>We have a few students with cerebral palsy and one, in particular
>requires specialist adaptations to access the computer. This
>particular student has no speech and little co-ordination with his
>hands.
>
>Our problem is trying to find the right equipment for this student.
>He is too capable to use a scanning keyboard program and has better control
>with his mouth than perhaps a head switch. We have tried him with the
>Headpointer and Wivik (supplied by Liberator). Although he has had
>some success with this, the program kept crashing and also he had
>difficulty with keeping the puff switch in his mouth. He is presently
>using a ‘chopstick’ - (the plastic eating variety) to enter text via the
>keyboard with the Windows Disability Access Pack to help with
>sticky keys, etc.
>
>Phil Judd & Stuart Rider
>Access Centre Technicians
I'm sure David Colvin from the ACE Centre will be responding with his usual
words of great wisdom, but here are a couple of suggestions. Is your
student trying to use a standard keyboard? A mouth/headstick keyboard from
PCD Maltron would probably help. With an appropriate mounting system this
can be positioned in the most accessible position for the student and
should make typing much easier. It costs 295 pounds, or can be hired for 10
pounds per week. Phone PCD Maltron 0181 398 3265 for details (or email
[log in to unmask])
Depending on what the student is doing with the computer, some form of
accelerated writing software could be useful. Assuming that he is using
Windows 3.1, get Prophet word prediction from the ACE Centre. For Windows
95 the choice seems to be between TextHelp (its word prediction isn't
great) and Aurora (better, but very expensive!)
_____________________________________________________________
Allan Wilson
Information Officer
CALL Centre (Communication Aids for Language and Learning)
Institute for the Study of Education and Society
University of Edinburgh
4 Buccleuch Place
Edinburgh
EH8 9LW
Tel. 0131 650 6629 Fax 0131 668 4220
http://call-centre.cogsci.ed.ac.uk/CALLHome
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