Use the Smart Glance Feature of JAWS and Fusion to Discover Web Page Highlights

The JAWS logo and the words Jaws Smart Glance

To grab users’ attention, web content designers often highlight certain key text or areas of a page, for example by using a larger font or a specific color combination that stands out. On some pages, these high traffic areas may be indicated using a heading or other element that screen reading software recognizes. Unfortunately, these tactics can vary from one designer to another. Those inconsistencies can make it hard to locate these key areas.

People who use the latest version of JAWS or Fusion (version 2023 or later) now have a new tool to seek out these high traffic areas. The Smart Glance feature analyzes a page and attempts to determine areas that may stand out visually. After a page is loaded, in addition to hearing how many links and headings a page contains, JAWS/Fusion users will now also hear the number of Smart Glance Highlights on the current page. These are the areas the software has flagged as being particularly important.

Pressing the letter Y will move the virtual cursor to each occurrence of one of these highlights. As is the case with other webpage elements in JAWS/Fusion, pressing INSERT + CONTROL + Y will list all the Glance Highlights on the current page.

If you would like to give this a try, just open the Council’s homepage at www.wcblind.org. Pressing Y will immediately place focus on the Council’s phone number. A second press of the letter Y will focus on the Council’s address. So, if you come to the website and you are looking for our contact information, this is a quick and easy way to find what you seek.

For more technology assistance, or if you would like one-on-one technology instruction, contact the Council’s Access Technology Specialist, Jim Denham, at (608) 237-8104 or JDenham@WCBlind.org.

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