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Re: Using JAWS with Boot Camp on a Mac

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From: Chagnon | PubCom
Date: Apr 20, 2015 4:11PM

<< Is Bootcamp itself accessible? >>
I don't know for sure.

But with Bootcamp, you set it up once, install Windows and your software once, and that's it. You don't have to do anything else after that, other than choose to launch Windows or Apple when the computer starts up.

Technically, the user holds down the Option/Alt key when pressing the computer's power button, and keeps it down until 2 icons appear, one for Mac the other for Windows. Choose the operating system you want and voila! You're at your standard Windows or Apple desktop (or login if you have that set up).

The only part of this that might not be accessible is when the OS icons appear after the computer starts. Since neither OS has launched at that time, I doubt a screen reader has also launched to voice out the icons on the screen. But then again, maybe a minimized Voice Over is available at that point, too.

But this might be easy to overcome. There's really nothing other than the 2 icons on the screen, Mac or Windows, and sometimes a third "recovery" drive icon. Arrow left/right will select either operating system. The icons don't change, so once you know which icon is Windows, which is Mac, you can then arrow to the correct icon and launch the appropriate operating system. Once the operating system launches, you're at the usual desktop and your A.T. should kick in as planned.

RE: mapping the JAWS key, I think that's fixable if indeed it's a problem. One solution is to install an external keyboard that has the Windows and Mac keys on it to accommodate both operating systems.

--Bevi Chagnon