7 Best Large Print Keyboards for the Visually Impaired

What is a Large Key / Print Keyboard?

This may seem obvious, but actually large print and large key computer keyboards come in many varieties. Large key keyboards may have bigger individual keys, but surprisingly often don’t take up any more space on your desk than a regular keyboard. In the case of our big button keyboard, this is because there’s no right numpad, instead numbers can be inputted using the row of digits across the top. (Shown below)

How big are the letters on a large print keyboard?

The letters on a ‘regular’ keyboard usually take up less than half the key and are positioned in the top left corner. Conversely, a large print keyboard usually has large capital letters which almost fill the entire key, making it much easier to see them without needing larger keys.

Who would benefit from a large print or large key keyboard?

• The visually impaired
  Typing on a keyboard when you have a visual impairment often becomes much more difficult. After speaking with many people who suffer from poor eye sight, they’ve told us it becomes harder to distinguish the keys from each other. This makes everything from typing emails to searching online slower and can get in the way of daily life. Conditions like macular degeneration most commonly cause people to become partially sighted, however other causes include being a premature baby, glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Read more about the causes here.

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• Seniors / the elderly
  The populations in places like Europe, USA and Japan are ageing rapidly. With an increasing number of people reaching old age thanks to advances in medicine amongst other factors, the associated consequences are growing too. Age-related macular degeneration involves the growth of new blood vessels in places where they shouldn’t be, often leading to ‘blind spots’ in the centre of someone’s vision. This ofcourse makes it harder to type, meaning the demand for keyboards for visually impaired people has risen dramatically. Large key keyboards can also be useful for someone who’s not used to typing and perhaps is less confident with technology. Many older people may find it useful having a keyboard where they’re less likely to hit the wrong key and can see the letters clearly.

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• People with big hands
  There’s nothing more frustrating than having big hands and having to use a fiddly gadget, often leading to doing something wrong and sometimes throwing it out the window (not recommended). This certainly applies to keyboards, where pressing the wrong key can be common mistake. An extra large keyboard for big hands may seem like a simple solution, but can make a world of difference to someone looking to make typing easier.

• Anyone with hand problems (like those caused by MS)
• Anyone with Dupuytren’s disease
• Anyone with Arthritis in their hands
• Anyone with Cubital  / Carpal tunnel syndrome
• + Many More

How do you set up a large print / large key keyboard?

All the keyboards listed below use a USB connection. Simply plug in the provided USB cable (which is usually sticking out the back of the keyboard on arrival), in to a USB port on your computer or laptop. Most computers running anything from Windows 7 or OSX Tiger onwards should detect a keyboard has been plugged in and work straight away. If you need any help setting up one of our keyboards, then our team is always happy to help.

What other features do large print / large key keyboards have?

Keyboards don’t just type, we’ve listed some of the other great features you can expect from large key and large print keyboards below.

Extra USB Ports: As nearly all wired keyboards are done so by using a USB cable, this means that you’ve got one less USB port to plug other things in to… or does it? Whether they’re at the back or in the sides, some large print keyboards offer 1 or 2 extra USB slots. So by plugging in your new keyboard, you’ll often gain another port to plug in things like printers, mice, speakers, webcams and more! Keyboards with this feature: Big Button Keyboard, Large Print Mac Keyboard

Anti-Spillage Design: We’ve all done it, knocked over that cup of tea on the table or a glass of red wine on the new carpet (and if you haven’t, well done!), unfortunately keyboards are not immune to this. With more of us eating and drinking at our desks or in our offices, this is a very common occurrence. Many keyboards have small holes in the back to help direct any liquids away from it’s membrane in the event of a spillage. However, they’re not guaranteed to protect your keyboard from damage, so we recommend trying to complete avoid any spills! Keyboards with this feature: Big Button Keyboard, Large Print Mac Keyboard, Large Print Keyboard, High Contrast Ergonomic Keyboard, Waterproof Keyboard

Which is the best large print or large key keyboard?

The best keyboard for you depends on your needs and the nature of your sight or condition if you have one, as well as what type of computer you’re using. Perhaps you’re on a strict budget and want a cost-effective large print keyboard without any ‘bells and whistles’, or maybe you own a mac and want one made specifically for Apple Mac computers? Whatever your needs, our comparison table above should help decide which is the best keyboard for you

Want additional advice or have questions?

Please feel free to get in touch and one our friendly experts will be more than happy to assist you.

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