Hi Ann,

With a similar configuration, I just tested Word's "find" feature and realize I'm having a similar experience. However, I'm so used to treating it as a trial-and-error function that I hadn't noticed. Let me detail two experiments I just tried.

First, I pressed control-f and typed in my search term. The only way to read the term in context was to press escape and then insert-8 ("say line"). Initially, JAWS wouldn't read the line with insert-8, but it did so on my second press. So, how to reach the next result? I pressed control-f again. As I recall (I can't replicate this now JAWS verbalized "Next result." Assuming correctly that I was still on the first result, I pressed the spacebar. I landed on the second result, but JAWS remained uncooperative. The only way to read the context was, again, to press escape and then insert-8, the say line command.

Now, this gets interesting. I abandoned that search and started one for a different term. This time JAWS read the results pretty much as I expected and wanted. I pressed control-f and enter. JAWS read the context and then "Next result." I could press escape if I wanted to stay at that point or the spacebar if I wanted to move on. I chose a term that had numerous occurrences in that document, and it proceeded the same way throughout.

This is consistent with my experience. My first time through is hit-or-miss. The second time, for whatever reason, the "find" function works well.

It's important because of the limitations of the JAWS search feature, which can find only whole words, not search strings that might or might not be words. Also, Word reports the number of instances of a search term.

I hope this is helpful. I realize it may not sound like it is. And you never know with JAWS, what works for one person might not for another.