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Chapter 5 Using Overlay Keyboards
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Table 5-3 Overlay Keyboard driver software features
DRIVER SOFTWARE
Overlay
Keyboard
Text
Control, Modifier
& Cursor Keys
Mouse Control
Input Acceptance Filter
Post Acceptance Filter
Repeat Filter
Sticky Keys
Auditory Feedback
Digitised sound output
Speech output
Print-out Overlay
BBC
BBC Concept
Concept
Keyboards
Acorn
Conform+
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 Conform+ 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