Search This Blog

Monday, December 29, 2008

In search of a recessed key keyboard

Hi everyone,

Hope you all are having a nice holiday season. Dave has been home since Christmas and will be until New Years so we have all  been together, just the three of us, for a week and it's been heaven. Dave is so great with Ellie and together we get so much done for her. So much to tell you all, especially about Bean and Ooee but that's for the next post with pictures.

Today I just wanted to pass on this resource: Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs

It's a great blog written by a teacher of multiply disabled kids.

Lastly, we are looking for a recessed key, key board or key board adapter for Ellie. One that would allow her to use one of our computers. We need some sort of grid that goes over the keys so that Ellie can poke her thumb down into them so that she can isolate different keys. We would like to be able to hook it out to one of our lap tops so she can use them better. Right now she has a huge amount of trouble isolating the keys.

If anyone knows of anything like that, please let me know. Thanks!

7 comments:

Kate said...

Thanks for the link to my blog. You might want to think about an Intellikeys Keyboard with a keyguard for your daughter.

Here is a link: http://store.cambiumlearning.com/ProgramPage.aspx?parentId=074003405&functionID=009000008&site=itc

You can also get key guards (which will make a keyboard recessed) from places like FRS and Infogrip.

Here is a link:
http://www.infogrip.com/product_view.asp?RecordNumber=56

A key guard can make any keyboard recessed. I don't know what would be best for your daughter, but you can e-mail me if you want. It is teechkidz at gmail dot com

Kate

Paradiso said...

I looked around on Google a bit (as I'm no doubt sure you did too) and I found Ablenet, which has an entire section devoted to computer accessibility. I didn't see one with recessed keys, but maybe you'll see more potential in their keyboards than I did: http://www.ablenetinc.com/Default.aspx?tabid=36

Although, you might be able to successfully use a keyboard with a keyguard. Here's a link to an example: http://www.fentek-ind.com/Keyguard.htm

What would be nice about the keyguard is that it's easily removeable so that the same keyboard can be used for everyone in the house. Also, the website that I linked to has an option to get a custom built keyboard. You might be able to work with them to get a keyboard built exactly to Ellie's needs.

I hope this helps you!

Terri said...

I would also recommend Intellikeys and check out No Limits to Learning at http://nolimitstolearning.blogspot.com/

Lon is the Assistive Tech guru.

Ellen Seidman said...

Thanks for mentioning that blog, I will check it out. I can't help with the keyboard, but I will ask one of Max's therapists who knows about this stuff when he is back in school! Happy New Year to you and Ellie.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Some great resources. I hope you, Dave and Ellie have a fabulous new year celebration. It's already 2009 here!

Mamá Terapeuta said...

I also recommend Intellikeys.

Danielle said...

why does that picture scare me a little?