Alternative Keyboard Options

Many students with disabilities are unable to use the standard "QWERTY" keyboard and must seek an alternative.  Because of the wide variety of alternative keyboards, as described in the chart below, computers are accessible to almost every student.

Expanded Keyboards for students with poor fine motor control:

QWERTY Layout-For students who need a large target area and want a layout typical to peers.

Alphabetical Layout-For students who are young and/or unfamiliar with QWERTY layout, have cognitive difficulties, need a large target area.

Overlays-For students who need a large target area, a nonstandard layout, and share a keyboard with students who have different needs.

Mini-keyboards for students with restricted range of motion:

QWERTY Layout-For students who have good targeting skills but can only use one hand and want a layout similar to peers.

Frequency of Use Layout-For students who can only use one hand and have good targeting skills and need to increase keyboard speed.

One-Handed Keyboards for students who have good dexterity in one hand:

Half-QWERTY-For students familiar with the QWERTY layout.

One-Handed Dvorak-For students willing to learn the Dvorak layout.

Chorded Keyboards-For students who have no, or almost no, range of motion and can remember chords.

On-Screen Keyboards for students who cannot use a keyboard but who can control a mouse.

Customizable Keyboards:

QWERTY Keyboards with programmable keys-For students who need access to a limited amount of customized tasks.

Interchangeable Overlays-For students who have cognitive deficits and find the standard keyboard too confusing or distracting.

On-Screen Keyboards-For students who cannot use a keyboard but can control a mouse and who may have cognitive deficits requiring modifications to typical layouts.