New K3000 Accessibility Feature -- Customize Win. Shortcut Keys

Improve efficiency, productivity and accessibility

Keyboard shortcuts improve efficiency and productivity from power users to new users. Whose mental health hasn’t been saved by a well-timed Ctrl+S (save) or Ctrl + Z (undo)? 

Often a relatively minor visual or visual-cognitive challenge means that a keyboard can be much easier and efficient way to access features than a mouse.

Plus for many students a “secret” or “power user” shortcut is a great way to establish ownership and confidence in their software.

And for those with more profound physical challenges, keyboard shortcuts are essential for customizing alternative access methods (eg. switch, eye gaze or headpointer users) in software like the Grid 3.  

How to Customize your K3000 Shortcut Keys

For a Kurzweil web license user, in your K3000 desktop application go to,

Tools top menu > Options > Key Mapping

Use the drop down on the left to select a key and all functions assigned to it, including key combinations with Ctrl, Alt and Shift.

Use the drop down on the right to select a function and see which key will perform the function.

Example:

Below we see that F9 is assigned three functions: cancelling scan, repeating scan and start/stop scan. By selecting each one you will see which exact combination of F9 with Ctrl, Alt and Shift performs the function.

Select each function from the list to see which combination of the key with Ctrl, Alt and Shift performs that function 

To change the mapped key, simply pick which key you’d like to use it with, and specify if you want to use it in combination with Ctrl, Alt and/or Shift.

Deleting a function from a key

1. Select from the left drop-down the key you’d like to update
2. Select the function you are targeting
3. Click the Clear button then click Apply

Steps to deleting a saved shortcut

Deleting functions from keys in K3000 for Windows is particularly useful if your student uses an assistive device (like a switch) that requires a specific key to use with a computer.

Assigning a function to a key

• Select the function from the drop down on the right
• Choose which key you want mapped (the list on the left will show if there are any functions already assigned to it)
• Pick a combination that hasn’t been used and click Update

Saving a new shortcut

Note that some functions like F1 for Help cannot be changed, these will have a pound (#) sign next to them.