[Trainer-talk] One-handed keyboard software. Method recommended over pricey software.

[chris]

Hi,
Besides sticky keys for hotkeys and toggle keys for sounds, there is
half-qwerty software which flips a mirror image of the missing hands side of
the keyboard to where the other hand is.  For example "J" becomes F when you
hold down the spacebar as modifier key.  But it costs $695!  Read more at:
http://www.aboutonehandtyping.com/halfqwerty.html.  

However, on the same very comprehensive site, one hand typist, Lilly
Walters, suggests that children develop a method, which she teaches in an
ebook, of one-handed typing over an alternative keyboard.  In two paragraphs
here she states:
"If you have good use of one hand, you must first try to learn a system that
enables you to work study, and play on a standard, normal keyboard. This one
hand typing system is called One Hand QWERTY. This method teaches the one
hand user to type on a normal keyboard, with one hand, just as fast as he
would on an adaptive keyboard.
"Although, I often suggest the following Half QWERTY for the one handed user
who knew how to type before their disability, I have a reservations. My
research has shown that most people would rather be a very bad typist on a
standard keyboard, than use something the others in their workplace are not
using."
-  Lilly Walters, International speaker, author, speakers bureau executive,
and one hand typist.

You may download samples of her tutorial or ebook at
http://one-hand-typing.typingstar.com/.  It costs $49.
Sorry, but I'm just assuming it's accessible if your student is blind.

To order the half-qwerty or ebook/software on one-handed typing, call
909-398-1228 or E-mail Lilly at aboutonehandtyping.com. 

Finally, would Vista's voice recognition additionally alleviate some of the
strain that may incur from single-handed activity?  

Hope this helps.

Chris Johnson
Assistive Technology Specialist,
expressABLE,
920 Harrison Ave.,
Loveland, CO 80537
Phone & Fax: 970 612 0858
Cell: 307 277 0582
chris at expressable.org
 

-----Original Message-----
From: trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chip Johnson
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 2:22 PM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
Subject: [Trainer-talk] One-handed keyboard software

I have a student who can only type with one hand. We have a Matias
half-qwerty keyboard which works well but she'd like to be able to use her
laptop without lugging around an extra keyboard. Does anyone know of
software that would make the keyboard easily usable with only one hand?

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