A virtual predictive keyboard as a learning aid for people with neuro-motor disorders

Abstract

In India, the population with severe neuro-motor impairments (like people suffering from cerebral palsy) faces an acute problem with electronic-learning because there is a dearth of quality learning aids available for them. By quality learning aids we mean certain softwares that can help this section of special users to learn fast and at the same time with ease. Though similar systems are available in the international market, all of such products have a cost ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. For an average Indian user, they are too costly to afford. Moreover these products come in foreign languages which cannot facilitate the learning of the Indian languages. Keeping these two problems in focus, we have tried to design and develop a few learning aids which helps these section of users to learn and that too in their own languages. All these tools are indigenous and at the same time available at an affordable price. In this paper we would discuss about a predictive virtual keyboard, which not only helps these users to learn typing but also helps them to write essays, letters, and even compose poetry. All of these they can do in their own language.

User errors on scanning keyboards: Empirical study, model and design principles

“…The layout was a modification of the soft keyboard reported in Mukherjee et al (2005). We refer to the three SKs resulted from the Bengali layout as B 3 (the keyboard with 3-level scanning), B 2 (the keyboard with 2-level scanning) and B 1 (the keyboard with 1-level scanning) in subsequent discussions.…”

“…User trials are subsequently conducted to determine efficacy of the resulting design. Jones (1998) and Mukherjee et al (2005) reported examples of this design approach. Some researchers reported more systematic model based design approaches.…”