In this paper we investigate the synchronization problem of drive-response chaotic systems with a scalar coupling signal. By using the scalar transmitted signal from the drive chaotic system, an observer-based response chaotic system with dead-zone nonlinear input is designed. An output feedback control technique is derived to achieve generalized projective synchronization between the drive system and the response system. Furthermore, an adaptive control law is established that guarantees generalized projective synchronization without the knowledge of system nonlinearity, and/or system parameters as well as that of parameters in dead-zone input nonlinearity. Two illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed synchronization scheme.