Freedom Scientific ElBraille 40 V User manual

440999-001 Rev A
ElBraille 40 V
User’s Guide
Freedom Scientific Inc.

Freedom Scientific Inc.
www.FreedomScientific.com
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of
this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express
written permission of Freedom Scientific.
Copyright © 2019 Freedom Scientific. All Rights Reserved.
JAWS is a registered trademark of Freedom Scientific in the United States
and other countries. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Safety and Maintenance
Do not attempt to repair ElBraille or open its case. This product contains no
user serviceable parts. Any unauthorized attempt to service or replace
internal components will void the product warranty.
Keep ElBraille away from wet areas, rain, and other sources of liquids. Do
not submerge ElBraille.
Always operate ElBraille in a place where the temperature is between 5°
and 35° C (41° and 95° F).
Do not store in places subject to temperature extremes such as a parked
car.
Use only the power adapter that came with ElBraille to charge its internal
battery pack. Other adapters may damage the unit.

Table of Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................1
What’s in the Box?.................................................................................... 2
Physical Layout ........................................................................................3
LED Indication Types..................................................................................3
Docking and Undocking the Braille Display.................................................4
Description of Focus Blue Controls.............................................................5
Overview of JAWS BrailleIn ........................................................................ 5
Modifier Keys.....................................................................................6
Function Keys.................................................................................... 7
Quick Start ................................................................................................ 8
Turning On ElBraille.................................................................................... 8
Turning Off or Restarting ElBraille ..............................................................8
ElBraille Rescue Menu................................................................................9
Braille Display Modes .................................................................................9
Viewing Device Status Information ........................................................... 10
Default ElBraille Key Assignments............................................................ 10
ElBraille Main Menu.................................................................................. 11
Basics of Working with JAWS and Windows on ElBraille .................. 12
Windows Basics........................................................................................ 12
The Start Menu................................................................................ 12
Working With Windows and Dialog Boxes ....................................... 12
Entering Data................................................................................... 13
Basic Reading and Navigation Commands...................................... 14
Windows Explorer............................................................................ 14
Other Common Commands ............................................................. 14
Common QWERTY Keyboard Keys Simulated on the Braille Display
........................................................................................................ 15
Basic JAWS Setup.................................................................................... 16
JAWS Startup Wizard ...................................................................... 16
Turning off Speech .......................................................................... 17
Connecting to a Network........................................................................ 18
Connecting to a Wi-Fi Network ................................................................. 18
Connecting to a Mobile Network ............................................................... 18

Troubleshooting ..................................................................................... 20
Service and Support ............................................................................... 21
Locating the ElBraille Serial Number......................................................... 21
Warranty and Registration ........................................................................ 21

1
Introduction
Welcome to your ElBraille, the twenty-first century, take anywhere
replacement for the dedicated notetaker. Running Windows 10 with JAWS,
and a braille display with a full Braille keyboard, your ElBraille 40 is a fully
accessible compact computer.
The ElBraille includes the following key features:
•Runs Windows 10 64-bit and JAWS
•Focus 40 Blue 5th Generation Braille display
•7th generation Intel® Core™ i5-7Y57 Processor with vPro
technology Dual-core (4M Cache, up to 3.30 GHz)
•8 GB RAM
•128 GB of internal SSD storage
•Two stereo speakers and headphone/microphone jack
•Additional sound and vibration feedback for key functions such as
powering on and off or connecting or disconnecting the AC
adapter
•SD card slot supporting SD, SDHC, SDXC up to 2 TB
•2 USB 3.0 ports and 1 USB C port
•Full sized HDMI port
•Wireless WLAN802.11 A/B/G/N/AC networks support (2.4 and 5
GHz)
•Bluetooth V4.2
•A built-in 4G LTE modem for cellular connectivity supporting 7 Cell
networking standards
•Rechargeable 21.5 Amp Hour battery (Approximately 15 hours on
battery)
•Specially designed apps for performing popular actions such as
the creation of voice or text notes, listening to audio content, and
more
•Supports Microsoft Office 365, Office 2019, Office 2016, Office
2013, and Office 2010

2
What’s in the Box?
•ElBraille 40 unit
•ElBraille eco-leather carrying case with a shoulder strap
•ElBraille AC adapter
•ElBraille manual in print and braille

3
Physical Layout
Position the ElBraille on a flat surface so the opening for the braille display
is directly in front of you.
On the left side, going from front to back, you will find a lever for locking
and unlocking the Focus display followed by an HDMI port. The HDMI port
enables you to connect an external display such as a projector for running
a PowerPoint presentation, or to a monitor so a sighted teacher or parent
can also view the output from ElBraille.
On the right side, going from front to back, you will find a headphone jack,
SD card and Micro-SIM card slots, two standard USB ports, and a USB C
port. The Micro-SIM card slot is located directly under the SD card slot and
allows you to insert a SIM card from a cellular provider and use the built-in
4G LTE modem. The USB C port is used for charging the unit as well as
connecting the ElBraille to a PC so you can use the Focus 40 Blue as a
braille display over USB with another device.
The front part of the unit contains the braille display. The internal
microphone is located on the very front closest to the right corner.
Above the display are eight buttons. Going from left to right, they are; E1,
the Volume Up/Down rocker, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6 (also referred to as the
Display Connection Mode button), and E7. A recessed Power button is
located directly above E1. The speakers are located to the left and right of
these buttons with the LED indicator located under the right speaker. A fan
vent is also positioned above the buttons toward the center.
LED Indication Types
The following table lists the available LED indicator types.
Color Meaning
Green The unit is turned on and running
on battery
Yellow The unit is turned on and plugged
into an outlet using the AC adapter

4
Color Meaning
Red The unit is turned off and charging
No indication The device is turned off and is not
charging. If the unit is plugged in, it
can also mean the battery is fully
charged.
Docking and Undocking the Braille Display
To dock the Focus 40 Blue with the ElBraille, do the following:
1. Gently pull the locking lever on the left side of the ElBraille until it is
fully retracted. Do not attempt to force the lever beyond the point
where it stops.
2. Lower the Focus display until it is resting in the open front section of
the ElBraille and make sure the back edge of the Focus is flush with
the section containing the ElBraille buttons.
3. Push the locking lever to lock the display in place and establish the
USB connection.
In most cases, you can leave the Focus docked with the ElBraille as you
can use it over Bluetooth or even USB with another device and easily
switch back to using it with the ElBraille. If you need to undock the Focus
40 Blue, do the following:
1. Remove the ElBraille from the leather carrying case.
2. Gently pull the locking lever on the left side of the ElBraille until it is
fully retracted. Do not attempt to force the lever beyond the point
where it stops.
3. Slightly lift the left end of the display and slide it to the left to release
the right connectors and then lift it away from the unit.
If the Focus is not docked, you can still operate ElBraille using a standard
USB or Bluetooth keyboard as the ElBraille is a full Windows 10 PC.

5
Description of Focus Blue Controls
The refreshable braille cells are located toward the front of the unit. There
is a Cursor Router button above each braille cell. At each end of the
display's surface are NAV Rockers used for easy navigation. Positioned
above each NAV Rocker is a NAV mode button which cycles through
different navigation modes.
Positioned directly above the Cursor Router buttons is an 8-dot Perkins-
style braille keyboard. Going from the center, the left-hand keys contain the
following: Dot 1 under the index finger, Dot 2 under the middle finger, dot 3
under the ring finger, and dot 7 under the little finger, while the right-hand
contains: Dot 4 under the index finger, Dot 5 under the middle finger, Dot 6
under the ring finger, and Dot 8 under the little finger. These keys are used
to enter text or perform commands. Between dots 1 and 4 is a Menu button
which is used to access the Focus configuration menu as well as display
Focus status information during an active connection.
On the front edge, directly under and in the center of the display is a
SPACEBAR. This key is used together with the braille keys when entering
commands. A command that includes the SPACEBAR is commonly
referred to as a chorded command. For example, L CHORD or DOTS 1-2-3
CHORD.
On the very front of the display are the following controls, located from left
to right: Left Panning button, Left Rocker bar, Left Selector button, Left
Shift button, Right Shift button, Right Selector button, Right Rocker bar,
and Right Panning button. For more information about the Focus Blue
controls, refer to your Focus Blue User’s Guide.
Overview of JAWS BrailleIn
The JAWS BrailleIn feature allows you to use the Perkins-style braille
keyboard on the braille display to control ElBraille. Using the keyboard
along with other Focus controls, you can perform all Windows and JAWS
commands that you can do from a regular QWERTY keyboard. In addition,
you can also enter text using contracted or uncontracted braille. For more
information about BrailleIn, refer to the BrailleIn topic in the JAWS Help
under the JAWS and Refreshable Braille book. Additionally, go to
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Services/TrainingAndCertification/We
binarDetail/F0109 to access a free webinar demonstrating how to use the
BrailleIn feature.

6
Tip: If necessary, you can also use a USB or wireless QWERTY
keyboard with the ElBraille.
Modifier Keys
Use the keys on the braille display to simulate key combinations
(keystrokes) that include CTRL, ALT, WINDOWS Key, SHIFT, or the
JAWS Key (INSERT). To use these modifiers when typing a keystroke, do
the following:
1. Hold down DOT 8 CHORD and then press the corresponding
modifier keys in the keystroke. Modifier keystrokes are listed below.
2. After you create the modifier portion of the keystroke, release the
keys and press the remaining part of the keystroke. For example, to
perform the keystroke CTRL+SHIFT+V, you press DOTS 3-7-8
CHORD, release the keys, and then press V (DOTS 1-2-3-6).
•Function Keys (F1 through F12): DOT 1
•INSERT: DOT 2
•CTRL: DOT 3
•WINDOWS Key: DOT 4
•JAWS Key: DOT 5
•ALT: DOT 6
•SHIFT: DOT 7
Instead of memorizing these keys by their dot position, it may be easier to
learn the finger with which each key would be associated. When all of your
fingers are on the braille keyboard, the layout would be:
•Function Keys: Left index finger
•WINDOWS Key: Right index finger
•INSERT: Left middle finger
•JAWS Key: Right middle finger
•CTRL: Left ring finger
•ALT: Right ring finger
•SHIFT: Left little finger

7
Notice that you can create a rather loose correlation between pairs of
fingers in this description. For example, the left index finger is Function
Keys while the right index finger is the WINDOWS key. A stronger
correlation can be made with the left and right middle fingers. The left is the
JAWS Key and the right is the INSERT key, both often serving the same
purpose in JAWS usage. Finally, the left and right ring fingers are the
CTRL and ALT keys respectively, which make these two positions easier
to remember.
Once this layout is understood, it is easy to grasp that Any time a modifier
key, or combination of modifier keys is used as part of a command, DOT 8
CHORD will always be included.
Finally, pressing any of these modifier keys with DOT 8 CHORD is the
same as pressing and holding any of the equivalent keys on the QWERTY
keyboard. The computer is waiting for the key or keys which the modifier
keys will modify. So, pressing DOTS 3-8 CHORD is the same as pressing
the CTRL key. Windows then waits for the key which will complete the
CTRL combination, such as the letter Ato make CTRL+A to select all, or
the letter Cto make CTRL+C to copy the selected text to the clipboard.
Repetition of frequently used keystrokes such as the CTRL key
combinations already mentioned, Windows commands such as WINDOWS
Key+M, and JAWS commands such as INSERT+T should imprint these
key associations firmly in your memory.
Function Keys
To simulate the function keys (F1 through F12), press DOTS 1-8 CHORD
followed by Athrough L(which correspond to 1 through 12). For example,
to simulate the F6 key, press DOTS 1-8 CHORD, then F(DOTS 1-2-4). If
the function key is part of a key combination, add the appropriate modifiers
while holding down DOTS 1-8 CHORD. For example, to simulate the
keystroke INSERT+F2, press DOTS 1-2-8 CHORD, then B(DOTS 1-2).

8
Quick Start
Note: Before turning ElBraille on for the first time, fully charge the
battery using the supplied AC adapter. The unit emits two
ascending tones and vibrates when the AC adapter is connected
and emits two descending tones and vibrates when the adapter is
disconnected. When the battery is charging, the LED indicator
lights up red. It takes approximately five to seven hours to fully
charge the unit. Press E2 while the unit is powered on to check
the battery charge level.
Turning On ElBraille
To turn on the ElBraille, press and hold the recessed Power button located
directly above E1 until the unit beeps and vibrates. During the startup
process, you will hear a series of short beeps and feel occasional
vibrations. Once the device has booted, you will hear JAWS speaking and
the display will show some text. Finally, you will be placed on the Windows
Desktop.
Turning Off or Restarting ElBraille
To put the ElBraille to sleep, completely shut down, or restart, do the
following:
1. Press WINDOWS Key+X(DOTS 4-8 CHORD followed by DOTS 1-
3-4-6) to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Press U(DOTS 1-3-6) to open the Shut down or sign out submenu.
3. Use the Left Rocker bar to select an option and then press DOT 8. If
you decide to continue working, press Z CHORD (DOTS 1-3-5-
6+SPACEBAR) to cancel.
You can also press the Power button to put ElBraille to sleep. Press the
Power button again to wake the unit up and resume working where you left
off.
Note: Shutting down or restarting can take some time. Please wait for
the beeps and vibration alerts indicating the device is turned on or
turned off.

9
ElBraille Rescue Menu
Sometimes, it may be necessary to shut down or restart if the device is not
working correctly. For example, you unexpectedly lost speech or braille
output from JAWS. You can easily do this using the ElBraille Rescue menu.
This menu provides speech and braille output even if JAWS is not currently
working correctly.
To open the Rescue menu, press and hold the E1 button. You will hear a
beep followed by a menu containing three items: Restart JAWS, Shut
Down, and System Reboot. Use the NAV Rockers to navigate the menu
and press a NAV Mode button to activate the selected item. To close the
menu, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 1. Alternatively, you can use the Volume
Up/Down rocker to navigate, the E4 button to activate an item, or E1 to
close the menu.
Note: Use the Rescue menu only when absolutely necessary as
shutting down or restarting from this menu will not guarantee
anything you are currently working on is saved. In addition, if
JAWS speech is currently working, you will hear double speaking
as the speech in this menu is independent from JAWS.
Braille Display Modes
By default, when the Focus 40 Blue is docked, it works as a braille display
with ElBraille. However, it can also be used as a stand-alone Focus 40
Blue that can be connected to a PC using the USB C port on the side of the
ElBraille or used as a Bluetooth device.
To hear the current braille display mode, press E6. To switch between
modes, press and hold E6 until you hear a brief tone.
When the ElBraille is on, switching the braille display mode will turn the
display off.
If you connect the ElBraille to a PC using the USB C port on the right side
of the unit, the braille display mode automatically switches to the PC
connection, and the Focus 40 Blue acts like a stand-alone display. You can
then press and hold E6 to toggle the Focus between the ElBraille and PC
connection. When you disconnect from USB, the braille display mode
automatically switches back to the ElBraille connection.
If the ElBraille is off, the display operates as if it was a stand-alone Focus
40 Blue, and the ElBraille buttons do nothing.

10
Note: The ElBraille will charge when connected to a computer through
the USB C port as long as the ElBraille is turned off. However,
charging time will take longer than with the supplied AC adapter.
Viewing Device Status Information
Use the ElBraille buttons at any time to check the battery status, network
connection, or the time and date.
•To check the battery status, press E2.
•To view wireless network status information, press E2 twice
quickly.
•To view the current time, press E3.
•To view the current date, press E3 twice quickly.
Default ElBraille Key Assignments
Following is a list of the default assignments for the ElBraille buttons.
•E1: Open ElBraille Main menu
•E1 (press and hold): Open ElBraille Rescue menu
•E2: Report battery status
•E2 (twice quickly): Report wireless network connection status
•E3: Report current time
•E3 (twice quickly): Report current date
•E4: Start ElNotes or create a text note
•E4 (press and hold): Record a voice note
•E5: Not assigned
•E6: Report current braille display mode
•E6 (press and hold): Toggle the braille display mode
•E7: Not assigned
Note: You can modify the default key assignment for each button except
for E6.

11
ElBraille Main Menu
The ElBraille main menu turns your device into a convenient notetaker.
From this menu, you can quickly accomplish many useful daily tasks, such
as writing notes or using the calculator.
To open the ElBraille main menu, press E1. This menu contains a number
of items including:
•My Files — opens Windows Explorer.
•Text Editor — opens Windows Notepad.
•Office Apps submenu — if you have purchased and installed
Microsoft Office, opens a submenu listing the installed Microsoft
Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
•Calculator — opens Windows Calculator.
•Keyboard Editor — located in the ElBraille Utilities submenu, the
ElBraille Keyboard editor is a specially designed application for
adding, modifying, and deleting ElBraille keystroke assignments.
Use the Rocker bars to navigate through the menu and press DOT 8 to
activate an item. Each menu item also offers a corresponding access key
you can press to quickly select it. These access keys are announced by
JAWS as you navigate.
For example, you can use this menu to create a text file by doing the
following:
1. Press E1, and then press E(DOTS 1-5). The text editor opens.
2. Type in your text.
3. To save the file, press CTRL+S (DOTS 3-8 CHORD, followed by
DOTS 2-3-4). The Save File dialog box opens.
4. Type in the file name and navigate to the Save button by using
DOTS 4-5 CHORD, and then press DOT 8.
5. To close the text editor, press ALT+F4 (DOTS 1-6-8 CHORD,
followed by DOTS 1-4-5).
For more information on working in an application, refer to the help for the
specific application.

12
Basics of Working with JAWS
and Windows on ElBraille
Windows Basics
Using Windows with JAWS on the ElBraille is basically the same as using a
regular Windows PC. The only difference is that with ElBraille, commands
are performed using the ElBraille buttons and the Focus Blue controls. The
following describes how to access some of the more frequently used
Windows features. For more information, see the help for Windows as well
as the JAWS Help.
The Start Menu
To open the Start menu, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 4. You will be focused
in the Search edit box where you can begin typing the name of an app or
setting you want to find. Press a Rocker bar to navigate the list of search
results and press DOT 8 to select one.
To view the list of frequently used apps, configure your account, view all
apps, or turn off the device, press TAB or SHIFT+TAB (DOTS 4-5 CHORD
or DOTS 1-2 CHORD) to navigate through the Start menu. Use a Rocker
bar to move through list boxes and dropdown menus. Press DOT 8 to
activate the selected item or to activate a button.
To close the Start menu, press DOTS 1-3-5-6 CHORD.
Working With Windows and Dialog Boxes
Windows dialog boxes can contain text information as well as various
controls including check boxes, radio buttons, buttons, sliders, edit fields,
and so on.
To read the window title, simultaneously press the top of the Left and
Right Rocker bars. To read the status bar, simultaneously press the
bottom of the Left and Right Rocker bars. To read the contents of the
dialog box, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOTS 1-2.

13
To move between dialog box controls, press TAB or SHIFT+TAB (DOTS 4-
5 CHORD or DOTS 1-2 CHORD). You can select a radio button, or select
or clear a check box by using the SPACEBAR or a Cursor Router button.
To activate a button, press the SPACEBAR, DOT 8, or a Cursor Router
button. When focused in an edit field, enter text using the Perkins-style
braille keys. To adjust the value in a slider, press a Rocker bar to move by
small increments or press a Rocker bar in conjunction with a Selector
button to move by larger increments. If the dialog box contains multiple
pages (tabs), press DOTS 5-6 CHORD or DOTS 2-3 CHORD to move
between the tabs.
You can have several applications open at once. The JAWS Window List
dialog box enables you to switch quickly between running apps. To open
the Window List dialog box, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 5. Use the Rocker
bars to move through the list of running applications and press DOT 8 to
switch to the selected app.
For more information, please refer to the JAWS help system.
Entering Data
Use the Perkins-style braille keyboard to type text on ElBraille. You can
enter text in computer braille, or contracted or uncontracted braille. If you
choose to type in contracted braille, your input is immediately translated
back as normal text in the current email, document, or form. If an
application or specific edit box does not support contracted braille, JAWS
announces “Computer Braille.” In addition, the computer braille start
symbol, dots 4-5-6 followed by dots 3-4-6, is shown on the braille display to
indicate when computer braille is required. For more information, refer to
the JAWS Help.
You can write and edit text not only in text editing applications, but also in
edit fields in Windows dialog boxes as well as forms on web pages. In all
cases, the commands for editing text are the same. To start a new line, use
DOT 8. To backspace and remove the previous character, use DOT 7. To
delete the character under the cursor, use LEFT SHIFT+D (DOTS 1-4-5) or
DOTS 1-2-3-4-5-6 CHORD.

14
Basic Reading and Navigation Commands
Description Keystroke
Say Current Line C CHORD (DOTS 1-4 CHORD)
Say Previous Line DOT 1 CHORD
Say Next Line DOT 4 CHORD
Say Current Word DOTS 2-5 CHORD
Say Previous Word DOT 2 CHORD
Say Next Word DOT 5 CHORD
Say Current Character DOTS 3-6 CHORD
Say Previous character DOT 3 CHORD
Say Next Character DOT 6 CHORD
Say All DOTS 1-2-4-5-6 CHORD
Windows Explorer
To open Windows Explorer, press E1, and then select My Files or press the
letter F(DOTS 1-2-4). Use the Rocker bars to navigate the list of files and
folders and press DOT 8 to open the selected item. To go back to the
previous folder, press DOT 7.
Other Common Commands
Description Command
Copy to Clipboard LEFT SHIFT+C (DOTS 1-4)
Cut to Clipboard LEFT SHIFT+X (DOTS 1-3-4-6)
Paste from Clipboard LEFT SHIFT+V (DOTS 1-2-3-6)

15
Description Command
Undo LEFT SHIFT+Z (DOTS 1-3-5-6)
Delete LEFT SHIFT+D (DOTS 1-4-5)
Common QWERTY Keyboard Keys Simulated on the
Braille Display
QWERTY Keystroke Braille Keystroke
ESC Z CHORD (DOTS 1-3-5-6 CHORD)
or RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 1
ALT (activates the menu bar in an
application)
RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 2
APPLICATIONS Key RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 2 CHORD
WINDOWS Key (activates the
Windows Start menu)
RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 4
CAPS LOCK RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 7 CHORD
BACKSPACE DOT 7
ENTER DOT 8
TAB DOTS 4-5 CHORD
SHIFT+TAB DOTS 1-2 CHORD
HOME DOTS 1-3 CHORD
END DOTS 4-6 CHORD
PAGE UP Selector Button+Rocker Bar Up
or DOTS 2-3-7 CHORD

16
QWERTY Keystroke Braille Keystroke
PAGE DOWN Selector Button+Rocker Bar
Down or DOTS 5-6-7 CHORD
DELETE DOTS 1-2-3-4-5-6 CHORD or
LEFT SHIFT+D (DOTS 1-4-5)
Basic JAWS Setup
ElBraille users have access to all JAWS features, just like on a standard
Windows PC. This section covers some basic information to help you get
started. For more information about working with JAWS, refer to the JAWS
help system. To open JAWS Help, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOTS 2-4-5 to
open the JAWS main window, Hto open the Help menu, and then J.
JAWS Startup Wizard
The JAWS Startup Wizard allows you to customize some of the more
commonly used JAWS settings. These include speech rate and verbosity,
typing echo, braille translation settings, and more. The Startup Wizard can
be accessed at any time by doing the following:
1. Press RIGHT SHIFT+DOTS 2-4-5 to open the JAWS main window.
2. Use a Rocker bar to navigate to the Help menu and press DOT 8.
3. When the Help menu opens, press Z(DOTS 1-3-5-6) to open the
Startup Wizard.
The Startup Wizard consists of several pages of options. After making your
changes on each page, choose the Next button to move to the next page in
the wizard. On the last page, choose the Finish button to save your
changes.
Tip: If you do not want to change any options on a particular page,
pressing DOT 8 activates the Next or Finish button by default so
you do not have to navigate through several options to locate this
button.