Java SE Desktop Accessibility

Java Access Bridge is a technology that exposes the Java Accessibility API in a Microsoft Windows DLL, enabling Java applications and applets that implement the Java Accessibility API to be visible to assistive technologies on Microsoft Windows systems. Java Accessibility API is part of Java Accessibility Utilities, which is a set of utility classes that help assistive technologies provide access to GUI toolkits that implement the Java Accessibility API.

In order for existing assistive technologies available on Microsoft Windows systems to provide access to Java applications, they need some way to communicate with Java Accessibility Utilities. Java Access Bridge supports this communication.

An assistive technology application running on Microsoft Windows (for example a screen reader) communicates with Java Access Bridge DLLs, which in turn communicates with the Java Virtual Machine through Java Access Bridge Java libraries. These Java libraries communicate with Java Accessibility Utilities. Java Accessibility Utilities collects information about what is happening in the Java application, which it forwards to the screen reader through Java Access Bridge.

Java Access Bridge 2.0.2

Java Access Bridge 2.0.2 fixes multiple bugs, and adds support for 64-bit versions of Windows, and introduces support for Windows 7. See below for a list of supported system configurations, including supported versions of Microsoft Windows and Java SE.

Note:

  • Third party 64-bit Assistive Technologies may need to be updated in order to use the 64-bit version of Java Access Bridge. Please contact your Assistive Technology vendor to make sure their product supports Java Access Bridge 2.0.2 in 64-bit mode. Java Access Bridge 2.0.2 also includes packages to support 32-bit Windows systems.
  • Java Access Bridge is integrated into Java SE 7 Update 6 and later. Consequently, you only require Java Access Bridge 2.0.2 for Java SE 6 and earlier.

Platform Support

If you are encountering difficulties using Java Access Bridge (version 2.0.1 and higher), you can log a Service Request with My Oracle Support.

Note: to log a Service Request, you must have an active Java SE Support contract. If you do not have an active support contract, you can contact Oracle directly at 1-800-633-0738

Previous Releases

Java Access Bridge for Microsoft Windows Operating System 2.0.1

Version 2.0 fixes fixes multiple bugs and moves to using InstallShield for the installation. Please note: if your system is configured for dual booting or has the Program Files directory in a non-standard location, you must do a manual installation of the Java Access Bridge.

Version 2.0.1 is a minor release that fixes a bug in previous versions of the Java Access Bridge.

Resources