Jim, almost every remote I've ever disected used rubber buttons (or a single membrane with buttons) that had little conductive blocks under each button. When pressed, the block makes contact with, and connect, a pair of copper pads on the printed circuit board.

Remove the battery and try to locate the screws or molded-in edges that hold the case together. You can use either contact cleaner or alcohol to gently clean the face of the block and the copper pads, or in a pinch, a dry abrasive like a pencil or pen eraser.

Larry
www.fineelectricco.com