Special Keyboards

[Dixie]

Hi guys

Does anyone know if there are "special" keyboards on the market that caters for people with disabilities i.e. keyboards with extra large keys?

My little friend has muscular dystrophy.

Watching him trying to type on a normal keyboard is heartbreaking.

I'm trying to teach him netiquete. Easier said than done.

It takes around 10 seconds, for him, to type a 5 letter word, then a further 30 to 90 seconds to correct the "spelling mistake".

I've turned on "sticky keys" but the it does not help when he hits the wrong keys...hence me trying to find a keyboard with a larger target

If there is no such thing, what would someone ask me to design and build such a keyboard?

It does not need the numeric keys on the side , nor the F functions at the top. Budget of around R2 000, or a generous sponsor...

 

[cyberarmy]

On-screen keyboard controlled by a trackball?
Predictive text input program which can also learn, to reduce the number of keys typed?
Voice recognition software?

 

[|tera|]

Google gives the following for SA:
http://www.sensorysolutions.co.za/Products/LowVision/ZTKbrd.htm
http://www.sensorysolutions.co.za/LowVisionOutline.htm

Hope you can find something. If you need anything else, let me know, I might be able to donate something. Ciao.

 

[Dixie]

Thank you for your input guys.

His condition is not impaired sight, but rather motor skills.

A mouse is a no-no, hence my mention of muscular dystrophy.

Muscular dystrophy is a condition where the (finer) motor skills are pretty messed up.

For those that actually understand the question: thank you.

 

[|tera|]

I understand about his motor skills. I know the keyboards I suggested are for impaired sight, but that would also mean the buttons are larger and that would work as you need it. At least that's my reasoning.

I agree with the second post however. Windows 7 itself has a kick ass voice recognition system built in already, so taking it step by step with your friend and going through the process, you will be able to teach him in no time how to operate the pc, might learn a few things yourself as well.

With Voice Recognition you can't just type, you can log on to Windows, launch applications, surf the net, even facebook. You can do most of what you do now, only with voice commands.

Hope your friend gets a solution.