Index

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing!

version 3.0

for Windows®

Index

Getting Started

The Whiteboard

Main Menu

User Preferences

Classroom & Games

Keyboard Shortcuts

Checking Your Progress

Ergonomic Information

Glossary

For Help on Help, press F1


Getting Started

Welcome to Mavis Beacon's Typing Class!

When you first enter the Typing School, you find yourself at the Title screen, with Mavis standing at the Whiteboard.

Use the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! dialog box to enter the body of the program and to learn how it works.  Select one of the following options, then press <Enter>:

Meet Mavis

New User Help

Login

Pressing the M, N, or L hot keys will automatically take you to the desired location.

Use the left-mouse button to click on the option you like.

The <Tab> key will toggle through each option with a highlight box.  Highlight the desired option and press the <Enter> key to make your selection.


Meet Mavis

Take a quick demonstration tour of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! and learn what typing class is all about.

When you choose this option, you are taken on a brief tour of the program.  You will see a variety of its many features and be given a quick overview of how Mavis' typing class works.

When the tour is completed, you will return to the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! introduction dialog , where you may login.


New User Help

Pressing the New User Help button opens the  Mavis Help file, where you can review the basics of using the program, of typing, and of proper typing posture.

Close Help when you are finished to return to the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing!  introduction dialog.

You may open Help throughout the program by pressing <F1>, or using the Help menu items from the Main Menu at the aWhiteboard.


Login

Begin the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! class by introducing yourself to Mavis.

If this is not the first time you've been to class, you will see the Login dialog, which contains a list of existing students' names, and three buttons:  Ok, Browser, and New User.

If your name is listed, highlight it and choose Ok to continue.

Clicking on the New User button will bring you to the User Information section of the Preferences dialog.  Fill-in your personal information and goals by following the  instructions that are explained in the Preferences section below:

Clicking the Browser button provides a good way to become familiar with the different features of the class without any grades or time pressure.

See also:  Getting Started


The Whiteboard

After you log in to Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing!, the Whiteboard reappears, with Mavis suggesting your first lesson.  Beneath it is the Whiteboard menubox that lists your options.  Use this to decide which lesson to take.

Read the opening Whiteboard, then select an option from the menubox:

Last Suggestion

Take Suggestion

New Suggestion

First Suggestion

Make a Lesson

Something Else

Click on OK if you want to start the lesson.  Press ESC to cause the lesson to pause, then, in the Lesson Paused dialog box, choose R to restart, C (or another ESC) to continue, or Q to quit the lesson and return to Mavis at the Whiteboard.


Take The Lesson

Take Suggestion

Takes you to the Lesson suggested by Mavis on the Whiteboard.

There, you just follow her on-screen instructions.


New Suggestion

Let Mavis Beacon suggest another exercise, quiz, game, or lesson.

She makes her suggestion based on your progress with completed lessons.


First Suggestion

Go back to Mavis' first suggestion.


Previous Suggestion

Last Suggestion

Go back to the previous suggestion Mavis made.


Make a Lesson

In the Custom Lesson Options dialog box, you design the lesson you want.  Depending on the teaching mode you choose (QWERTY, Dvorak, or 10-Key), Mavis will ask you to define the following options:

Lesson Type

Lesson Length

Lesson Time

Target Speed

Errors Allowed

Text Format  and Lesson Text  (except for 10-Key mode).

When satisfied with your choices, click on Ok,  Cancel, Save, or Load .


Lesson Type

Choose between lesson types when you are learning to type.

When you are learning in 10-Key mode, your choices are standard Classroom lessons,  the Circus Dart Game, Roboman, or Clown Race.


Lesson Length

Choose the length of the lesson in terms of words to be typed.


Lesson Time

Choose the maximum length of time allowed for the lessson.


Target Speed

Choose the speed you wish to reach in Words per Minute (WPM).


Errors Allowed

Tell Mavis how many errors you consider acceptable in this lesson.  After you make too many errors, Mavis will stop the lesson.


Text Format

Choose from a variety of text formats:  Standard, Perfect Typing, Timed Writing, Transcription Typing and Pattern Typing.


Lesson Text

Choose from a variety of Lesson Text types:  Common Words, 500 Most Used Words, Jokes, Number Practice, etc.


Save

Save your custom lesson to disk, so you can use it again.  In the Save Custom Lesson dialog, select the filename you want and the drive and directory on which you want to save it.  Click Ok to perform the save, or Cancel not to save.


Load

Load a previously saved custom lesson.  In the Load Custom Lesson dialog, select the filename you want and the drive and directory from which you want to retrieve it.

Click Ok to perform the task, or Cancel to return to the Custom Lesson Options dialog.without loading a different lesson.


Do Something Else

Takes you to the Do Something Else menubox, offering the following options:

Lesson History

Keys & Fingers

Free Typing

Do Instead


Lesson History

Choose to repeat a lesson you have already taken.  You may choose from up to the previous 10 lessons you have taken in, in the current Teaching ModeIDH_Teaching_Mode.


Keys & Fingers

Learn the finger that is associated with each key on the keyboard.


Free Typing

Practice your learned typing skills in a real word processor.  No record is kept of your speed or accuracy.


Do Instead

Changes an exercise to a game and vice versa.


Main Menu

Above the Whiteboard at the top of the screen, is the Main Menu bar, where you will see the following options:

User

Preferences

Progress

Help

Note:   On a 640x480 display the Main Menu bar is not always visible, as Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! occupies the entire screen.


Note

To make the menu bar visible, press <F10> or click the right mouse button.

After a lesson has been chosen, and you exit the Whiteboard, the Main Menu bar will again disappear.  After your lesson when you return to the Whiteboard, press <F10> or click the right mouse button again and it will reappear.

With higher resolution video modes, the program will appear in a window and the Main Menu bar will always be present.


User Menu
User

The User menu controls the current user's session and the records of students in typing class.

Logout

Delete User

Exit


Logout

Use to log out of a current user session and login again as a new user.  Choose Logout to save your progress, and go back to the Login screen.

See also:  Login


Delete User

Delete a user record file.  This is the way to remove a user from Mavis' rolls.  It deletes the student's name and all records of typing progress.  But be careful -- once a student is deleted, there is no way to get the information back!

If you are experienced with your computer and want to be able to get the information back, you can save Mavis' rolls first by making a backup of all *.REC files (record files).


Exit

Leave Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! and return to Windows.  In the Confirmation dialog, click on Y to quit, or N to cancel and return to the program.


Preferences Menu

Preferences

The Preferences menu gives you direct access to each section of the Preferences dialog, where user information and settings are available.

Personal Info

Keyboard

Teaching Styles

Sights

Sounds


Progress

Progress reports in Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! are accessed from the Progress menu on the Main Menu and include:

Report Card

Graphs

Proficient Keys


Report Card

See how you are improving in terms of accuracy percentages, words-per-minute (WPM), and adjusted words-per-minute (AWPM).

Choose to Print your report card, or Done, which will return you to the Whiteboard.


Proficient Keys

The onscreen picture of the keyboard shows you the keys that you know well (in green), which you know adequately (in yellow) and which ones need more practice (in red).


Help Menu

Help

Index

Whiteboard

Commands

Keyboard

About


Help Index

Index

Access the Help Index (<F1>)


Whiteboard

Get help about how the Whiteboard works.


Commands

Get help about Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! commands.


Keyboard

Get help about the keyboard shortcuts.


About

Get version information about this version of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing!.


Preferences

Whether you're a beginning student or a seasoned veteran of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing !, this section of the program is of importance to you.

The Preferences dialog provides the program with the necessary user information to effectively create your lesson plans.  The options found in the Preferences dialog can be accessed at any time when you're at the Whiteboard.

  Personal Information

  Keyboard

  Teaching Styles

  Sights

  Sounds

To access any of this information, press <F10> to go to the Main Menu, or click and hold down the right mouse button.  Select Preferences from the menu bar to access the desired option, or use the appropriate Function Key.


Personal Info
Personal Information

Change your student profile. Mavis uses this information to create your lessons and to determine your proficiency.

First Name

Last Name

Age Level

Skill Level

Goals (Words per Minute)

Goals (Accuracy )


First Name

Type your first name and press <Enter> to accept.


Last Name

Type your last name and press <Enter> to accept.


Age Level

(5-8, 9-13, or 14-Adult)

Click on the button to choose your age group so that Mavis can assign the appropriate level of lesson and adjust word lengths.


Skill Level

Skill

(Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced)

To change this option, click on the button until the option you want is shown.


Goal Speed

Enter your goal for speed, in Words Per Minute.

For example, enter 40 if you want your typing speed goal to be 40 words per minute.

0 is the default speed for beginners.

Note:  Goal Speed changes to Keystrokes Per Minute when learning 10-Key.


Goal Accuracy

Enter a goal between 10 and 100% for accuracy.

For example, enter 50 if you want your goal to be 50% accuracy.

90% accuracy is the default setting.


Keyboard

Mavis lets you choose from among a variety of keyboard/input options:

Keyboard Layout is

Spacing after Period is

Guide Hands are

Backspace Key is

End of Line Action is


Keyboard Layout

Keyboard Layout is

Click to button to toggle between standard QWERTY and Dvorak  keyboard layouts.

This option is disabled in the Windows version, as control of the Keyboard layout is dtermined entirely by your keyboard settings.  To change your keyboard layout, run the International applet in the Control Panel.

For more information, please refer to your Windows documentation.


Spacing after Period

Spacing after Periods is

Click on the button to toggle between One or Two to set the number of spaces after a period.

A common typing convention is to always put two spaces after the period or other punctuation at the end of a sentence.


Guide Hands

Guide Hands are

Click on the button to toggle the shadowy guide hands On or Off.

When the keyboard is displayed, the guide hands show you the proper finger to use for the last key pressed.


Backspace

Backspace Key is

Click on the button to toggle between On or Off to set the behavior of the <Backspace> key.  Mavis turns the <Backspace> key off by default, to help you to establish good typing habits.

On word processors and some typewriters, <Backspace> is an easy way to erase your typing mistakes. On most typewriters, a mistake, once made, is hard to erase.

To use the <Backspace> key to erase your mistakes, select On.  Otherwise select Off.


End of Line Action

End of Line Action is

Click on the button to toggle between Word Wrap or Typewriter and set the End-of-line action to a space or a carriage return.

On a typewriter, you must press the carriage return key at the end of each line -- this is Typewriter mode.

However, most computer word processors have a feature called "word wrap." This automatically moves you to the next line when the current line is full, and puts a space rather than a hard carriage return at the end of the line.

(To see word wrap in action, select Do Something Else from the Whiteboard menubox , try Free Typing, and type without using the <Enter> key to go to the next line.)


Teaching Styles

Mavis lets you set guidelines to help her in preparing your lessons, games, and exercises.

Teaching Mode is

Teaching Pace

Comments

Past Lessons Considered

Frustration is Noticed

Play games


Teaching Mode

Teaching Mode is

(QWERTY, Dvorak, or 10-Key )

Click on the button to select among these three keyboard learning modes and practice typing using the QWERTY or Dvorak keyboard, or to practice 10-Key numerical input.


Teaching Pace

(Slow, Medium, or Fast )

Determine how quickly Mavis should advance you through the lessons.

Choose Fast to keep moving ahead regardless of your performance, or Slow to insure that you've learned the lesson before moving on.


Comments

(Verbose or Brief)

Decide how Mavis displays messages about where you are going next.

Click on the button to select Verbose for a full explanation or Brief for a shorter comment.

Verbose is recommended for beginners.


Past Lessons Considered

(Never, Sometimes, Often, or Always)

Click on the button to to determine how heavily Mavis considers earlier lessons when she decides on your next lesson.

When deciding what lesson to suggest, she considers how you did, not only on the immediately prior lesson, but on earlier lessons as well.


Frustration Noticed

(Never, Sometimes, Often, or Always)

Click on the button to decide the extent to which Mavis pays attention to your frustration.  She'll remind you to relax, sit up straight, and take breaks when you get frustrated.

Highly recommended for stress management.


Play Games

(Never, Sometimes, Often, or Always)

Click on the button to determine how often Mavis gives you teaching games to help your typing.  Occasionally, Mavis suggests a game as a change of pace from a Lesson.

For younger students, games are suggested more often.


Sights

Sights are extra graphic features that Mavis Beacon uses to help you learn and to give you more creative and interesting feedback about your typing.

Mavis may decide to add or remove these "teaching aids" to help you improve.

Keyboard is

Meters are

Session Clock

Lesson Clock

Real Time Clock

Cursor


Show Keyboard

Keyboard is

Click on the button to choose Visible or Hidden to show or hide the keyboard on the display.

Hidden keytops help you to avoid looking at the keyboard and use touch alone to locate the proper keys.


Meters

Meters are

Click on the button to choose On or Off and show or hide the keyboard Meters that display your current typing speed.

When the keyboard is displayed, the digital display shows your current typing speed in words per minute (WPM), adjusted to reflect a penalty for errors.  In addition, the three moving bar displays show your accuracy (A), adjusted speed (S), typing rhythm (R) compared to target speed, and the percentage of the lesson you have completed (C) so far.


Session Clock

Click on the button to choose On or Off and show or hide the Session clock.

When the clock is displayed, it shows how much time you have spent on the current Session.


Lesson Clock

Click on the button to choose On or Off and show or hide the Lesson clock.

When the clock is displayed, it shows how much time you have spent on the current Lesson.


Real Time Clock

Click on the button to choose On or Off and show or hide the real clock.

When the clock is displayed, it shows the current time.


Cursor

Click on the button to turn on or off the typing cursor under the current letter On or Off.

The cursor is an underscore or hash-mark character that is usually displayed during a Lesson to show you where you are typing.


Sounds

Sound options control the playback of message sounds, sound effects, and spoken analysis.  You may choose from among the following options:

Sounds are

Music is

Speech is


Sounds

Sounds are

Use this option to choose a Musical cue, a Beep, or Silence.

Mavis can give you audible cues when you make errors, when you end a Lesson, and at other appropriate times.


Music

Music is

Turn musical themes On or Off.


Speech

Speech is

Turn the spoken feedback On or Off.

The Speech Option is only available for the MPC version.


Classroom & Games

The basics for building your typing skills occur in Mavis' "Classroom," where you sit in front of a graphic screen that looks like a computer.  In this practice environment, development of basic accuracy is stressed with key lessons, drills, and tests.

In addition to the classroom, Mavis provides games in a circus environment.  Use the games in the circus arena to build accuracy, develop typing rhythm, and increase your typing speed.  None of the teaching aids available in the classroom -- such as meters, clocks, and keyboard -- are present for games.

Mavis Beacon's games include:

Card Flip

10-Key Darts

RoboMan

Clown Race

Mavis Beacon tracks your typing progress during the basic lessons and determines if you are sufficiently proficient to play a game.  Use the New Suggestion option in the Whiteboard menubox to see what game Mavis suggests.  If she doesn't suggest a game to play, you probably need to take a lesson to establish your proficiency.

In addition, you may access games through the Do Instead option on the Do Something Else menubox to play a game.

You can control how often Mavis Beacon will suggest games -- Never, Sometimes, Often, or Always -- from the Teaching Styles section of the Preferences dialog box.


Card Flip

Correctly type the letters in the banner above the circus audience to reveal a piece of a picture puzzle.  Try to complete the entire picture puzzle.

Use this game to reinforce proper keyboarding techniques and key locations learned during the basic lessons.


10-Key Darts

Enter the presented number correctly and in a timely manner, and you will launch a dart to burst a balloon.

Use this game to reinforce 10-Key accuracy.


RoboMan

Roboman is in charge of testing computer monitors in a factory.  In the upper monitor is a letter for you to type.  If you press each letter that appears in the monitor correctly and in a timely, rhythmic manner, RoboMan turns on the lower monitor - otherwise, he receives a shock.

This game emphasizes maintaining a consistant time interval between each keystroke and the importance of accuracy at a fluid pace and rhythm.


Clown Race

Use your typing speed to help Bop the Clown get closer to the table of pies.  Every time you make a mistake, Bop the clown will be hit by a pie thrown by Mo.  If you can maintain and increase your speed, Bop the Clown will reach the table, pick up a pie, and hit throw it in Mo's face.

Use this game to increase typing and 10-Key speed skills.


Keyboard Shortcuts

Mavis provides a number of keyboard shortcuts (or direct action keys) for performing often-used menu operations, as follows:

F1	Help Index

F2	Pause the Lesson

F3	Restart the Lesson

F4	Logout

F5	Preferences:  Personal Information

F6	Preferences:  Keyboard

F7	Preferences:  Teaching Styles

F8	Preferences:  Sights

F9	Preferences:  Sounds

F10	Show/Hide the Main Menu


Help Hotkey

Press the Help <F1> to bring up the index for Mavis Beacon Help, the help file you are looking at now.

This file contains everything you need to know about running Mavis Beacon,


Pause the Lesson

Press the <F2> key to pause the Lesson you are taking  This stops Mavis' timing so your speed doesn't slow down while the lesson is paused.  This is only available when a lesson is in progress.

When you are ready, press Ok to resume.


Restart the Lesson

Press the <F3> key to stop the lesson.  In the Confirmation dialog box, you are asked if you want to restart.  This is only available when a lesson is in progress.

Choose Yes to restart, or No to continue the lesson where you left off.


Graphs

Choising Graphs from the Main Menu opens the Graphs Window, which lets you view your typing progress in the form of more than twenty graphs, summarizing your accuracy, speed and problem areas.

The Graph Menu on the Graph Window has the following items:

Graph  Choose a graph

View 	 Choose how to display the graphs.

Sort 	 Change how the graph information is sorted.


Graph

Graph Menu

The Graph menu has these choices:

Previous	<Alt-P>

Next 	<Alt-N>

Choose 	<Alt-C>

Exit 	<Alt-X>


View

Choose how to display the graphs.

Lesson

Session


Sort

Sort how the keytop letters are displayed on the graph.

Natural

On Worst

On Best


Previous Graph

Previous	<Alt-P>

Choose the previous graph in the list.


Next Graph
Next	(<Alt-N>)

Choose the next graph in the list.


Choose Graph

Select a graph to view from the list presented or move through the list using the Previous  graph or Next graph menu items.  Mavis creates graphs for these topics:

Adjusted WPM by Key

Speed by Key

Accuracy by Key

Problem Keys

Number Keys (Speed)

Number Keys (Accuracy)

Symbol Keys (Speed)

Symbol Keys (Accuracy)

Shift Key Error

Accuracy by Hand

Accuracy by Finger (Left to Right)

Accuracy by Row (Top to Bottom)

Substitution Errors

Correct Column, Incorrect Row

Correct Row, Incorrect Column

Transpositions

Dropped Key Error

Doubled Key Error

Between Key Errors

Recovery Rate After Errors

Backspace Errors

Mirror Image Errors


Exit Graphs

Exit

Close the Graph window and return to the Whiteboard.


View

Choose how to display the graphs.


Lesson

Display the graphs for the last or current lesson.


Session

Display the graphs for the entire session.


Natural

Sort the graph with the letters in alphabetical order.


On Worst

Sort the graph with the letters that you need to practice, grouped from left to right.


On Best

Sort the graph with the letters that you know best, grouped from left to right.


Adjusted Speed
Adjusted WPM by Key

Adjusted speed penalizes you for errors by subtracting one keystroke for each mistake.

This graph shows your adjusted speed for each letter key.


Speed

Speed by Key

This graph shows your typing speed for each letter key (while ignoring errors).


Accuracy

Accuracy by Key

For each of the letters or characters shown, the graph shows the percentage of the time you type it correctly.


Problem Keys

This graph shows the keys on which Mavis believes you need the most work.

Along with speed and accuracy, Mavis considers how often the character occurs in written English - so that, everything else being equal, commonly occurring characters are drilled more frequently.  She also considers the number of times each character was tested in past sessions so you get a chance to practice the entire keyboard.

The result of all these considerations are represented on the graph.

Keys that require the most work have the highest bars.


Number Keys (Speed)

This graph shows how fast you are with each number on the 10-key numerical keypad, in Adjusted Words per Minute (Total Words per Minute less Errors).


Number Keys (Accuracy)

This graph shows how accurate you are with each number on the 10-key numerical keypad.


Symbol Keys (Speed)

This graph shows how fast you are with each of the various symbol keys, in Adjusted Words per Minute (Total Words per Minute less Errors).


Symbol Keys (Accuracy)

This graph shows how accurate you are with each of the various symbol keys.


Errors by Hand

Accuracy by Hand

This graph shows what percentage of the total errors in past lessons were typed by each hand.  If one hand is more error-prone, this graph will quickly point it out.


Errors by Finger

Accuracy by Finger (Left to Right)

This graph shows what percentage of the total errors in past lessons were typed by each finger.

 If one finger or a group of fingers is more error-prone, this graph quickly points it out.  Often, typists have the most difficulty with the pinky and index fingers.

Finger codes used in this graph are:

(1) Left pinky

(2) Left ring

(3) Left middle

(4) Left index

(5) Right index

(6) Right middle

(7) Right ring

(8) Right pinky

(T) Right thumb.


Errors by Row

Accuracy by Row (Top to Bottom)

This graph shows what percentage of errors in past lessons occurred on each of the four rows of the keyboard (not including the Spacebar row).

The rows are listed left to right, bottom to top, respectively.


Row Errors

Correct Column, Incorrect Row

A "wrong row" error occurs when you are typing with the correct fingers but are basing your typing in the wrong row.  A frequent mistake of this type is typing 'F' for 'R' or vice versa.  (The cure for this is usually to reposition your hands over the Home Row).


Column Errors

Correct Row, Incorrect Column

A column error occurs when you type a letter in the correct row but in the wrong vertical column as in typing an 'R' when you intended to type a 'T'.


Mirror Errors

Mirror Image Errors

A mirror-image typing error happens when you type a key in the correct row and column but with the wrong hand.  For example, you might type a letter in the third row, say 'E', with the third finger of your left hand when you wanted to type an 'I' with the same finger of the right hand.


Shift Errors

Shift Key Error

Shift errors include typing upper case letters where you should be typing lower case ones (or vice versa), or substituting numbers for symbols.  It is important to depress the shift keys in rhythm with the rest of your key typing and to always remember to use one hand to strike the key and the other to depress and hold the shift key.


Backspace Errors

Due to the placement of the backspace key at the upper right of the keyboard, it is easy to fall off the home row after backspacing and then make another error after just having corrected the first one!

This graph indicates if your typing contains this common fault.  The solution is to concentrate on recentering your hands over the home row after backspacing.


Substitution Errors

This error occurs when you type a wrong letter in place of the correct letter.  This is the most common typing error.


Doubling Errors

Doubled Key Error

A doubling error occurs when you mean to type a character once, but actually type it twice.  For example, typing the word 'belt' as 'beelt.'

This often happens on keys that are closely spaced together on the keyboard and when your hands are tired.

Try to remember to strike the keyboard with a quick rhythmic stroke that only touches each key long enough to depress it.


Dropped Letters

Dropped Key Error

A dropped letter occurs when a letter in a word is left out, as when 'omit' becomes 'omt.'


Transpositions

This error occurs when you reverse two consecutive letters in a word, such as when you type 'the' as 'eht.'  Transpositions also occur when you reverse a letter and a space position or a punctuation mark, such as when you type 'a nant' instead of 'an ant.'


Between Key Errors

This error is caused by striking in between keys, resulting in typing two letters instead of one.  For example, you try to type an 'A', but hit in between keys and get 'AS.'

Often repositioning your entire body in front of the keyboard helps you get your overall finger placement back into shape.


Recovery After Errors

Recovery Rate After Errors

This graph shows, for each alphabetic key, a relative error ranking for recovery after making an error.

Recovery measures how quickly you notice an error after making it and either begin to type the correct key or backspace to the error and continue.

A large number of recovery errors indicates that you are probably trying to type too fast for your current skill level and that you are probably watching your hands instead of the material that is being typed.


Ergonomic Information

Ergonomics is the proper design and placement of the typing equipment you use in your work environment. The purpose of Ergonomics is to prevent repetitive strain at the keyboard.

Your comfort while typing is very important. You should also develop healthy habits regarding your posture and hand movements when typing.  Many cities and states have even passed laws that require employers to provide typists with office equipment that promotes healthy typing.

What The Law Requires

Chair

Seat pan that adjusts for angle and height.

Adjustable backrest that adjusts for angle and height.

General

Arm rests, wrist rests, and foot requests upon request.

Document holder that adjusts for height.

15 minute break every 2 hours.

Computer

Keyboard that is detachable and that adjusts for height.

Video display terminal (VDT) that adjusts for angle and height.

Elimination of VDT glare by glare screen, window blinds, or position of the computer.

What Experts Recommend

Chair

Arm rests should be adjustable and removable.

General

Refocus eyes away from the screen and look at something farther away periodically.

Take a short break or two every 30 minutes.

Position the VDT at or a little below eye level; never look up at the VDT.

Use glass not mesh anti-glare screens.

Only use a wrist splint with a doctor's prescription.

What You Can Do On Your Own

From your chair to your keyboard, you can adjust most parts of your work environment so that your wrists and hands remain comfortable while you work.  Remember, it takes just a few small adjustment in your equipment and posture to make a big difference in your comfort at the keyboard.  Try the following suggestions.

1. Sit up straight, facing the computer straight on, as shown in the picture below. Keep your feet flat on the floor and pointed toward the workstation.  Adjust screen height so the top of the screen is about your eye level.  Ideal posture includes sitting straight in your chair, muscles relaxed, with your body tilted slightly back.

2. Hold your head at a slight downward tilt to avoid straining muscles in your neck and shoulders, as shown in the picture below. Keep your elbows bent at a 90 degree angle. Have your hips as far back on the chair as possible and bent at a 90 degree angle.  Your mouse pad should let the mouse float friction-free over it, requiring little effort.

3. Keep hands and wrists straight while keyboarding, as shown in the picture below.  Touch your keys lightly by keeping your wrists and fingers relaxed.  Adjust your keyboard tray or desk height so that your wrists and hands are straight while keyboarding.  Flexing your wrist forward or extending your wrist backward can strain muscles and tendons.


Whiteboard_def

Whiteboard

The Whiteboard is the modern version of the chalkboard.

Mavis uses the Whiteboard to describe the lessons she suggests you take.


QWERTY_def

QWERTY

QWERTY keyboard layout is the standard for both typewriter and computer keyboards.  Its name is derived from the order of keys in the top row.


Dvorak

The Dvorak keyboard was invented in 1936 by August Dvorak as a faster alternative to the QWERTY keyboard.


Browser

Logging in as a Browser enables you to look around the program and take lessons, but your progress isn't saved.


Glossary

A

About

Accuracy Bar (A)

Accuracy by Finger (Left to Right)

Accuracy by Hand

Accuracy by Key

Accuracy by Row (Top to Bottom)

Accuracy Percentage

Adjusted Speed Bar (S)

Adjusted words-per-minute (AWPM)

Adjusted WPM by Key

Advanced

Age Level

B

Backspace Errors

Backspace Key is

Beep

Beginner

Between Key Errors

Brief Comments

Brief Tour

Browser

C

Card Flip

Card Game lesson type

Checking Your Progress

Choose  (<Alt-C>)

Choose Graph

Classroom

Classroom & Games

Classroom lesson type

Clown Race

Clown Race lesson type

Commands

Comments

Common Words lesson text

Correct Column, Incorrect Row

Correct Row, Incorrect Column

Cursor

D

Dart Game

Delete a user record file

Delete User

Demonstration

Do Something Else menubox

Doubled Key Error

Dropped Key Error

Dvorak Keyboard Layout

E

End of Line Action is

Ergonomic Information

Errors Allowed

Exit

F

Fast Teaching Pace

First Suggestion

Free Typing

Frustration Noticed

G

Games

Getting started

Goals (Accuracy)

Goals (Words per Minute)

Graph

Graphs

Guide Hands are

H

Help

Help Menu

Hidden

I

Index

Intermediate

J

Jokes lesson text

K

Key Proficiency

Keyboard

Keyboard Help

Keyboard is

Keyboard Layout is

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keys & Fingers

L

Last Suggestion

Left index

Left middle

Left pinky

Left ring

Lesson

Lesson, Take the

Lesson Clock

Lesson History

Lesson Length

Lesson Text

Lesson Time

Lesson Type

Load

Login

Logout

M

Main Menu

Make a Lesson

Mavis Beacon

Mavis Help

Medium Teaching Pace

Menu bar

Meters are

Mirror Image Errors

Music is

Musical

N

Natural

New Suggestion

New user help

New User

Next (<Alt-N>)

Number Keys (Accuracy)

Number Keys (Speed)

Number Practice lesson text

O

On Best

On Worst

P

Past Lessons Considered

Pattern Typing text format

Penalty for Errors

Perfect Typing text format

Personal Information

Play games

Preferences Menubox

Previous (<Alt-P>)

Problem Keys

Proficient Keys

Q

QWERTY keyboard layout

R

Real Time Clock

Record files

Recovery Rate After Errors

Report Card

Right index

Right middle

Right pinky

Right ring

Right thumb

RoboMan

Roboman lesson type

S

Save

Save Custom Lesson Menubox

Session

Session Clock

Shift Key Error

Sights

Silence

Skill Level

Slow TeachingPace

Something Else

Sort

Sounds

Sounds are

Spacing after Period is

Speech is

Speed by Key

Standard text format

Student profile

Substitution Errors

Suggestion

Symbol Keys (Accuracy)

Symbol Keys (Speed)

T

Take Suggestion

Target Speed

Teaching Aids

Teaching Mode is

Teaching Pace

Teaching Styles

Text Format

The Whiteboard

Timed Writing text format

Title Screen

Tour

Transcription Typing text format

Transpositions

Typewriter Mode

Typing Rhythm (R)

Typing School

U

User Information

User Preferences

User Record File

V

Verbose Comments

View Graphs

Visible

W

Whiteboard

Word wrap

Words per Minute

WPM