Keyboard Creation Project

Translation Commons has assembled a group of volunteers from industry and academia to assist Indigenous communities to digitize their language. One of the first necessary steps in language digitization is to have a keyboard so that users can enter the characters and symbols used in their language.

Supporting Indigenous Communities Through Digital Language Tools

Request A Keyboard

Keyboard Creation Service

Keyman Keyboard Installation Instructions

License For Translation Commons Keyboards

This project is a collaboration with individual Indigenous communities that want their language digitized and our experts in the design and implementation of virtual keyboards. It is a free service that offers communities:

Keyboard design and layouts for desktop, mobile and other devices
Keyboard implementation
Keyboard publication for easy access
User documentation
Training and workshops for communities that prefer to do their own design and implementation

The keyboards we develop are generally open source; however, for communities that are concerned about cultural appropriation or other issues, we can accommodate their privacy. Translation Commons intends to eventually develop a streamlined and scalable framework to assist communities in the design, development and adoption of keyboards for their languages. Thanks to the availability of a digital keyboard in their language, Indigenous communities are able to access digital information, document their language with all its nuances, share personal and collective stories, and preserve the cultures and histories of their communities. Learn more about how a keyboard in one’s own language can impact an Indigenous community.

Education

To learn more about creating digital keyboards, we invite you to review the Keyboard Creation Tutorial Videos on our YouTube channel.