How do I subtitute keyboard events in Drag n Drop game

I have a number of drag n drop educational games that need to have keyboard options instead of drag n drop.

Is there web standard for that and what keys should I use?

I am thinking that the student will need to:

1 - select the object to drag

2- use arrow key to move the object to the proper area

3- use a key to select next object to drag

So far I have tried using spacebar for selecting the objects according to a variable I call 'selected'.

Then I am using the arrow keys to navigate to the corresponding droppable which also works.

I am just not sure this is the 'standard' way to do things if there is a web standard.

So far I have tried using spacebar for selecting the objects according to a variable I call 'selected'.

Then I am using the arrow keys to navigate to the corresponding droppable which also works.

I am just not sure this is the 'standard' way to do things if there is a web standard.

There is a game standard that uses the WASD keys for directional controls and you might include both arrow and those for left handed people.

I think I would use control or shift to select so kids keep their hands near the buttons instead of looking around for a key to push.

Thanks Lamar. I think we may have gotten around with asking kids with disabilities that prevent them from using the mouse to use the accessibility settings on their OS. Do you think that this is adequate? This way they can use their keyboard as a mouse and are able to play drag n drop games as well.

Thanks Lamar. I think we may have gotten around with asking kids with disabilities that prevent them from using the mouse to use the accessibility settings on their OS. Do you think that this is adequate? This way they can use their keyboard as a mouse and are able to play drag n drop games as well.

I think that should work fine!

WASD keys are not done for AZERTY keyboards. I (but i am stubborn) will not ever play a 'WASD only' game.

And i dont think there is a web standard for kids with disabilities.

Wich is rather nice, because up to you to invent it. The possibilitys are wide and wild.

I would go for keys that can be chosen, starting from a configuration that you think is fine.

Also, i dont know if that is enough for kids with disabilities. Those keys are really tinny, certainly on the latest cheap laptops, and we all know that kids with disabilities have a big chance to fall in the market target for those tinny laptops.

I would use space to select/deselect. Its a big key. But i would also experiment with a rather totally different approach.

Like.

Touching any key on the right of the key board > move right.

Touching any key on the left of the key board > move left.

Same for up and down

Maybe you should even reconsider if up and down are really needed. You could do the up/and down in a automated way. Move it right and it moves automatically (and smooth) up/down to the nearest target. Now you have a big space bar, and the whole left and right of the keyboard to do the stuff. Dont matter if they press several keys at once, because 1 key is for some really really difficult.

Anyway, taught i give you my 2 cents.

Thank you for your input. This is a complicated subject. I personally use keyboard shortcut for lots of things but in this instance it seems like the best approach is to use the OS disability keys which I discovered after researching the subject. That way the students can also do drag n' drop with the keyboard acting like a mouse.