by Peter Claridge-Bowler

With the start of 2024, we’re seeing a brand new coming to JAWS for any Braille users! Introducing Split Braille!

Split braille is a brand new feature that has come with JAWS 2024, allowing those who use a braille display to split the refreshable braille display into 2 different sections, so with that you will be able to read and refer to two different outputs of braille at the same time.

So for example, if you are writing a paper or doing some research you will be able to have on one side of the display you will be in the Word document while on the other side will be displaying whatever page/information that you have saved to it so that you can have easy access to referring back to the information with quick speed and not try and have to retain it to memory which for some of us can be pretty tough!

However, depending on the size of your braille display/notetaker will definitely be a factor in how much use you might get out of it. As it says: it splits the display into two different sections, so take the size of your display and divide it by 2 and that will be how many cells of braille you will be able to read with the split braille feature. For example, if you take an 80-cell braille display and divide it by 2 you’ll have 40 cells per side, if you take a 14-cell braille display and divide that by 2 you’ll only have access to 7 cells of readable braille per side, so it is very dependent on the size of display.

But overall I think that this feature offers a great opportunity for everyone that are braille readers, it’ll help keep track of information and references quickly instead of jumping back and forth to check the information.

For more details and information please visit: https://support.freedomscientific.com/downloads/jaws/JAWSWhatsNew