Chapter 5 Using Overlay Keyboards
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Table 5-3 Overlay Keyboard driver software features
DRIVER SOFTWARE
Overlay
Keyboard
Text
C
ont
rol, Modif
ier
& Cu
rso
r Keys
Mouse C
ont
rol
Input Acceptance Fi
lt
er
P
o
st Acceptance Fi
lt
er
Repeat Fi
lt
er
S
ti
cky Keys
A
udit
o
ry Feedback
D
igit
ised sound out
put
S
p
eech output
Pr
int
-out
O
v
e
rla
y
BBC
BBC Concept
Concept
Keyboards
Acorn
Concept
Keyboards
Acorn, Windows PC
Informax
Concept
Keyboards
Mac
Intercept
Concept
Keyboards
Windows PC
Concept Plus
Concept
Keyboards
Windows PC
Concept Plus
Multimedia
Concept
Keyboards
Mac, PC
Intellikeys
Intellikeys
Mac, PC
Overlay Maker
Intellikeys
Mac
Ke:nx
Key Largo,
Discover:Board
Ke:nx On:Board
Which overlay keyboard is best?
To choose an overlay keyboard you have to specify the functions needed by the user, the curriculum
and learning tasks, and then select the most appropriate combination of hardware and software. Cost,
the computer and software that you want to use, and the ease of use of the keyboard and software are
also key issues.
•
Acorn
The most popular overlay keyboards for Acorn RiscOS computers are the
Concept
Keyboards with
either
Informax
or
software. If you wanted to create overlays for detailed pictures or maps
then the
Informatrix
with 4096 keys, with
Informax
software, would be the best choice.
It is possible to plug in the
IntelliKeys
device into A7000 or RiscPC machines as they have ‘PS/2’
keyboard connectors, but you can only use the standard overlays – the
OverlayMaker
software does
not run on Acorn RiscOS.
•
Macintosh
If you were working on a particular curriculum topic and using a program like
ClarisWorks
Templates
on a Mac, then the
Concept Universal
might be most suitable as the Templates are
supplied with ready-made overlays, and the keyboard itself is cheap.
But if you wanted an overlay keyboard to work with
all
programs on the Mac, and replace all the
functions of the standard Macintosh keyboard and mouse, you might choose
Intellikeys
or
Discover:Board
in preference to the
Concept Keyboards
with
Intercept
software, because the latter
