Cancel this. I have only had the iPad for a few days and now understand how it works.
My main error was not realising that the software keyboard will only appear if the cursor is in a field requiring keystrokes. It can't be made to appear otherwise, which is what I was trying to do.
As soon as a text field and cursor appears, the software keyboard pops up even with the ASK attached. At that point I can either carry on using the software keyboard, or use the ASK and the software keyboard instantly disappears.
The software keyboard can be brought back up by slow pressing the down arrow at the bottom right of the screen. If that arrow has been dismissed you can get it back by pressing the down arrow on the ASK.
This is not quite how I understood the articles I found, but it is exactly how I would like it to be. I am definitely finding situations where I would like to use the screen keyboard even with the ASK attached.
