Multi-language computing in LSS Facilities

General Information for PCs and Macs

LSS strives to provide multi-language features for the many language departments and courses in the College of Letters and Science. LSS facilities include the LSS Infolab (464 Van Hise) and the 2nd floor computer classrooms (250, 259a, and 274 Van Hise).

The English-International keyboard is a keyboard that retains the usual English letter arrangement and makes it easy to enter diacritics and accents from common Western languages.  More information about the English-International keyboard is available at the Wikipedia article on keyboard layouts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_layout#US-International.

Alternatively, you may be able to use key combinations to insert diacritics and accents.  Please see our how-to guides on these older input methods:

LSS InfoLab, 250 Van Hise, and 274 Van Hise

The dual-boot macs in the LSS InfoLab, 250 Van Hise and 274 Van Hise run Windows 7.  The complex script, right-to-left, and East Asian language support has been installed.  Students can activate language keyboards and IMEs for a variety of languages.

To add additional keyboards/IMEs included with Windows 7:

1. Go to Start -> Control Panels -> Clock, Language and Region -> Region and Language -> Keyboards and Languages -> Change keyboards. 
2. In the Installed Services section, click Add, then find the desired language.
3. Click the keyboard or IME that you wish to use and click OK. 

To switch to the new keyboard:

1. Click on the keyboard indicator in the system tray (bottom right corner) to see a list of available languages,
2. Then click the desired language.  

To view the keyboard layout:

1. Open the On-Screen keyboard at Start-> Programs -> Accessories -> Ease of Use -> On-Screen keyboard. 
2. Once you've opened the keyboard, click the keyboard indicator in the system tray to change the language.

More information about Windows language input is available at http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/international/keyboards/winkeyvista.html.

The dual boot Macs in the LSS InfoLab, 250 Van Hise and 274 Van Hise run Mac OS 10.x.  They have fonts for a wide variety of languages. 

To add keyboards and input methods on the Mac:

1. Go to Apple Menu -> System Preferences -> International. 
2. Click on the Input Menu tab.
3. Put a checkmark in the far lefhand column (titled "On").
4. Close the System Preferences window.
5. Open your program of choice (a web browser, Word, etc), and then...
6. To activate the new keyboard, click on the flag on the far right of the menu bar at the top of the iMac screen (it usually shows as an American flag, by default) and select your input language of choice.
7. Type away.

More information is available at http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/international/keyboards/mackey.html.

259a Van Hise:

The laptops in 259a Van Hise Hall run Windows XP.  The complex script, right-to-left, and East Asian language support has been installed. Students can activate language keyboards and IMEs for a variety of languages

To install and activate keyboards and IMEs in Windows XP:

1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options.
2. Click on the Languages tab.
3. Click on the Details... button in the "Text services and input languages" area.
4. On the Settings tab, click on the Add... button.
5. In the Input Language drop-down window (click the down arrow beside English), select the language you need to install.
6. Click the Ok button.
7. Then click Ok button on the Text Services and Input Languages window to close it,
8. Then click the Ok button on the Regional and Language Options window to close it.
9. Close the Control Panel window and the newly installed keyboard should now be available.

To switch to the new keyboard:

1. Open the program you want to type in (say, a web browser or a Word document) and 
2. Then click on the "EN" button that appears down by the clock on the computer screen. 
3. Select your newly installed keyboard and type away.

Questions?

Requests for additional multi-language features in the LSS Infolab can be sent to lssinfolab@lss.wisc.edu.  Requests for additional multi-language features in the Van Hise 2nd floor computer classrooms can be sent to Theresa Pesavento (theresa@lss.wisc.edu).