I use the dvorak programmer keyboard. When using rdesktop to connect to my work box (which also has the dvorak programmer keyboard installed) the key mappings get confused. It looks like it's layering one mapping on top of another. To solve this, I use the command

setxkbmap gb && rdesktop 10.42.44.163 && setxkbmap dvp

to change the client (my home box) keyboard layout back to British English, connect to rdesktop, and then change back to dvorak programmer when I log out of my work box.

The problem is that this changes the keyboard layout for all the applications on my home box while I'm connected to my work box, which is a pain. Is there a way in which I could change the keyboard layout for only the rdesktop process. I also get a similar problem when using VirtualBox to run virtual machines.

Setup:
Client (home box) - Packard Bell EasyNote B3800
Operating System - Debian Testing
Window Manager - StumpWM

Cheers for your time,

Hugh

I have no clue how to answer your actual question, so I'll cheat:

What if you were to put a couple shortcuts in your quick launch bar on your work PC? When you RDP from home, you could click the first to compensate for the "stacking" effect and when you get back to the office, click the second to revert back to the Dvorak you prefer.

Google found me this, which may help:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/goglobal/bb964665.aspx

I'm surprised to hear you see this issue on a virtual box.