Request for feedback: NVDA‑style compatibility layer for JAWS (BrailleSense + keyboard mappings)

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jco...@samobile.net

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Dec 18, 2025, 6:29:08 PM (21 hours ago) Dec 18

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Hi all,

I’m working on a project that may interest folks who use both NVDA and JAWS, especially those who support users transitioning between the two. My goal is to build a full NVDA‑style compatibility layer for JAWS, so that BrailleSense users (and optionally keyboard users) can switch between NVDA and JAWS without retraining muscle memory.

This includes:

•

NVDA‑style navigation commands

•

NVDA‑style review cursor commands

•

NVDA‑style object navigation

•

NVDA‑style speech and info commands

•

NVDA‑style Braille input mappings for BrailleSense

•

Optional NVDA‑style keyboard mappings

•

A Braille chord inspector to help identify the correct JAWS chord names

I’m sharing the scripts and keymaps below and would really appreciate feedback from anyone familiar with both NVDA and JAWS scripting—especially around edge cases, review cursor behavior, and whether any NVDA semantics should be mirrored more closely.

1. Main script file: NVDACompat.jss

Code

; NVDA Compatibility Layer for JAWS

; Purpose: Emulate common NVDA commands in JAWS

Include "hjconst.jsh"

Include "common.jsh"

; ========== Utility ==========

Script NVDACompatToggleOnOff ()

If GetUserVariableInt ("NVDACompatEnabled") == 0 Then

SetUserVariableInt ("NVDACompatEnabled", 1)

SayString ("NVDA compatibility layer on")

Else

SetUserVariableInt ("NVDACompatEnabled", 0)

SayString ("NVDA compatibility layer off")

EndIf

EndScript

Boolean Function NVDACompatEnabled ()

If GetUserVariableInt ("NVDACompatEnabled") == 0 Then

Return False

Else

Return True

EndIf

EndFunction

Void Function NVDACompatSendKey (string sKey)

If NVDACompatEnabled () Then

JAWSSendKey (sKey)

EndIf

EndFunction

; ========== Focus navigation ==========

Script NVDAUp () NVDACompatSendKey ("Up") EndScript

Script NVDADown () NVDACompatSendKey ("Down") EndScript

Script NVDALeft () NVDACompatSendKey ("Left") EndScript

Script NVDARight () NVDACompatSendKey ("Right") EndScript

Script NVDAHome () NVDACompatSendKey ("Home") EndScript

Script NVDAEnd () NVDACompatSendKey ("End") EndScript

Script NVDAPageUp () NVDACompatSendKey ("PageUp") EndScript

Script NVDAPageDown () NVDACompatSendKey ("PageDown") EndScript

Script NVDAControlHome () NVDACompatSendKey ("Control+Home") EndScript

Script NVDAControlEnd () NVDACompatSendKey ("Control+End") EndScript

Script NVDACtrlLeft () NVDACompatSendKey ("Control+LeftArrow") EndScript

Script NVDACtrlRight () NVDACompatSendKey ("Control+RightArrow") EndScript

; ========== System interaction ==========

Script NVDATab () NVDACompatSendKey ("Tab") EndScript

Script NVDAShiftTab () NVDACompatSendKey ("Shift+Tab") EndScript

Script NVDAEnter () NVDACompatSendKey ("Enter") EndScript

Script NVDAEscape () NVDACompatSendKey ("Escape") EndScript

Script NVDABackspace () NVDACompatSendKey ("Backspace") EndScript

Script NVDAContextMenu () NVDACompatSendKey ("Applications") EndScript

Script NVDAAltF4 () NVDACompatSendKey ("Alt+F4") EndScript

; ========== Speech and reading ==========

Script NVDASayAll () PerformScript SayAll () EndScript

Script NVDAToggleSpeech ()

If GetSpeechOn () Then

SpeechOff ()

SayString ("Speech off")

Else

SpeechOn ()

SayString ("Speech on")

EndIf

EndScript

Script NVDASayCurrentLine () PerformScript SayLine () EndScript

Script NVDASayCurrentWord () PerformScript SayWord () EndScript

Script NVDASayCurrentCharacter () PerformScript SayCharacter () EndScript

Script NVDASayWindowTitle () PerformScript SayWindowTitle () EndScript

Script NVDASayStatusBar () PerformScript SayStatusLine () EndScript

Script NVDASayDateTime () PerformScript SayDateTime () EndScript

; ========== Help and info ==========

Script NVDAKeyboardHelp () PerformScript KeyboardHelp () EndScript

Script NVDASayFocus () PerformScript SayCurrentFocus () EndScript

Script NVDASayReview () PerformScript SayLineAtCaret () EndScript

Script NVDASayNavigatorObject () PerformScript DescribeWindow () EndScript

; ========== Review cursor navigation ==========

Script NVDAReviewPrevLine () PerformScript PreviousLine () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewNextLine () PerformScript NextLine () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewPrevWord () PerformScript PreviousWord () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewNextWord () PerformScript NextWord () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewPrevChar () PerformScript PreviousCharacter () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewNextChar () PerformScript NextCharacter () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewTop () PerformScript TopOfFile () EndScript

Script NVDAReviewBottom () PerformScript BottomOfFile () EndScript

; ========== Object navigation ==========

Script NVDANextObject () PerformScript NextObject () EndScript

Script NVDAPrevObject () PerformScript PriorObject () EndScript

Script NVDASParentObject () PerformScript ParentObject () EndScript

Script NVDANavigateToFocus () PerformScript RouteToPcCursor () EndScript

Script NVDAActivateCurrentObject () PerformScript PCursor () EndScript

2. BrailleSense NVDA‑style keymap (BrailleSenseNVDA.jkm)

These chord names are placeholders until I finish mapping the actual identifiers using the inspector script below.

Code

; BrailleSense NVDA-style keymap for JAWS

; Navigation

BrailleChord-1=NVDAUp

BrailleChord-4=NVDADown

BrailleChord-3=NVDALeft

BrailleChord-6=NVDARight

; Word navigation

BrailleChord-13=NVDACtrlLeft

BrailleChord-46=NVDACtrlRight

; Page / top / bottom

BrailleChord-12=NVDAControlHome

BrailleChord-45=NVDAControlEnd

BrailleChord-25=NVDAPageUp

BrailleChord-56=NVDAPageDown

; System

BrailleChord-2=NVDATab

BrailleChord-23=NVDAShiftTab

BrailleChord-48=NVDAEnter

BrailleChord-15=NVDAEscape

BrailleChord-7=NVDABackspace

; Speech / info

BrailleChord-G=NVDASayAll

BrailleChord-M=NVDAToggleSpeech

BrailleChord-L=NVDASayCurrentLine

BrailleChord-W=NVDASayCurrentWord

BrailleChord-C=NVDASayCurrentCharacter

BrailleChord-T=NVDASayWindowTitle

BrailleChord-S=NVDASayStatusBar

BrailleChord-D=NVDASayDateTime

; Help

BrailleChord-K=NVDAKeyboardHelp

; Review

BrailleChord-12R=NVDAReviewPrevLine

BrailleChord-45R=NVDAReviewNextLine

BrailleChord-13R=NVDAReviewPrevWord

BrailleChord-46R=NVDAReviewNextWord

BrailleChord-23R=NVDAReviewPrevChar

BrailleChord-56R=NVDAReviewNextChar

; Object nav

BrailleChord-O1=NVDAPrevObject

BrailleChord-O4=NVDANextObject

BrailleChord-O25=NVDASParentObject

BrailleChord-O36=NVDAActivateCurrentObject

; Toggle layer

BrailleChord-8=NVDACompatToggleOnOff

3. Braille chord inspector (BrailleKeyInspector)

This helps identify the actual chord names JAWS reports for each BrailleSense gesture.

Code

Script BrailleKeyInspector ()

var string sInput

sInput = GetLastScriptKey ()

If StringLength (sInput) > 0 Then

SayString ("Braille input: ")

SayString (sInput)

Else

SayString ("No braille input information available.")

EndIf

EndScript

4. Optional NVDA‑style keyboard mappings (KeyboardNVDA.jkm)

Code

Insert+DownArrow=NVDASayAll

Insert+S=NVDAToggleSpeech

Insert+Tab=NVDASayFocus

Insert+T=NVDASayWindowTitle

Insert+End=NVDASayStatusBar

Insert+1=NVDAKeyboardHelp

Insert+UpArrow=NVDASayCurrentLine

Insert+LeftArrow=NVDASayCurrentWord

Insert+NumPad5=NVDASayReview

Insert+PageUp=NVDAReviewPrevLine

Insert+PageDown=NVDAReviewNextLine

Insert+N=NVDANavigateToFocus

Insert+Enter=NVDAActivateCurrentObject

Insert+NumPad6=NVDANextObject

Insert+NumPad4=NVDAPrevObject

Insert+NumPad8=NVDASParentObject

Insert+NumPadEnter=NVDAActivateCurrentObject

Request for feedback

I’d love input from anyone who:

•

Has experience scripting for both NVDA and JAWS

•

Knows the nuances of NVDA’s review cursor and object navigation

•

Has worked with BrailleSense or other Braille displays across both screen readers

•

Sees any mismatches between NVDA semantics and the JAWS equivalents I’m calling

•

Has suggestions for improving the toggle layer or making the mappings more intuitive

My goal is to make this as seamless and predictable as possible for users who regularly switch between NVDA and JAWS.

Thanks in advance for any insights or corrections. I’m happy to share the finished package once it’s stable.