My students use JAWS 13 as the screenreader software to view SoftChalk lessons. Is there an additional step for reading Tooltips in the SoftChalk lesson for this version of JAWS?

Yes. With the most recent version of JAWS, there is an additional step users must take for the software to read mouseover annotations (Tooltips are mouseover annotations). This site, http://www.freedomscientific.com/downloads/jaws/JAWS13-previous-enhancements.asp, lists enhancements and improvements with JAWS 13.

One section reads "Added long Keyboard Help messages for the list of on MouseOvers (INSERT+WINDOWS KEY+SEMICOLON), next clickable element (SLASH), prior clickable element (SHIFT+SLASH), and list of clickable elements (INSERT+CTRL+SLASH) keystrokes. To hear the long description for a command, press the keystroke twice quickly."

By following the steps for mouseovers above, your students will be able to hear the Tooltips read to them.