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The onscreen keyboard can be activated within any application where it is possible to enter data (e.g. in the notepad) by touching the bottom corners of the writing area (silky-pad area). When the keyboard is activated it brings up a separate interface screen, which fills the whole display. The 'onscreen' keyboard interface is divided into two parts, the software keyboard and a text area where what you have typed is displayed. The software keyboard consists of a Qwerty layout of black on white (or green screen on greyscale devices) software keys. The keys are approximately .5cm square in size, with no user options related to visual presentation which is not helpful to those who wish to see increased spacing, high contrast mode or larger letters. The keyboard has functions such as SHIFT, CAPS (caps lock) and CTR (control key) and has a separate numeric view for entering numbers and symbols.
Having a Qwerty keyboard, to which most people are accustomed, can be useful for those with specific learning difficulties as they may be used to the memorized spelling patterns of a hardware keyboard. On screen keyboards may also be useful for those who find writing in small script difficult but size, layout and contrast remain issues unless other options are added.
This Palm application (also Palm extension version available) can be used to replace the native Palm keyboard. It can be configured to the colour (including a clearer white on black view for those with a visual impairment) and layout of your choice (a compact layout optimized for small screens and international layouts are available). The virtual keyboard interface also have onscreen button for the simple commands Cut, Paste, Undo, Redo, Find, cursor navigation and for the shortcut icon.
This program gives you the choice of 10 different onscreen keyboards, including Dvorak and a variety of colours and design. The onscreen keyboard interface appears over most applications, and can be moved from the top of the screen to the bottom so that it does not get in the way of the text entry. This keyboard would be particularly useful for those with a slight visual impairment or specific learning difficulty, as it has various clear colour designs and the keyboard does not require its own full screen interface unlike the standard Palm keyboard.
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