Most Wanted: ReaderBoard, Alias: BoomerBoard

Chester Creek is best known for its Children's mice and its large-key keyboards.

Our VisionBoard and VisionBoard 2 feature huge, bold, easy-to-read lettering on a key that is a full inch across.  This keyboard is perfect for individuals who suffer from vision and/or motor impairments.  You can see below how easy it is to read the legend.  Notice also that the keys are sufficiently large and spaced so that even users with arthritis or impairments that cause shaking can use these keyboards. We now offer our VisionBoards in a wireless model, to make them even more portable, adaptable, and usable.  For users who have an especially difficult time hitting the correct key or hitting only one key at a time, we also offer the KeyGuard, making every key stroke a bullseye.

What many of our consumers don't realize is that our VisionBoard has a younger brother, the ReaderBoard.   The ReaderBoard is the perfect solution for individuals who work in low light or suffer from slight to moderate vision  impairment.  The ReaderBoard has the same layout and key size as a standard keyboard, making a switch absolutely seamless.  What sets it apart from standard keyboards (apart from that stylish design, of course) is that the ReaderBoard features a legend 250% the size of a standard keyboard.  I'd like you to take a moment now to look at the keyboard you're using now.  See the letters, numbers, and commands?  How much of the key do they take up?  I'm guessing about one quarter - maybe they're in the top left corner of the key, like my laptop.  The ReaderBoard's labels fill the entire key with bold white lettering, so you can read it whether you're working late in low light, getting a jump start before the sun is shining in the window, or even when you just don't feel like grabbing your reading glasses.

That's the beauty of the ReaderBoard.  For many individuals, standard keyboards can be hard to read.  This doesn't mean those users need or want to transition to a large-key keyboard.  Chester Creek has created a middle ground.  With thousands of Boomers reaching the "mature-but-not-old-yet" stage, the ReaderBoard, or the BoomerBoard as we like to call it, is the perfect solution.  There's no reason you need to wear reading glasses just to use a computer or transition to a large-key keyboard just because the tiny letter on a standard board strain your eyes in certain light.  As always, you can rely on Chester Creek to be working on bringing you exactly what you need for every stage of your life  From toddling to school to work and to retirement, we're there for you.

(Don't forget to check out our Wireless Mice to match the Vision Boards and our super-comfortable ReaderMouse to match the ReaderBoard.)

Macular Degeneration, etc...

Chester Creek Technologies began with the idea to create a line of functional and fun keyboards and mice for children and those with special needs.  Today, we offer over a dozen keyboards and nearly as many mice, not to mention the many other computer accessories that we have added over the years.  What started as a kid-friendly group of products has expanded into the assistive technology niche, and Chester Creek is now known for their high visibility keyboards as well.  

In addition to our VisionBoard Black, our VisionBoard2 – white and yellow – and our ReaderBoard, we are now offering a wireless VisionBoard in black or white for greater flexibility.  These keyboards feature large print and high-contrast color schemes, which can greatly increase visibility for a number of conditions.  For instance, our VisionBoard Yellow has been incredibly beneficial for many individuals suffering from macular degeneration.  

The macula is a part of the nerves inside the eye that focuses on details and colors directly in the line of vision. With macular degeneration, the center of one’s field of vision becomes distorted and eventually completely occluded.   Certain types of color blindness can also make use of a standard keyboard more difficult, as can other disorders like glaucoma.  Click on the links for simultions of how these can affect your vision.

Software Bundles

I know, I know.  We've been telling you all about new products that we're coming out with, but actual introduction of the items for sale has been slow.

TextSpeak is up.  This is a great, ultra-portable little Augmentative Communication keyboard device that allows people to talk through their keyboard, no computer required. 




Braille Stickers are up.  These are the only Braille stickers for large-key keyboards, and are clear so that the large-print legend remains visible.




Headphones and the LittleMouse are new.  Chester Headphones are sturdy and adjustable enough for everyone, plus comfy and with convenient inline volume control.  The LittleMouse is perfect for kids still learning (color-coded!), or anyone who doesn't want to worry about a scroll wheel.



Large-key numeric pad is up coming soon.  This keypad is intended as a companion to any of our large-key keyboards for those who prefer the grid layout of numbers, but is also useful paired with any keyboard for those who like or need larger keys.  The keypad should be available by the end of the month.








The Wireless VisionBoard should be in by the end of the month, as well.  This keyboard is very similar to our VisionBoard, but includes f-keys, and will be available in black and white to start with.


We also have some great educational software bundles coming in soon.  We will be offering a pre-K bundle and an early elementary bundle, both of which will feature five titles.


The pre-K bundle will feature:

Baileys Book House
Millie's Math House
Trudys Time and Place House
Sammy Science House
Thinking Things Toony the Loons Lagoon

Our early elementary bundle will include:

Mighty Math Carnival Countdown
Reader Rabbit 1st Grade
Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum
Reader Rabbit 2nd grade
Zoombinis Island Odyssey

Assistive Technology Keyboards

Typing can be the ideal solution for those with learning or motor impairments that prevent them from easily expressing themselves with pen (or pencil) and paper, for school work, correspondence, or any one of a number of needs. The problem is that standard keyboards are boring, hard to read, and feature small keys.

Our large-key keyboards feature large print, high visibility, and 1” keys. This makes typing significantly easier for those with sight or dexterity limitations. The VisionBoards, for instance, comes in three color arrangements: white on black, black on white, and a special black on yellow color scheme that has proven very useful for individuals with macular degeneration. We also offer large-key keyboards for kids with bight, fun, color-coded keys to help kids locate letters and stay interested. All of our large-key keyboards eliminate unnecessary and confusing hot keys and are available with or without F-keys.

We also offer a great key-guard made to fit snugly over our large-key keyboards. This is a metal guard that prevents a user from accidentally pushing wrong or multiple buttons. The guard can also aid in use by individuals pushing the keys with a tool.

Our small mice are also a wonderful solution for special needs or dexterity impaired users. Many find the smaller size of a Chester Mouse, TinyMouse, or LittleMouse easier to grip and manipulate. The Chester is a one-button mouse, for added ease of use.

Chester Creek is working on a great new product called TextSpeak, designed to help vocally impaired individuals communicate.  Look for more on this later in the week.