"What a beautiful keyboard!" Your children will exclaim when you open the Look & Learn™ Keyboard box by the KeyRight Company. The box contains a teaching keyboard and a CD. Together they help users of all ages learn, practice and master typing. They say that within six hours a student is a faster, better typist. The CD tutorial along with the colored keyboard helps the student to become a touch typist through muscle memory. You will need a working computer to use Look & Learn. It is compatible with both the PC and Macs

To begin, simply plug the keyboard into your existing computer using the USB cable. The QWERTY keyboard is used during the instructional time with the CD. However, you can use the keyboard after the lessons are over. The keyboard comes with the keys with eight different colors on it. Each color is for a different finger. The blue keys are for the right index finger while the green ones are meant for the left index finger. This helps the student to know which finger goes with which color or key. The student learns touch typing, using correct hand position and eventually develops muscle memory.

The instructional CD has lessons about how to use the keyboard. It includes lessons on ergonomics too. There is good feedback when the student types correctly. You can view the instructor on You Tube too at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7beSq78Hqc&feature=player_embedded.

The product was designed for adults and students alike. It has a more "adult" look to it; the colors are not primary colors. It was not intended for a homeschool audience, in particular, but most students will find that learning to touch type does speed up their assignments. This is also a product that can be used by more than one person, so every member of the family can learn and practice typing.

I liked the colors of the Look & Learn™ Keyboard. I liked that there is an educational psychologist, Paul Heide, who was behind the development of the keyboard. I liked that it can be used as a keyboard after the lessons are done. My younger children need lots of practice with keyboarding! This method also requires less reaching, which is great for small hands.

The company's website has more information about the keyboard. I really liked that simply for referring someone (entering their email address) KeyRight donates $2 to World Vision's Women's International Loan Fund.

Look & Learn™ Keyboard was something that I thought we needed as in our homeschool this year. My third grader needed to learn how to type. However, after a few tries with the keyboard I decided to wait a little longer with him. He needed a little more patience. My second-grader had the patience and the willingness, but she has very small hands so dexterity was an issue for her. Both were problems unique to our family and not the product itself. After a year on the shelf I think that Look & Learn™ Keyboard will really help them both learn to touch type.

KeyRight has done a great job making learning to touch type a beautiful experience.

Product Review by Maggi Beardsley, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, April, 2009