Keyguard for TouchChat WordPower, MultiChat, VocabPC, Gateway, Talk-About AAC, and any other TouchChat vocabulary that contains a grid of uniform columns and rows. Select the options as you have set them in your TouchChat settings.
App Settings and Options
This keyguard supports different designs based on user settings and preferences. Each of these affects the positioning of items on the screen, and thus the design of the keyguard itself. Your Keyguard AT keyguard will be truly custom-designed to match every one of the choices you make for the end user.
Select Device - Select the version of iPad you have. If you don't know, on newer iPads it's easy. Go to the Settings app General settings and tap "About". The Model Name is what you're looking for. Select that model from the "Device" pull down menu above.
On older iPads, use the Model Number, which is really a part number that looks something like "ML0N2LL/A". Do a Web search for that. On the back of your iPad there's also a very tiny model number that looks something like "A1538". Do a Web search for that, like "iPad A1538". This page from Apple may be of help. This keyguard does not come with an iPad.
To Fit Case - Select the case that you have on your iPad. This keyguard does not come with an iPad case. You are specifying the case you already have. Select "None" if the iPad is not in a case. Select "Other" at the bottom of the list if your case is not on the list, and specify the case in the Special Instructions field. If you don't know which case you have, see our blog How to Identify an iPad Case. Note: If you don't click that link and determine which iPad case you have, the keyguard will not fit, and we'll charge you to make a new one. It's not enough to give us a brand name and think we can figure it out. It's not enough to find a similar case and think it's pretty close.
Attachment - The attachment method you choose must be suitable for the iPad you have. See our blogs Keyguard Attachment Methods. and How to Identify an iPad Case.
Orientation - TouchChat allows both landscape and portrait orientations. Choose the one you want to use.
Layout - If you're using a standard TouchChat layout like WordPower without alteration, select the layout here. If your layout is not listed, or if you've changed the number of rows or columns, choose "Other Grid".
Rows and Columns - If you chose "Other Grid" as your layout, specify the rows and columns here.
Status Bar - In the Page Size section, near the top of the Settings screen. You'll only have this option in TouchChat version 2.10.3 or later. If you have an earlier version, answer "Off".
Keyguard Inset - In the Page Size section, near the top of the Settings screen. When on, this setting causes extra whitespace at the top and bottom of the screen. It makes the keyguard stronger, so we don't warranty the keyguard against breakage if you turn Keyguard Inset off. If off, we may also have to put a vertical reinforcing bar (or two) in the middle of the speech display, depending on the size of the case opening.
Speech Display - The first setting in the Speech Display Bar section. Select "Open (Visible)" if you want to show the text and/or icons at the top of the screen as the user types. Don't be confused by the double-negative in the setting name. Hide Speech Display off means it's open!
The following three settings, also found in the Speech Display Bar section, only apply if the speech display is open.
Show Icons - If this setting is on, icons will be displayed above the text in the speech display. Note: If the number of lines (below) is greater than 1, the Show Icons setting goes away.
Font - Choose whatever you have for this setting. If you specify a font other than what you have in the settings, the keyguard won't fit.
Font Size - Choose whatever you have for this setting. If you specify a font size other than what you have in the settings, the keyguard won't fit.
Number of Lines - Select how many lines of text you want the user to be able to type in a single "sentence".
Button Margin - This is the last setting in the Buttons section. Button Margin controls the size of the space between the cells. If you make the button margin smaller than what we recommend, the keyguard will cover the edges of the cells. That is not serious with a clear keyguard, but why not give the user an unobstructed view of the entire cell? The larger the button margin, the more space between the cell openings, and the stronger the keyguard, too.
How the Button Margin works has changed several times in the app. If your TouchChat version is
less than 2.26, choose "None".
2.26 or greater, we recommend a button margin of 10 or more on an iPad Mini or 9.7", and 15 or more on an iPad 10.2" or greater.
Be sure to try the Button Margin setting on your iPad before ordering, so you are not surprised by what it does!
Openings for Menu and Vocab buttons - This is not a TouchChat setting. Just indicate if you want openings over these two buttons in the green bar, Vocab, Menu, Neither or Both. If they're not open, you will not be able to use them without removing the keyguard or rotating the iPad.
Cell Openings - The default cell openings are rectangles with rounded corners, the same size as the cells. Elliptical openings are the same size as the cells. If you choose square or circular openings, they will be centered in the cells, reduced to fit in the cell. The extra space helps the user differentiate between the cells, and allows a little place for fingers to rest. If you choose anything other than full-sized rectangles, do not choose a colored material, as some information in the cells will be covered by the keyguard.
Reduce Openings To - By default, openings will be made as large as will fit the cell. If you specify a maximum opening size, the dimensions of the grid cells will be reduced so they are no bigger than the maximum you specified. If the cells would naturally be 1" wide and ".5" high, and you specified a maximum of 0.75", the cells would be reduced to 0.75" x 0.5". Round or square openings are reduced in both dimensions to the specified size. If the cells are already smaller than the specified size, nothing will change.
Swipe to Home - Newer iPads don't have a home button for returning to the home screen, so they require the user to swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to return to home. If the user doesn't need access to the home screen, or if you're using a virtual home button, you can leave this closed for a much stronger and more esthetic keyguard. If the user will need to swipe to return to the home screen, you can open this, but note that this leaves an ugly notch in the bottom edge of the keyguard. The keyguard will be much weaker, and it may allow access to items on the bottom of the screen that would otherwise be unaccessible.
Material - The default clear acrylic styrene is more flexible than standard acrylics and is much less likely to crack when bent. It features a non-glare surface and comes with a 2-year guarantee against breakage. It's also available in several colors that are also non-glare and have a 1-year guarantee. 3/16" and 1/4" acrylics are standard PMMA acrylics like Plexiglass and Perspex. They are more rigid than the 1/8" due to their extra thickness, and they provide more depth to help the user avoid accidental touches, but they are brittle and can be cracked if bent. Polycarbonate is the strongest material, being virtually unbreakable, and comes with a lifetime guarantee against breakage. 3D resin prints are a gray or black polyurethane in a number of thicknesses and have a 1-year guarantee. Allow two extra days for polycarbonate or 3D-printed polyurethane. Learn about materials in more detail in our Keyguard Materials blog.
Acrylic styrene or polycarbonate is highly recommended on TouchChat layouts of less than 9 cells due to the length and thinness of the bars separating the cells.
User ID - An optional HIPAA-compliant identifier to be engraved on the keyguard. Do not use full names. ID's may be up to 25 characters long.
Special Instructions - Use this field to communicate any other information we need to know about the keyguard. For example, if you've specified "Other" for an unlisted case, you can give us a link to the case online. On large orders, you can add the student's ID to help keep the keyguards straight (nothing will be added to the keyguard, only the documentation).
