Occupational Therapist Nynke Sietsche and Her Classroom Experience with ABC Maestro & Clevy Keyboard
We had the chance to sit down and interview Nynke Sietsche. She is an occupational therapist that helps people that suffer from motor, visual, or cognitive challenges with access to digital tools. Her work with children both at school and at her own private practice allows her to work with many different individuals with various needs.
Across classrooms, assistive technology is essential, especially considering the increase in the overall use of laptops and tables in the daily routine of modern classrooms. Thanks to her job, Nynke Sietsche and her team came across Clevy and its products. The school has relied on the Clevy keyboards for years and actively integrates the Clevy Keyboard and ABC Maestro into their workflow.
1. Why do your students need an alternative keyboard like Clevy?
“Many of our children cannot work with a normal keyboard. They might not understand capital versus small letters, or they become overwhelmed by the layout. The Clevy Keyboard makes everything clearer and visually simpler. The small letters are especially helpful. The color-coding also helps them quickly identify patterns. It makes typing more manageable for children who would otherwise struggle.”
2. How is ABC Maestro being used in your classrooms?
“We use ABC Maestro as the missing step between touching random things on a screen and trying to type with ten fingers in a traditional program. Many of our students cannot start with a standard typing method; it is too fast, too complex. ABC Maestro allows them to first learn where letters are and gradually build skill. They can start with choosing letters, identifying letters, or completing words. It’s very adjustable, and that’s why we use it so much.”
3. What learning goals do children work on with these tools?
“Keyboard skills are part of many students’ yearly goals. They learn letter locations, but also functional keys like Enter, Shift, Ctrl, and so on. Some students write a weekly ‘weekend story’ and typing it gives them independence. Whether they write five sentences or just a few words, it matters.”
4. After hearing about the features of the new Clevy Keyboard (the Triple-Mode), which features stand out to you?
“I really like that it combines all connection types because we used to have different versions. For students with motor issues, the LED feedback for keypresses is also very helpful. And I didn’t know about the switch on the back that turns off key repeat and turns on function key access. That’s very useful for children who hold down keys accidentally.”
5. Do you have any feedback for us on the products you use at the school?
“Honestly, not now. For ABC Maestro, the levels are good. You can start very simple and increase the difficulty. They can learn letter locations, missing letters, the alphabet, random letters by using the software and keyboards. It's flexible.”
