REACH Interface Author™ 5  (New!)

This product is the premier on-screen keyboard software available and comes with a vast assortment of assistive technology tools (see the list of features below).  It was designed to help a person use a computer more easily and augment their speech if that is needed.  If you have trouble using a standard hardware keyboard but can use a mouse or other pointer, then you can use any of the numerous typing keyboards that come with REACH.  Also, if you can use a single switch or two switches, then you can type using one of the REACH keyboards in "scanning" mode.  It runs in Microsoft®98, Me, ®2000, ®XP, and Vista.  Below is a brief list of some of the new features and some of the traditional REACH features.

New Features in REACH™ 5

• Compatibility with Microsoft Vista.

• Smart Lists™ Technology (Patent Pending) Add-On

REACH 4 serves as a platform for Smart Lists™ (Patent Pending), which is a new approach to typing.  Smart Lists™ can significantly reduce the number of clicks you make while typing as well as increase your typing speed.  This is especially true if you are using single-switch or dual-switch scanning input.  Select the first letter (e.g., "k" in the example below), and the "k" key opens up, showing a list of options (the letters already typed and candidate "extensions").  For more information on Smart Lists, click here.

• REACH Sound-It-Out Phonetic Keyboard™ (Patent Pending) Add-On

REACH 5 also serves as a platform for a second innovative way of typing called the "REACH Sound-It-Out Phonetic Keyboard™" (Patent Pending).  With the REACH Sound-It-Out Keyboard™,  you can type a word by selecting the sounds in the word instead of selecting the letters.

You can try out this new approach with the demo REACH 5 program (which you can download from this web site or request AHF to send you a free CD).  When running the demo REACH, select the "Pictures," "Standard," or "Star" Phonetic keyboards from one of the "Favorite Keyboards" keyboards).  The demo is a fully functioning version.  Select the first sound in a word and notice that "smart phonemes" (i.e., like "Smart Keys" but with phonemes) shows you the sounds that follow that sound in the current phonetic dictionary.

As you keep adding sounds, words are shown above the keyboard.  Point at them and you will hear what that word is. If you hear the word you are after, click on it and it is typed for you. Words with yellow backgrounds have just been completed.  If more than one yellow word is shown (homophones), then you can point at one of them and hear a short phrase using that word. Sound-It-Out has been shown to dramatically increase spelling accuracy in adults and children who have trouble with spelling.  Click here for more information on the REACH Sound-It-Out Phonetic Keyboard™.

• ClickAssist™ Feature

Whether Scanning or Point & Clicking:

1. If you accidentally click where you didn't intend to, you can set ClickAssist™ to ignore any click that isn't longer than a specified duration.

2. If you accidentally make multiple clicks right after a good click, you can set ClickAssist™ to ignore any click that occurs before a specified amount of time after an intended click.

When Point & Clicking:

If you are more accurate releasing your switch on the target than pressing your switch on the target, ClickAssist™ can deliver the click where you released your switch.

To try these when scanning, open Settings, click on the "Scanning" tab, and then on the "ClickAssist" tab to turn it on or make changes.

To try these when pointing & clicking, open Settings, click on the "ClickAssist" tab, and then on the "ClickAssist" to turn it on or make changes.

• Graduated Main Dictionary

REACH was designed to be flexible enough to assist people with a wide range of ages and abilities. It is important to match the vocabulary available in the Main dictionary to match that of the user. You would not want to give a young child a dictionary containing 40,000 words and you would not want to give a college student a dictionary with 4,000 words. This is especially true for AHF's new Smart Lists feature.

In the new REACH Main Dictionary, you can set the vocabulary to one of four levels, ranging from a core vocabulary to a very sophisticated vocabulary. To adjust the size of the Main dictionary, select Dictionary Manager in the Word Prediction Menu, click on the Main Dictionary, click on "Edit," and select the appropriate level.

• Associated Dictionaries

In REACH you can associate one or more dictionaries with a specific keyboard. For example, if you have created a custom keyboard for math and a custom dictionary containing mathematical terms, you can instruct REACH to only look in the math dictionary when the math keyboard is loaded.

To use this feature, load the keyboard you want to use and then click on the "Settings" button. Click on the "Word Prediction" tab and then click on "Association Manager." On the resulting dialog box (see picture below), select the dictionaries that you want associated with the current keyboard. You must designate one of the associated dictionaries as a "User" dictionary.

• Improved Hot Authoring

REACH always has offered the REACH Keyboard Author™ for creating or changing keyboards. However, if you want to make a quick change, you can "hot author" a key. Just right click on the key, and the menu below is displayed.

You can change the key's label, color, the picture on the key, the sound played when that key is pressed, add a link to another keyboard, or change the key' s "action" (what it does when it is pressed).

• New REACH Speech System™

REACH has an extensive speech augmentation system containing over 120 speech keyboards with dozens of possible messages available on each keyboard - click on "Speech Keyboards" key found on most Home keyboards.  Below is the home keyboard for the new REACH Speech System™.  If you purchase the Mayer-Johnson Picture Communication Symbols™ (PCS) add-on, then the keys will fill up with pictures as shown in the next section.

• Mayer-Johnson Picture Communication Symbols™ "Add-On"

If you purchase the Mayer-Johnson PCS™ add-on, the keys on the new REACH Speech System™ keyboards will load up with pictures (see picture below and compare it to the picture in the previous section).  In addition, you will have all 6,000+ pictures to choose from if you want to add one to any key on any REACH keyboard.

• Improved Keyboard Themes

Different "Keyboard Themes" are available; some based on aesthetics and some based on function (e.g., scanning themes for persons using scanning and high contrast themes for persons with low vision).  Select a high contrast theme and the major keyboards are changed to larger font and colors with high contrast.  Go to the typing keyboard, and REACH speaks the keys and word-prediction words when you point at them, the REACH Zoom window is automatically launched, and REACH resizes the application so that none of the words are hidden behind REACH or the Zoom window (see picture below).

• Improved Network Compatibility

Because of our copy protection strategy, earlier versions of REACH were not very friendly in some local network settings.  Changes in AHF's strategy will greatly improve that situation.

Plus Traditional REACH™ Features

• Runs in Windows®98, ®Me, ®2000, ®XP, ®Vista

• "Undo" options for typing and when authoring keyboards.

• Create "Macro" keys and "Macro Keyboards."

• New "Home Keyboard" concept makes it easy to get to the desired keyboard quickly.

• New "Keyboard Theme" concept that lets you more easily adapt REACH™ to your situation and aesthetic taste.

• "Last" and "Next" keyboard buttons make it easier to move among keyboards.

• Move REACH™ to the top or bottom of the display.

• "Dock" the keyboard and word prediction or "Float" them on the display.

• REACH™'s "Keyboard Family" feature makes it easy to adapt an entire set of keyboards at one time.

• "Gallery Viewers" makes it easier to find and load the keyboards, pictures, macros, sounds, and cursors you want.

• "Picture Gallery" makes it easier to find the picture you want for your keyboard.

• Speak "Word", "Sentence", and "Highlighted" buttons for faster speech access.

• Optional file formats for pictures for keys and keyboard backgrounds (*.bmp, *.jpg, *.wmf).

• "Grab Picture" option lets you quickly acquire pictures for your keys.

• Graphics options (e.g., tiling) that make it easy to create professional looking keyboards.

• Added features that make it easier to create and use auditory scanning keyboards.

• Use keyboard keys to "Print Pictures" in your documents.

• "Smart Sticky Keys" (Double Click, Drag, and Right Click) that revert to a single click if you are aiming at a button, key, or menu option where only a click is accepted.

• Options for resizing keys, keyboards, and labels.

• "Quick Undo" scanning option – just hold your switch for a specified time.

• "Build a Dictionary" feature makes it easy to create custom dictionaries.

• Different speech voice options – pitch, speed, and pronunciation can be adjusted.

• Main and multiple custom dictionaries can be used simultaneously or one at a time.

• An "Add Word" button for quickly adding an unusual word to a user dictionary.

• An "AutoType™" option that finishes typing a word when it is the only one possible from the letters you have typed and the words in the current dictionaries.

• A "Word^Tips" option that presents words from word prediction one at a time either in a balloon located close to where you are typing or highlighted in the word prediction window (scanning). Words can be read aloud and are typed by pressing the Tab key.

• An "AutoEdit™" option that corrects commonly misspelled words.

• Sound files (e.g., recordings of speech) can be attached to abbreviations.

• Sentence completion for sentences/paragraphs that is based on words that you have typed and sentences you have added to any of your dictionaries.

• AutoAdd™ automatically adds words that are not in any open dictionaries.

• AutoShow™ hides the word prediction window until you have met a set criterion (number of keys or time or both).

• Punctuation option provides automatic spacing and capitalization.

• Zoom lets you enlarge where you are typing and where you are pointing.

• Dwell switch that has different options available for pausing Dwell.

• REACH Word Prediction™ features (most of the features in SoothSayer are built into REACH - no need to buy SoothSayer if you are purchasing REACH).

• Built-in "Windows Management tools work behind the scenes to resize windows, bring dialog boxes to top, etc.

• Many scanning options, including automatic access to AHF's mouse emulator "ScanBuddy™"  (Click here for more information on REACH Scan Plus™ - a software bundle that includes REACH™, Smart Lists™, and ScanBuddy™.)

• The multimedia REACH Keyboard Author™ lets you change any of the 400+ keyboards that come with REACH or create your own special custom keyboard from scratch.

• Several speech augmentation alternatives are available, including the new REACH Speech System™ and REACH Smart Speech™.

• An assessment battery is included that contains ten different tasks.  Each task presents quantitative data about performance that can help you decide which switch is best, which pointer, which keyboard, etc.

• The AHF Keyboard Format Standard™ is a standard format that lets you create a custom keyboard and share it with your friends, students, colleagues, etc.

• Each key can present text and/or pictures on the key face, and they can change when the key is pointed at and pressed.  Keys also can type out text or pictures, speak text, play sound recordings, execute macros, launch other keyboards, etc.

• Abbreviation expansion and sentence completion are both allowed.

• The "Speak Highlighted Text" option lets you highlight text and have the computer read it aloud.  This can be helpful if you have trouble reading, the text is too small, or you have limited vision.

• The Speech Dictionary™ that comes with REACH contains a basic set of sentences that can be spoken quickly.  You can add to the basic set of sentences.

• Personal user dictionaries can be created quickly or built from existing text files.

• Automatically Speak letters, words, sentences options let you hear what you are typing as you go.

• Animated Keys (three pictures: for normal, pointed-at, and pressed keys) can be used to build "Quiz Keyboards or "Game Keyboards."

• Get-Keyboard keys can be used to link to other keyboards and build "keyboard systems."

• Entire keys or parts of a key can be assigned to be transparent.

• The REACH Zoom feature allows you to magnify where the mouse cursor is located, where the text caret is located or both.

• Change cursor option lets you pick a different mouse cursor.

• An adjustable dwell time switch can be used if you have trouble using a standard switch.

• The "Add Word" button lets you quickly add a novel word to your User Dictionary.

• All REACH keyboards can be resized both horizontally and vertically.

• The "Wobble" feature lets you adjust your pointer to help remove some of the unwanted movement.

• Startup options are available for starting REACH, startup keyboard, and which applications to launch.

• Drag, Double Click, and Right Button emulation buttons are available on the main button bar.

REACH Comes with More Than 400 Keyboards Including
Samples of the Following Types:

• Standard Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Special Keyboards    (Click Here for an Example)

• Children's Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Speech Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Reading-Assistance Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Musical Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Interpreter Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Quiz Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Game Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Talking Storybook Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Scanning and Auditory Scanning Keyboards    (Any Keyboard can be a Scanning Keyboard)

• Exploratory Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Puzzle Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Performance-Aid Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Template Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Secret-Code Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Point/Click Motor Skills Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

• Memory Assessment Keyboards     (Click Here for an Example)

Note: Microsoft Text-to-Speech is included and it requires 20+ MB on the "c" drive, a sound card, and Windows®98, ®Me,  ®2000,  ®XP or ®Vista.   Other speech engines must be Microsoft SAPI compliant.  Other sounds require a sound card.

Other Current and Planned Internet Options

Internet Keyboard Exchange™

(CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION) When this web page is finished, you will be able to list REACH Keyboards that you have created so that other people can find out how to get and use them. You also can get the e-mail addresses of other keyboard authors so that you can get copies of the keyboards they have made!

Internet Keyboard Library™

This web page lets you find out what keyboards are available from Applied Human Factors™, Inc. Keyboards will be available in different keyboard categories (e.g., Storybook Keyboards™*, Quiz Keyboards™, Performance Aid Keyboards™, Reading Assistance Keyboards™*, etc.). (Go To Keyboard Library™)

Internet Dictionary Exchange™

(CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION) When this web page is finished, you will be able to list REACH or SoothSayer Word Prediction™ User Dictionaries that you have created so that other people can find out how to get and use them. You also can get the e-mail addresses of other User Dictionary authors so that you can get copies of the dictionaries they have made!

Internet Dictionary Library™

(CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION) This web page will allow you to download free User Dictionaries from Applied Human Factors™, Inc. User Dictionaries will be available in different categories (e.g., Speech Dictionaries™*, Performance Aid Dictionaries™, Professional Terms Dictionaries™, Academic Dictionaries™, etc.).

Click Here for Prices and How to Order!

Click here for more about Smart Lists™ Technology!

Click here for more about Smart Key™ Technology!

Click here for more about the REACH Sound-It-Out Phonetic Keyboard™!

Click Here for the Keyboard Library Page!

Click Here for Information on Free Demonstration Software!

Click Here for the SoothSayer Word Prediction Page!

Click Here for the AHF Home Page!