Beginners Level, suitable for ages 3 and up.
For Windows PC’s with a physical QWERTY keyboard.
Ballyland is unique software, specifically designed to enable young children with a disability to independently explore and play on a computer keyboard, developing foundation keyboarding skills and keyboard 'mapping' skills in the process. These skills will greatly benefit all children's future use of computer technology.
All children love and share this fun play-and-learn experience, regardless of a disability. The keys of the keyboard don't do there normal thing: instead they produce engaging sounds, songs and stories. The same sound and word feedback when pressing a key helps children to understand that different keys do different things, but every time you press the same key it will consistently do the same thing.
Special design features support learning by children who are blind or have low vision, and the five most important keys for future navigation with screen reader software are individually taught via so-called Key Games.
Because of its clever and user friendly design, Ballyland Keyboarding software benefits and engages children with a wide range of disabilities and learning difficulties.
Learn more about Ballyland Keyboarding software in the video tutorials on the Ballyland YouTube Channel
Read more about the program's impressive range of educational applications and learning outcomes.
Free Trial
The free trial version includes Any Key Goes and Ballicopter's Key Game (spacebar). It can be opened and played three times.
Download free trial
Sounds and Keys
In Ballyland keyboarding each key produces a particular sound. The design of the sound landscape is based on the way keys are grouped on the keyboard by way of their function. A detailed list of all the sounds that are used in the Any Key Goes level, and the way these are grouped in categories, can be used by parents or educators to assist a child in learning particular keys or sounds, identifying important keys for future formal keyboarding, and in developing a better understanding of the structure of the keyboard ('mental mapping').
Download a detailed list of all the sounds that are used in Any Key Goes here
User Manual
The User Manual which comes included with the Ballyland Keyboarding software files provides in-depth information on different support and accessibility features, as well as valuable instructions, tips and suggestions to enhance the play and learning experience for all children. Also includes educational outcomes and details on the educational background of Any Key Goes as well as of each Key game.
Download the User Manual here.
List with Short Keys
This list with short keys that Ballyland uses in the navigation, menus and control panels, enables people who are blind to assist a child to play and to adjust settings as required. The Short keys may also be used by blind children who have slightly more advanced keyboarding skills.
Download the list with Short Keys here
For children with low or normal vision, we recommend using the Chester Creek Colour Coded keyboard with Ballyland Keyboarding, as the colors support the sound categories used in the game.
System Requirements
Windows
Windows 98 or higher
512 Mb of RAM
100 Mb Disk space