Keyboard switching between multiple windows on/and multiple desktops

This absolutely drives me nuts.

Part of the problem is related to the fact that we are running RH8 linux on 
the server and accessing it from Windows workstation PCs.  On the PC the 
Xwindowing is provided by Cygwin (but if it worked better it could also be 
provided by VNC).

On the PC, ALT TAB switches focus between the various PC apps, one of which 
is the Xwindows environment.

The Xwindows desktop environment is gnome (panels 2.0.6).

The gnome is configured with 6 desktops (for different major task areas), 
each of which has between one and 10 windows.

We have been unable to find a way to use the KEYBOARD (not the mouse) to 
switch focus between the 6 desktops within gnome.

Within each desktop, we have been unable to find a way to switch focus 
between each window in that particular desktop.

Part of the problem is that ALT TAB is unavailable (I am not willing to 
break its use in the PC sense) for use in switching in gnome.

If I were a software designer, one of my high priorities would be to make 
available ways to do anything and everything without the mouse.  Yes, I 
have a mouse, but often it does nothing but slow me down.  I can use the 
keyboard much faster than I can use a mouse.

What I would like is greater ability for users or administrators to 
configure around the weird cases such as our situation.

If there is a way to do it, I sure would like to know about it. (But not if 
it takes a guru to implement.)

Jay