Guest Post: iPad AAC Apps Key Guards

Guest Post by Ricky Buchanan of ATMac

The American company Lasered Pics is now making keyguards available for the iPad. Keyguards are available which conform to the shape of the standard iPad keyboard and special-purpose keyguards for Proloquo2Go, TapSpeak Choice and Speak It! are also available. All iPad keyguards are made from 1/8″ (0.3cm) thick clear acrylic and come with optional 1/16″ (0.15cm) bumpers which can raise the keyguard above the screen to prevent accidental touches.

Standard iPad keyboard guards come in both landscape and portrait orientations and will suit QWERTY, AZERTY and QWERTZ keyboard layouts.

Proloquo2Go keyguards are also available for both portrait and landscape orientations and keyguards can be ordered that suit all current Proloquo2Go options including standard and large toolbar sizes, and optionally “wide” mode. Tap Speak keyguards can be made to suit 2-56 items and also come in portrait and landscape orientations. Speak It doesn’t have any layout options available at the moment. Lasered Pics report they will be designing a keyguard to suit Proloquo2Go’s word prediction mode keyboard, and are also working on keyguards for additional AAC apps.

Lasered Pics keyguards can be used with the standard Apple iPad case, with no case, or with any other case that does not obstruct the front of the iPad. The website advises that the current keyguards will not fit properly when used with the OtterBox iPad case.

Keyguards are smaller than the iPad’s full size so they should fit both the original iPad and iPad 2 with no problems.

Steve from Lasered Pics has advised me that anybody wanting a keyguard for a different iPad application should contact him via the website. He couldn’t give me a price for a custom keyguard as it depends on too many factors, but it can certainly be done.

Standard iPad keyguards cost US$19.95 each, but until 31 March 2011 you can get a 10% discount for ordering 2 or more TapSpeak keyguards – use the promo code TAPSPEAK when checking out!

Website: iPad Keyguards

Guest post by Ricky Buchanan of ATMac

Both Lasered Pics and FRS-Solutions will also make custom key guards!

Keyguards on Ebay for Cheap

Image via WikipediaFRS is selling off their old version of Dynavox Series 4 and Minimo keyguards (the flat kind, not the inset kind) on Ebay for ten dollars! If you have a kiddo that needs a keyguard and is unlikely to get his or her fingers stuck in the non-inset kind then you might want to check it out. Also they have a few other used items like chargers and carrying cases.

Keyguards

Yesterday, working with my classroom speech therapist, we set out to find a keyguard for our student's Dynavox DV4. We need a new keyguard because we are switching her to a different number of buttons on each page. Mostly my internet search was to get a price, but instead I was thrilled to discover that FRS Solutions is now selling Dynavox DV4 and MT4 keyguards that are inset and flush with the screen ($150.00). This will solve one of our chief problems with this student and her DV4, that of her fingers getting stuck between the (old) keyguard and the screen. Long story short: I put in a purchase order for the FRS DV4 Keyguard this afternoon.

Since I can't be the only one with a need for keyguards on communication devices and computer input technology I thought I would post about companies that make or sell keyguards.

The first place to check for availability of keyguards is the vendor of the device or keyboard, i.e. Prentke-Romich carries keyguards for all of its AAC devices. Next check out the popular assistive technology vendors in your area, this is especially true for keyguards made for standard keyboards, Alphasmart devices and Intellikeys.

For example these vendors carry standard, Alphasmart and/or Intellikeys keyguards:

• Solutions for Humans (USA)
• Infogrip (USA)
• Maxess (UK)
• East West Computers (AU)
  
• Synapse Adaptive (USA)
• Keytools (UK)
• Novita (AU)
• Viziflex (USA)
  

and Turning Point Technology (USA) carries an array of readily available keyguards, plus quite a few special Intellikeys keyguards for certain children's software. They also have a trial rental program.

A select few companies (outside of manufacturers) carry keyguards for AAC devices or make custom keyguards:

• Tech-Able (UK)
• Turning Point Technologies (USA)
• Spectronics (OZ)
• FRS Solutions (USA)
• Bridges (CA)
  

See here for an introductory article about keyguards.