Touch Typing Software

General information

  • External keyboard (i.e. bluetooth) required when using iPad as touch typing tool.
  • Important to have adult monitor use of correct fingers when touch typing.
  • Vital that student applies the skills they learn touch typing in their everyday typing and not just in touch typing times.
  • Best practice to have 10-15 minutes per day allocated to touch typing training.
  • When to begin touch typing practice is debatable, some students have the coordination, interest and hand size to begin as early as Year 1, however other students might not begin until 2 or 3 years later. A working knowledge of the alphabet is very useful before beginning to learn to touch type.
  • Braille students need to learn to type in both braille and with a keyboard - this gives them the best opportunity to work with a variety of devices in the future, rather than just being restricted to using a refreshable braille style device, such as a BrailleNote.
  • For all students, but especially braille users, knowledge of not only the alphabet keys and numbers but of the function keys, modifier keys (shift, control, etc.) and the numpad makes access to a device more efficient through keyboard shortcuts.


  • Which keyboard?
    • As a general rule, we are not keen on adding high contrast stickers to keyboards to allow students to visually locate a key. This is because this takes away from learning to touch type - the idea is to learn to type without the need to look at the keys. In some circumstances, however, high contrast stickers can be useful for specific students with specific needs.
    • Whilst there is no particular keyboard that we recommend, we strongly encourage students who use JAWS to have a keyboard with a numpad. This gives the option of having access to easier to use shortcut keys. Ideally, any keyboard would be full sized and the adult working with the student would explain the location of the keys specific to that keyboard.


  • Where to next?
    • Keyboard shortcuts. Windows and Mac computers and even tablets have a huge range of keyboard shortcuts that allow the user to complete routine (and more complex) tasks using the keyboard, rather than relying on the mouse or touchpad. Shortcuts are also available for a huge range of software including the Microsoft Office Suite and internet browsers.
    • Check out the Windows and Microsoft Office pages for more information on keyboard shortcuts for Windows, Mac and specific software.