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  1.  An Overview of TypeAbility

How Many Keyboarding lessons Are There? TypeAbility is a program that teaches the entire computer keyboard in 98 user-friendly lessons. By the end of the lessons, the student will have mastered all letters, numbers, and punctuation, as well as navigation and editing commands for text documents and dialog windows. TypeAbility is fun and appropriate for students of all ages.

What does TypeAbility Use for Speech? TypeAbility relies on JAWS for its scripting abilities and its speech engine. TypeAbility is compatible with JAWS 8 and higher, as well as the screen magnification program MAGic 10.5 and higher. 

Why Are the Function Keys Used to Run TypeAbility? TypeAbility lessons are run by pressing the top row function keys twice quickly, so learning how to choose lessons and tasks, get help, and how to close TypeAbility is very simple and easily mastered. A visually impaired or blind non-typing child will be able to use the program independently after only a few sessions with an assistant. 

Does TypeAbility Run With a Laptop Keyboard? Note that TypeAbility teaches all the keys of a full computer keyboard. But some laptops don't have a NumPad, and only have one ENTER and one CONTROL key. So if you're using a laptop with a partial keyboard, it's best to plug in an external full-size USB keyboard. However, if you do wish to use your laptop keyboard, and it's not a full keyboard, then you can skip the lessons on the NumPad, and you can also set a TypeAbility User Preference that pertains to you having only one ENTER and one CONTROL key. In that case, your use of the partial Laptop keyboard will be just fine. In either case, if you are using a laptop, you must be sure to select the JAWS Desktop Keyboard Layout from the JAWS program window. To do that, open the JAWS Window with INSERT+J, open the “Options” menu, select “Basics”, and in the Basic Settings dialog, TAB to the “Desktop Keyboard Layout”, and select Desktop Keyboard.  

What are the Minimum JAWS or MAGic Version Required? If you're running TypeAbility with JAWS, you must have at least JAWS 8.0 to install TypeAbility. You can run TypeAbility with the full version of JAWS, or the Free JAWS demo. If you're running TypeAbility with the MAGic screen magnification program, and wish to use MAGic's speech, then you must have at least MAGic 10.5.

How Do You Start Up TypeAbility? To start TypeAbility, just press the “Fun With TypeAbility” Shortcut on your Desktop. This can be achieved by pressing Windows Key+M, or Windows Key+D, to bring the Desktop into view, and then press the letter “F” repeatedly until the “Fun with TypeAbility ” shortcut is focused. Press “ENTER” to launch the program. This shortcut is also in the Start Menu's TypeAbility 4 folder. After pressing the Fun With TypeAbility shortcut, the TypeAbility Program opens. The Type Student's Name dialog opens where the student's name must be typed (their first name, and at least the first initial of their last name). Then after pressing ENTER, the student is prompted to press either F2 twice quickly, or F3 twice quickly, in order to go to a lesson. 

What Does the Visual Interface Look Like? When the TypeAbility program window opens, visual teachers will immediately see that at the top, there are 2 rows of small squares that represent the PC keyboard's Function keys. Each square is labeled and includes a short description of what its corresponding Function key does. For instance, the first square is labeled:  F1. Repeat Instructions. So it's immediately clear, that if you press the PC keyboard's F1 key twice quickly, it will repeat any instructions that TypeAbility has spoken to you. 

How Do You End a TypeAbility Session? To end your TypeAbility session, press ESCAPE, 3 times quickly. This closes the program, and stores the student's progress in an easily accessible document.

What Speech Synthesizer is Used? TypeAbility relies on the Eloquence speech synthesizer in order to provide a speech. Eloquence is the default speech engine of JAWS. JAWS can also be configured to use another speech engine, like RealSpeak, but TypeAbility only runs when the Eloquence speech synthesizer is being used by JAWS.

How Does TypeAbility Work With MAGic? You can run Freedom Scientific's MAGic magnification program, along with TypeAbility in 2 different ways: 

  • Running TypeAbility along with both MAGic and the separate JAWS programs. With the independent JAWS program running at the same time, MAGic's speech is automatically turned off, and JAWS provides speech. In that case, TypeAbility will work as normal, and MAGic will just provide the screen magnification. Note that for this to work, you must have installed TypeAbility by using the TypeAbility for JAWS installer. 
  •  Running TypeAbility with just MAGic. This is possible if you have MAGic 10.5 or higher. In this case, you don't run a separate JAWS program that you may have. Just run TypeAbility along with MAGic, and MAGic will provide both the screen magnification and speech. Note that if you wish to run TypeAbility with just MAGic, then you must have installed TypeAbility by using the TypeAbility for MAGic installer.