Page 130 - Handbook of Electronic Assistive Technology

118 HANDBOOK OF ELECTRONIC ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

FIGURE 5-10 iPad Air on-screen keyboard�

By way of comparison, the standard iPad Air on-screen keyboard has dimensions of
197 mm × 77 mm in landscape and 147 mm × 60 mm in portrait orientation, i.e., smaller
than the miniature keyboard in Figs. 5-9 and 5-10.

Ergonomic Keyboards

A variety of keyboards with ergonomic designs is available and may help to improve com-
fort and reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries. The basic principle is to split the keys
into two halves and then angle them outward toward your hands. Wrist rests are usually
built in. Some allow you to adjust the angle and position of each half to the most comfort-
able position.
Maltron manufacture ergonomic keyboards with key layouts designed for more effi-
cient access, for one-handed use or access with a mouthstick. The most common letters
are grouped close together in the centre of the keyboard.

Alice’s Case Study
Alice is in second year at university and suffers from severe arthritis. She evaluated an
ergonomic keyboard and immediately found an improvement. Her hands are supported
in a more comfortable position and she experiences less pain and can type for longer peri-
ods. However, the biggest improvement in her writing was achieved by using a speech rec-
ognition program, which almost completely removes the need to use the keyboard at all.

Touchscreens

While hardware keyboards and mice/trackpads remain the most common access tools
for desktop or laptop computers, mobile phones, tablets and many assistive technology