How do I constrain the Pencil Tool

I am using Illustrator CS 5 on a Mac Pro using Lion OS X. I am an intermediate user having had to move over from Freehand. I just started using the Pencil tool today but can't figure out how to activate the modifier keys to work with the Pencil tool. They work with all the other tools like shapes and the pen tool, just not with Pencil.
I did a web search and found several threads about similar problems that seemed to be concerned with the modifier keys not working with ALL command. Suggestions included turning off Foxfire, Outlook, Entourage, etc. with indifferent success. Also deleting the preferences files. But I only have a problem with one command. I have found tutorials that indicate using the modifier keys with Pencil so I know it is supposed to work. Is there a solution? I don't know a lot about this so please be explicit in any replys. I am not an IT expert and didn't follow the jargon in most of the posts I found.
Sign me Confused and Frustrated.

These are all interesting, if confusing, suggestions, thanks. Maybe I need to clarify what I am trying to do. This first image is of a plan I drew in AutoCADD LT. In full AutoCADD there is a Sketch, or Jitter command that gives
you options to make the lines look like they are draw with pencil, or chalk, or markers. I don't have those controls on my version of the program. So, I was hoping to be able to use Illustrator to convert, nor redraw, the existing lines and curves to look hand drawn. In drafting one uses rulers and Tsquares to keep lines straight, but they often overlap at the ends. The overall effect I wanted was more casual, less rigid, but still drawn using drafting tools.
The second drawing is one I imported as a pdf into Photoshop. Using the brush tool, and the Shift key, I traced over the lines to create the look I wanted. It works, but took several hours to do multiple plans. I was hoping to find a simple filter or command that would take the exisitng lines and apply the effect of the sketchy, hand drawn look without having to redraw everything.

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