way of reading messages in Outlook. Plus, David Kingsbury is back to talk about his new book: “When One Web Browser Is Not Enough”

News about features coming in the first public beta of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2021. Plus, your questions on a variety of topics including: JAWS with Citrix, simplifying the JAWS UI, WhatsApp Web, and mail merge in Word.  

On FSCast 187 we’ll get to know Dan Clark who’s been the voice of JAWS training for the past twenty years.  We’ll also meet Laura Wolk who just completed a year clerking for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with JAWS by her side.

On FSCast 186, we meet blindness consultant and TV producer Joe Strechay  who helps ensure that blind people are accurately portrayed in media. There’s news about the new Freedom Scientific training podcast, and Jonathan Mosen drops in with a demo of the new JAWS feature to prevent speech cut off when using certain audio devices. 

On FSCast 185, we meet Dave Leo Baker who  spent over twenty years  in the JAWS scripting department before setting off on his own to pursue a musical career. Jim Snowbarger talks about why Reaper software and his JAWS scripts are a powerful combination for doing any sort of audio production. Plus, Eric Damery with news about what’s in the June  product updates, and info about special   U.S. product pricing   that coincides with the summer NFB and ACB conventions.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast

On the May 2020 FSOpenLine, a preview of June product updates that bring a new Braille and Text Viewer, plus  a JAWS feature that prevents chopping off the beginning of words when using some laptops and Bluetooth headphones. Of course, we also take your calls on a variety of topics including scripts for YouTube and Wireshark from Doug Lee, and a new ElBraille mailing list.   Transcript available at https://blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast/ http://blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast/

On FSCast 183, we’re joined by Ed Summers, director of  accessibility at SAS, to get a stereo demo of the SAS Graphics accelerator, and to  learn about accessible SAS tools for doing statistics. He’ll also direct us to some of his blog posts  about how he trained himself to listen to synthesized speech at close to 600 words per minute.

On FSCast 182, we focus on coping with COVID-19. NFB president Mark Riccobono, and ACB president Dan Spoone discuss what these advocacy organizations are doing to help. Richard Tapping talks about product offers for students and employees now at home, and Rachel Buchanan lets us know about special training opportunities.

On FSCast 181, we preview Freedom Scientific sessions at the CSUN technology conference, Joseph LaFauci Offers up a JAWS Power Tip, and we get details about the latest ElBraille from Ron Miller and Adi Kushner.

On the archive of the February 2020 FSOpenLine, tips on listening to FSCast on your smart speaker, using TurboTax with JAWS, and your calls on a variety of topics ranging from accessible statistical software  to  the need for more advance Microsoft Teams training.

Details about the upcoming March 2020 CSUN Technology conference, a preview of the JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2020 updates coming in early February, two Power Tips, and a demonstration of JAWS working in the new Chromium based Microsoft Edge.

Brian joins John and Larry Gassman to  discuss  his 25 year career as an assistive technology trainer, the things that motivate him to extend JAWS functionality, and what's new in the products he offers. Plus, a JAWS Power Tip from Michael Fulton.

Your calls on a variety of topics including the new Chromium based Microsoft Edge, making our non-visual products more sighted friendly,  the JAWS Skim Reading feature,  whether to take the plunge upgrading from Office 2010 to Office 365, and more.

Eric Damery is back to get you prepared for the upcoming product releases, Debee Armstrong offers up a  JAWS Power tip, and Rachel Buchanan  talks about the ongoing process of enhancing free product training and documentation.

More details about using the new JAWS Scan cursor that’s part of the JAWS 2020 public beta, a reminder about bringing your SMA up to date before the end of October, and of course your calls. This time, questions about PictureSmart, additional Vocalizer voices, Home Annual license renewal, and  more.

Eric Damery joins John and Larry Gassman to discuss what’s coming in the first public beta of JAWS 2020, and David Szumowski  talks  about assistive technology and his legal career.

Larry Gassman talks with John Gassman about winning the Walt Disney Legacy award, and David Kingsbury discusses his new book, “Format Your Word Documents with JAWS and NVDA.” Whether your formatting requirements are simple or complex, this book has you covered.   Read the transcript at blog.freedomscientific.com

We report progress on some suggestions made in previous FSOpenLines and take your calls on a variety of issues including: future directions for JAWS, real-time document collaboration, Track Changes in Word, Wireshark Accessibility, and how to decide if the Home Annual License is right for you.

Eric Damery is back with news about saving money by purchasing products at the U.S. summer shows, Debee Armstrong offers up a JAWS Byte about  using JAWS Speech  History  to review spelling, and Dave Wilkinson lets us know about the partnership between Freedom Scientific and the American Printing House for the Blind. Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com

Eric Damery joins John and Larry Gasman to announce product specials that’ll be available at the ACB and NFB summer conventions, and discuss details of the April software updates. The Gasman’s demonstrate recent improvements to JAWS and Fusion heading navigation when on the web, and Mark Arnold returns to the podcast to talk about American Blind Golf.

John and Larry Gasman catch up with Jonathan Mosen and find out about his work with AIRA, Terry Bray talks about being a JAWS beta tester, and Larry Lewis explains how JAWS Inspect visualizes the screen reading experience.

News about our free training webinars and other learning resources, a preview of improvements to student licenses, what's coming in the JAWS April update, and  of course your calls.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com

Glen Gordon joins John and Larry Gasman to provide the backstory on why we now offer podcast transcripts. Eric Damery remembers some of the early CSUN technology conferences and sets the stage for the one occurring the week of March 11. He also offers a sneak peek at the new Picture Smart feature included in the JAWS and Fusion 2019 March updates. Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com.

The January JAWS update brings a more streamlined method of  installing Vocalizer Voices, along with sounds to indicate spelling errors in Microsoft Word and Outlook. John and Larry Gassman show these new features in action and chat with Eric Damery about them., They also offer up  the Freedom Scientific presentation schedule at the annual CSUN conference coming up the week of March 11th, in Anaheim, CA.  Transcript available on February 9 at blog.freedomscientific.com 

Rosemary Kleske, Beta Manager, discusses her favorite JAWS feature, “Virtualize Window.” Elly Du Pre is the director of Beyond Vision Loss in Florida, and  George Tice is a veteran of Desert Storm who lost his sight and has learned JAWS.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com

News about December updates, last chance to renew SMAs at 2018 prices, a discussion of Microsoft's upcoming revamp of the Edge web browser, and of course your calls.

FSCast 163, New Hosts John and Larry Gassman Introduce themselves, Eric Damery discusses December Updates of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2019 releases plus home annual subscription licensing, and The Gassmans chat with Curtis Chong, long time user of Freedom Scientific Access Technology and one of the true innovator and Accessible Technology pioneers.

Hal Knight has one of the most familiar voices to people calling the U.S. Freedom Scientific sales department. Most people don't know that before joining Freedom in 2000, he spent 25 years+ on WPOR as one of Maine's most popular country music DJs. Hal is also a great storyteller as you'll hear in his conversation with Glen Gordon.   Rob Santello created the Hampod to make ham radio equipment more accessible. What he thought would be a one-off device has turned out to become a project that's helped numerous visually impaired ham operators around the world.  He talks about how video magnifiers have allowed him to continue creating these devices long past the time he thought his declining vision would allow.   Plus, information about who will be hosting FSCast in December, status of SMA shipments in the US, and plans for December product updates.

The October edition of FSOpenLine, Freedom Scientific’s global call-in show, keeps you informed of new developments and answers listener questions from around the world.

Public beta 2 of JAWS 2019 is just around the corner. Eric Damery and Jonathan Mosen discuss and demonstrate the new features. Soon, there'll be a new option for licensing JAWS and ZoomText if you're a home user in the United States. Jonathan demonstrates the new portal for Home Annual licenses as it nears completion. And after producing 160 episodes of this podcast, Jonathan Mosen says goodbye, reflecting on his time behind the FSCast microphone and wishing FSCast every success in future episodes.

The September edition of FSOpenLine, Freedom Scientific's global call-in show, keeps you informed of new developments and answers listener questions from around the world.

The next major release of our screen reading software, JAWS 2019, is about to enter public beta as this podcast is published. Eric Damery takes us through some of the new features available immediately, and those planned for the JAWS 2019 cycle. Jonathan Mosen speaks with Stuart Lawler, who has a new role with Sight and Sound as it expands to Ireland.

This episode of FSCast contains a recording of the first FSOpenLine session. If you are listening in a podcast app that supports chapter marks, each question and section is its own chapter, making it easy to skim through to the topics that interest you. Topics covered in the August FSOpenLine include, the move to our new building, some of the new features in JAWS 2019, the accessibility of webinar software, requested Braille improvements, future FS webinars, JAWS with Microsoft Edge, the next version of Windows 10, JAWS 2019 beta’s impact on JAWS 2018 users, the talking mouse feature in JAWS, ElBraille, Jaws+Windows+F4, copying text to the clipboard with Google Chrome, JAWS and PowerPoint, making JAWS available to more people, JAWS on ARM processors, the future of FSReader, and JAWS on the log-in screen. Check our blog and social media feeds as we’ll soon be advising the date and time of our next FSOpenLine.

We're launching a new global call-in show called FSOpenLine, and we're looking forward to your participation. Learn all about it at the start of this episode. Jonathan Mosen then demonstrates the support for Microsoft's Skype 8 released in the August update for JAWS 2018, and explains how to make sure you have the correct version. We meet Kenia Flores, recipient of our scholarship at this year's National Federation of the Blind's national convention. And in keeping with our theme of meeting the next generation of leaders, in 2009, we met Cricket Bidleman, who was 10 at the time. We check in with her all these years later to find she's now at Stanford.

After news about the latest software releases and some listener comments, Jonathan Mosen speaks with Isaac Lidsky. You may have heard Isaac's Ted Talk already, heard him speak recently at the NFB national convention, or read his book, Eyes Wide Open". Isaac has been an actor, the editor of the Harvard Law Review, and a Supreme Court clerk among other things. He's an entrepreneur, public speaker, and father of four, three of them triplets. We're also very proud to say he's a JAWS user. Hear Isaac's remarkable story, his life philosophy, and how JAWS has assisted him to achieve is potential.  

There are huge savings to be made when you purchase our products at the NFB and ACB national conventions, and through Sight and Sound as part of their summer special. Learn about what’s on offer, as well as exhibits and presentations. We’ve released the much-anticipated firmware upgrade to our Focus Blue 5th generation Braille displays, and they now offer scratchpad and book reading functionality. Jonathan Mosen demonstrates where to find the update, how to install it, and what it does. After reviewing the instructions, download the firmware and help file here. The demonstration mentions two software packages to help you convert documents to contracted Braille for reading in the book reader. Download Send to Braille from APH. Download Biblos accessible word processor with multilingual Braille support. Jonathan then speaks with Rachel Elias and Kostas Karachristos from Nuance about the current state of text-to-speech engines, optical character recognition, and speech recognition. Rachel refers to an article about Nuance’s involvement with the voice of Stephen Hawking. You can read that article here.

We’re looking ahead to the ACB and NFB national conventions. Mark your calendar for Eric Damery’s presentations at both. Software updates for JAWS, ZoomText and Fusion are coming by the end of May. Listener comments discuss dongle authorization, hearing FSCast on Amazon Echo and more. At the CSUN conference, Jonathan Mosen spoke with Mark Nelson of Digital Apex. Mark discusses what he’s doing now including his innovative training solutions, and looks back to the early days of screen reading and those legendary duelling Windows presentations. Jonathan also sat down with Douglas Gerry, our National Strategic Sales Manager for a discussion about Douglas’s role, his history in the industry, and the state of accessibility today.

Eric Damery looks ahead to the CSUN conference, and discusses some new features and fixes in the March JAWS 2018 update. Jack Mendez, Director of Technology for the Louisiana Center for the Blind, talks with Jonathan Mosen about the importance of mastering your technology, and why JAWS best equips you for being on the job. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen FSCast Episode 151 - March 2018 JAWS Update, Jack Mendez from the Louisiana Center for the Blind

Eric Damery talks about the JAWS February 2018 update, ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018 Show Host: Jonathan Mosen FSCast Episode 150 - FSCast Episode 150 - Eric Damery talks about the JAWS February 2018 update, ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018

We look ahead to the CSUN conference. Learn about our sessions, exhibit hours, and prizes you can win. Did you know we offer training for groups at our headquarters or at a place of your choosing? We outline the courses available and tell you about a forthcoming course at Palomar College. Jonathan Mosen speaks with Jamie Teh of Mozilla about the ongoing work to make new versions of Firefox compatible with JAWS®. The work will ensure support for advanced web features only found in JAWS. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen FSCast Episode 149 - CSUN 2018 sessions, hours and prizes. Group Training offerings. Jonathan speaks with Jamie Teh of Mozilla about making Firefox compatible with JAWS

Jonathan Mosen demonstrates the powerful Speech and Sounds Scheme feature in JAWS, including voice aliases. And we meet Jeanne Hink and Carli Metze from Keystone Blind Association, who are seeking to make a range of employment options available to blind people. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen FSCast Episode 148 - Speech and Sound Scheme in JAWS, Jeanne Hink and Carli Metze from Keystone Blind Association talk about employment options

Did you know that if you’re in the United States, you can renew your JAWS Software Maintenance Agreement online? Jonathan Mosen shows you how easy it is. Eric Damery tells us about new software releases in December for JAWS, ZoomText and MAGic, and Jonathan shows us two new features coming to the December JAWS 2018 update, Screen Shade and Speech On Demand. Chad Hays talks about how Freedom Scientific products gave him the tools and competence to buy the family business. And we announce the names of the lucky people who get a free copy of Rachel Flowers’ incredible new album, “Listen”.” Show Host: Jonathan Mosen FSCast Episode 147 - Renew Software Maintenance Agreement online, New software releases - JAWS, ZoomText and MAGic, new features in JAWS 2018, Chad Hays talks about how Freedom Scientific products helped him buy family business

For JAWS and Fusion 2018 customers, we’ve slashed the price of our powerful PEARL ® portable reading camera. FSCast has all the details. Rachel Flowers, who we’ve featured on FSCast before, has a new album, which she has produced herself with the help of JAWS. We feature a track from the album and tell you how you can win a copy. Our interviews on this episode have a justice theme. First, Jonathan Mosen speaks with retired San Diego County Superior Court Judge, David Szumowski. Then, we hear from Kayde Rieken, who has just graduated as a court reporter. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Special PEARL pricing, Rachel Flowers produced her latest album with JAWS, justice themed interviews

Microsoft will begin releasing the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update this week. VFO and Microsoft have collaborated closely during this release cycle. We hear from Glen Gordon, VFO’s Chief Technology officer, discussing things you need to know about access to Microsoft Edge in the Fall Creators Update, and the importance of JAWS® 2018 public beta 3 in this regard. Jonathan Mosen then speaks with Jeff Petty and Brett Humphrey from Microsoft, regarding Microsoft’s accessibility commitments, and how VFO and Microsoft work together. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

Eric Damery brings us plenty of software news, including what’s new and improved in public beta 2 of our JAWS® 2018 screen reading software. We learn about a forthcoming update to ZoomText and Fusion, Microsoft’s new Windows Fall Creators Update, and Firefox version 57. Plus news of a 5 city tour in Australia coming up in November, with Quantum Technologies. Jonathan Mosen speaks with Michael Arbitman, an IT professional who lost his sight suddenly. Now, he’s a ZoomText user who hunts down software vulnerabilities. He’s also beginning a second career as an author of children’s books. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Software News, Michael Arbitman - a ZoomText user who hunts software vulnerabilities

Eric Damery and Jonathan Mosen describe and demonstrate what’s new in JAWS 2018. Learn about the features and participate in our public beta. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Eric Damery and Jonathan Mosen describe and demonstrate what’s new in JAWS 2018

We announce the three lucky winners in our SMA upgrade competition. Ron Miller introduces the new generation of Focus 40 Blue refreshable Braille display, and discusses 40-cell options for ElBraille. Jonathan Mosen reports progress on, and demonstrates, support for Microsoft Edge in JAWS. And in a JAWS byte, we revisit the key labels feature, showing you how to mute the echo of characters but retain echo of numbers. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Winners of SMA upgrade competition, new generation Focus 40 Blue refreshable Braille display, support for Microsoft Edge in JAWS and in a JAWS byte, we revisit the key labels feature

FSCast is giving away three upgrades to JAWS, ZoomText or Fusion. Listen to this episode to find out who is eligible and how to enter. The national conventions of the American Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind are just weeks away, with Sight Village soon to follow in the UK. VFO has the best bargains in assistive technology. Learn about the substantial discounts available on hardware and software. Jonathan Mosen then presents a comprehensive demonstration of ElBraille 14, which will be available for purchase at the conventions. Learn about how this product finally offers note taking without compromises, offering notetaker-level battery life with the power of full Windows and JAWS, the world’s most powerful screen reader. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Win one of 3 free upgrades, specials available at summer shows, and a complete demonstration of ElBraille 14

Jonathan Mosen demonstrates the new visual tracking feature just released in the latest update to our JAWS® screen reading software. Eric Damery joins us to unveil the all new ZoomText Fusion, joining JAWS and ZoomText together for the best in speech, Braille, and magnification. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen New visual tracking feature for JAWS, ZoomText Fusion is unveiled

We return to the CSUN conference on technology for persons with disabilities to hear Eric Damery and Glen Gordon demonstrate test versions of our JAWS® 18 screen reading software and Microsoft Edge working together. They’ll also discuss the benefits of Microsoft Office 365, and describe the Windows Insider Program. Humberto Avila brings us a JAWS Byte, demonstrating how to use the Touch Cursor to assist with access to applications that may not be accessible using conventional methods. This FSCast was produced and edited on an ElBraille. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen JAWS 18 and Microsoft Edge working together, Office 365, Windows Insider Program, JAWS Byte demonstrating Touch Cursor

Learn about essential updates to JAWS®, MAGic® and ZoomText®, which must be installed before Microsoft releases the Windows® 10 Creators update. Jonathan Mosen brings you a JAWS Byte on the key labels feature. And we hear Eric Damery’s presentation to the CSUN Assistive Technology conference on some of the new features in JAWS 18. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Essential updates to JAWS, MAGic and ZoomText required for Windows 10 Creators update, JAWS Byte on key labels and a replay of Eric Damery's CSUN presentation

The 2017 CSUN conference on technology and persons with disabilities is fast approaching. There are plenty of great VFO presentations to attend. Learn about them in this episode. Glen Gordon, our Chief Technology Officer, joins us to discuss forthcoming support in VFO products for Microsoft Edge, the browser built-into Windows 10. And Ron Miller describes the next generation ElBraille, the notetaker that is powered by JAWS and runs full Windows 10 applications. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen 2017 CSUN, Glen Gordon discusses Microsoft Edge support in VFO Products and Ron Miller discusses next generation ElBraille, the notetaker powered by JAWS

For 25 years, Bill McCann of Dancing Dots has been helping blind people make music with the help of their computers. He speaks with Jonathan Mosen, and we hear some examples of the music being made with the help of Dancing Dots products. We learn about his involvement in the annual Summer Music Academy session at Enchanted Hills Camp near Napa, California, and talk with Lawrence E. Brown the third, a talented drummer who participated in the most recent camp. Following up from our previous episode, Andrew Zeman’s wish came true when he visited Freedom Scientific in January. We hear all about his special day. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Bill McCann of Dancing Dots, Andrew Zeman’s special day

We published our first episode of FSCast back in December 2006. To celebrate, Jonathan Mosen discusses how the podcast got started, and shares just a few highlights of the past decade. A number of listeners join us to mark this milestone. We then speak With Andrew Zeman and his Mom Karen. Andrew has been granted a wish by the Make a Wish Foundation, and we’re honoured that his wish is to visit us at VFO in Florida. Ryan Jones has an even bigger, better Christmas light show running at his home in Lexington Kentucky, with nearly 10,000 lights. He tells us how and why he does it. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen 10 years of FSCast, Andrew Zeman gets his wish from Make a Wish Foundation, Ryan Jones talks about his 10,000 light Christmas display

Jonathan Mosen demonstrates how easy it is to export settings in version 18 of our JAWS® screen reading software, so they can be kept for back-up purposes or imported to another computer. We then hear from two entrepreneurs running their businesses with the help of JAWS. Trelle Dandridge helps to make dogs better behaved through her company, Mutts with Manners. And Christine Chaikin offers comprehensive guides to blindness services in a number of US states through her company, Insightful Publications. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Export JAWS 18 settings, two entrepreneurs who run their business with JAWS

With the imminent release of version 18 of our JAWS® screen reading software, we hear a demonstration of new Vocalizer Expressive voices from Nuance that will be available at no additional cost. Jonathan Mosen then speaks with seven-time paralympian Jen Armbruster, who recently returned with the US Goalball team from the games in Rio. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Episode 133 - JAWS 18 - new Vocalizer Expressive voices, Jen Armbruster - US Goalball seven time paralympian

Eric Damery and Jonathan Mosen continue their look at what's new in version 18 of our JAWS® screen reading software Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Episode 132 - Eric Damery and Jonathan Mosen continue their discussion about JAWS 18

Just ahead of the release of the first public beta, Eric Damery discusses some of the new features in our JAWS® 18 screen reading software. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Episode 131 - Eric Damery discusses new JAWS 18 features

Jonathan Mosen speaks with Tom Tiernan, the new CEO of VFO. We learn about Tom's considerable experience as a leader in tech companies, as well as his connection with low vision. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Episode 130 - Jonathan Mosen speaks with Tom Tiernan, the CEO of VFO

VFO has partnered with Microsoft® to make the free Windows® 10 Mail app more accessible. Jonathan Mosen speaks with David Gorelik from Microsoft about Windows 10 Mail, Microsoft Office®, and the improved accessibility of both. Jonathan then demonstrates our JAWS® screen reading software with Microsoft Mail. The US Department of Justice is looking to make rules on the accessibility of local and state government websites. Parnell Diggs from the National Federation of the Blind tells us why the regulations are significant, and how you can share your experiences to help draft the rules. Show Host: Jonathan Mosen Episode 129 - Microsoft Mail Accessibility, New rules on local and state website accessibility