By what criteria should you choose the system a person uses to type, with one hand or two, using a one-handed keyboard, alternative keyboard, an alternative keyboard layout, or other assistive and adaptive technology?

I feel there are 5 important areas that need to be considered.

EASE OF USE

SPEED OF LEARNING

SPEED OF TYPING WHEN ACCOMPLISHED

USEABILITY IN SCHOOL, HOMES AND WORKPLACE EMPLOYMENT

WILL THE STUDENT STILL USE THE SYSTEM IN 5 YEARS

Now, rate the above. What is more important? In my opinion, from most to least, I place them in this order ...

WILL THE STUDENT STILL USE IT IN 5 YEARS

USEABILITY IN SCHOOL, HOMES AND WORKPLACE EMPLOYMENT

SPEED OF TYPING WHEN ACCOMPLISHED

EASE OF USE

SPEED OF LEARNING
__________

Now, let's compare the major choices for one handed typing:

One Hand QWERTY: Uses the normal keyboard, keys in the normal position, with the one hand homebase postion.

One Hand Dvorak: Uses the normal keyboard, changes the keys around

One Handed Keyboards: uses entirely different keyboard than the normal

There are only anecdotal, and un-scientific surveys that have been conducted on any of the one handed typing alternatives.

So, use your own sense of logic, and rate each of the following. Shown below are my own personal thoughts.

On a scale of 1 -5 - five being the most important - I score the alternative keyboards and one handed typing systems this way ...

Using, the above chart, rate them yourself, using your own logic.

Here is more on alternative keyboard, and one-hand typing

SURVEY RESULTS 2003: SUMMARY of Long Term Use of One Hand Typing Options

All of the results listed here are for the user who has full use of one hand.

I took this survey to determine which systems the one handed typist is using at least a year after they have been trained to type. I also wanted to see their average speed (WPM) and learning times for all of one handed keyboarding options. Even though I contacted the manufactures of the alternatives, and those who trained the one handed typist, these figures were impossible to obtain because so few one handed typists carry on with an alternative for long term use. The vast majority of those trained on an alternative to the QWERTY keyboard, went back to using a normal keyboard with one hand. For the most part, only those who were trained to touch type with one hand on the normal QWERTY keyboard stayed with the system.

Main Options Being Suggested For the One Hand Typist

One Hand QWERTY (touch typing on the normal keyboard)

Half QWERTY (alternative keyboard layout, using half of the normal keyboard)

BAT Keyboard (alternative keyboard using cords)

One Hand Maltron (alternative keyboard)

One Hand Dvorak (alternative layout on a normal keyboard)

Summary of The Most Used One Hand Typing Options in the Long Term

SPEEDS AND LEARNING TIMES FOR ONE HAND TYPING METHODS

Speeds with the alternative on long term users are extremely difficult to gage, people just are not sticking with the alternatives for the long term. The results below are not what the manufacturers are stating in their research. They are the results of those who answered my survey who have tried these alternatives.

*These figures include children and those with cognitive difficulties. The average learning time for the adult, with average cognitive abilities, is about 4 hours to memorize the alphabet, and up to eight weeks to achieve speeds of 35 – 50 WPM.
** No one replied to my survey who was actually continued with either of these for the long term. Those who replied had tried, and decided they preferred to use the keyboard used by their peers, their schools, and workplaces. Proponents of One Hand Maltron and One Hand Dvorak tell us faster speeds are obtainable on either of these.

Here are my conclusions, based on comments sent to me from the survey for those who have been typing with one hand for more than a year.

The majority of one hand typists are 'hunting and pecking.' Many of these had been trained to use an alternative keyboard, but went back to hunting and pecking on the normal keyboard.

*NOTE: Small users, especially children must use a small, space saving keyboard, or a child size keyboard
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