From Judy Brewer:

> I've had to use very light-touch keyboards for years. Whether or not
> someone uses voice recognition, it can be important to have a
> keyboard with
> an appropriate level of touch-sensitivity.
>
> I agree with Denis' comment below that it is necessary for the user to do
> hands-on trials of different models, in the absence of a standard
> measurements and reliable information across different keyboard models on
> the pressure required to depress keys, and the pressure of the
> keys' return.

This is an excellent point -- the absence of metrics.  I will raise this
within the appropriate Accessibility Forum Working Group.  There should
definitely be a wide range of force requirements, target size and
separation,
etc., within even mainstream keyboards.  I have to say that Section 508
offers us no help here, since it requires a 5 pound maximum force when
keypresses should be measured in ounces.  It may be that the Access Board
folks inadvertently imported the force requirements from the ADA, where
5 pounds of force for opening a door makes sense.

Jim

Jim Tobias, President
Inclusive Technologies
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