MAC shortcuts with DELL keyboard?

I haven't been able to do my homework because of my keyboard. Sounds lame, right?

Well my MAC wireless keyboard got something in or on it and shorted out. Ive tried to reinstall it or whateverthehell and it just doesnt work, other than like 2 keys. I found an older model Dell keyboard to temorarily replace my mac keyboard and I can't get any of the windows shortcuts to work, nor can i get any mac keyboard shortcuts to work. It's almost as if my control key, on either side, doesn't work at all.

The main reason I came to MAC support was to find out if there's any way to get my shortcuts back. It's almost excruciating to try to complete any of my Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illistrater homework without the mac keyboard shortcuts and i have yet to find someone who offers tutorials or lessons without the keyboard shortcuts. It's difficult to complete one thing when having to stop very few seconds and search the entire program for a command that i can hit a few keys for at school.

So, again, can i reinstall the shortcuts or reprogram them to be used with this keyboard, or does the Windows layout of the keyboard conflict too much with the iMAC?

Also, please don't assume that i don't know anything about anything and haven't tried the obvious. That's why it's called "the obvious". Obviously i've tried it and it doesn't work.

Thanks much,

Amy