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Making Your Keyboard Easier to Use - On-Screen Keyboards

On-screen keyboards

Step-by-step instructions for the on-screen keyboard in Gnome

Instructions


Step 1 for Gnome versions before 2.1:

  1. Click on the ' Applications ' menu and then click on ' Preferences ' or press ' Alt ' + ' F1 ' and then use the ' down ' arrow key to highlight ' Preferences ' .

Step 1 for Gnome versions 2.1 or newer:

  1. Click on the ' System' menu and then click on ' Preferences ' or press ' Alt ' + ' F1' to access the application menu and then press the ' right ' arrow until ' System' menu is highlighted and then press the ' down ' arrow until ' Preferences ' is highlighted.
  2. Click on or hover the mouse over 'Accessibility' and then click on 'Assistive Technology support' or use the ' right' arrow key to highlight 'Accessibility' and then the ' right ' arrow key again to bring up the ' Accessibility ' sub menu and then press the ' down ' arrow until 'Assistive Technology support' is selected and then press ' Enter '. See Fig 1.

Assistive Technology Support menu
Fig 1

  1. This will open the ' Assistive Technology Preferences ' property box (see Fig 2).

Assistive Technology Support dialog box
Fig 2

  1. If is not already checked, click on the checkbox next to ' Enable assistive technologies' or press ' Tab' until it is highlighted and press the ' Spacebar' to check it.
  2. Click on the ' On-screen keyboard' checkbox or press ' Tab' until it is highlighted and press the ' Spacebar' to check it as shown in Fig 2.
  3. Click ''Close' or press ' Enter' to return to the Gnome desktop.
  4. You will need to ' logoff ' and then ' log-in' again for the screen reader to start.

Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies - contact your local IT support for further help.

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