[Trainer-Talk] teaching keyboarding and layout

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hi all,

I’m trying to assist a patron at the library with computer skills. With limited knowledge and use of the computer, she needs practice typing. I may not be able to assist with that part as we do not have programs. However, I do at least want to teach Jaws a little bit such as opening files and reading them. I want to teach the reading commands at least so she can do something.

She is not familiar with the location of the peripheral keys such as the tab key, control, alt, windows key and function keys.
Toward that end, I want to know how to help someone in this situation. My questions are these.

1. Are there any free or inexpensive software to help with this? Perhaps something under $100.
2. Does the hadley keyboarding course help with only the letters and touch typing the basics, or does it include instruction on other keys?
3. Do you show them the keys hand over hand or hand under hand?
4. So far I’ve just named the keys such as saying something like “on the bottom left is control, next to it is windows key, alt, and space bar.” Then I show her by taking her hand and putting her hands on the keys. Is this a good way? How do you help students remember the layout? I thought having them repeat back to me the order of keys and perhaps touching them as they state the key names would work. I know that is how I learned braille note keys. I had someone tell me what the keys were from left to right and then I repeated what they said and examined the keyboard and layout of controls while talking.

5. Are there any premade tactile diagrams using raised letters out there you can buy? That or a braille layout? Has anyone found letter stickers that are raised enough to feel and use that to show the layout? Not everyone knows braille, so that is why I was thinking of raised print letters.

Thanks.

Ashley