I have a cracked touch screen Windows 8 on an ACER Aspire V5. Will a non touch screen replacement work?

At the end of last year I went to buy a new laptop with Windows 7 on it, but there were none to be had unless you wanted to pay through the nose.  I had to settle for an Acer Aspire with Windows 8 and touch screen.  Now the screen is cracked in the lower left corner, but the video still works; except for the touch part.  It is machine gunning hits all over the screen, opening, closing, enlarging, modifying, well just mayhem, and I'm not touching the thing.  I took it back were I bought it to have it repaired and they said I would be better off cost wise with a new computer, as the touch screen part is very expensive.  The computer is 6 months old and unusable.  I still owe on it.  Microsoft played a dirty trick on us by forcing Windows 8 when we didn't want it, and Acer did the same forcing ultra-thin touch screens priced out of sight.  It really is tough as I use it in my work.

I want to know if I had a non touch screen put on it, and they are available at reasonable cost, would Windows 8 be useable or would it not work at all?  I could get along without touch screen if it at least was usable.  I did try turning the touch off, but there was no option in Control Panel for it.