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Hi Kate There's a large number of AAC devices and techniques you could look at, and for an overview I suggest the ACE Centre web site at: http://www.ace-centre.org.uk/vocapages/main.asp. If you want basic, cheap voice output (direct selection, digital voices, very easy to use) I suggest something like the GoTalk (from 16 messages, from ?119) or TechTalk range (from 48 messages, from ?279). The TechTalks have got better sound, more messages and is generaly a better bet I think. For switch and scan access, the cheapest options are the Pocket GoTalk (25 messages, ?149); TechScan 8 (64 messages - 8 messages x 8 levels, ?659). Slightly more expensive, but with both direct selection and switch and scan are the MessageMates (from http://www.possum.co.uk/Cambridge/Index.htm). If you're new to AAC, you might look on the Communication Matters web site (http://www.communicationmatters.org.uk/) and go to the next annual conference where you could see a load of equipment and find out a lot about the field. There will also be some AAC suppliers (including some suppliers of the devices I mentioned) at the Special Needs Fringe at BETT in London in January (see http://www.inclusive.co.uk/) Paul ____________________________________________ Please allow for any speech recognition errors I may have missed in this email! ____________________________________________ Paul D. Nisbet Senior Research Fellow CALL Centre, Faculty of Education University of Edinburgh Paterson's Land, Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8AQ Tel. 0131 651 6236/5 Fax 0131 651 6234 email [log in to unmask] http://callcentre.education.ed.ac.uk ____________________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: A discussion list for Assistive Technology professionals. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Kate Heward Sent: 03 December 2003 11:37 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: COMMUNICATION AIDS IN THE ACUTE HOSPITAL SETTING Dear All I have been asked to advise a respiratory HDU within the hospital I work regarding basic communication aids and switches for use by their patients. The patients are in the acute stage of illness but do progress onto rehabilitation whilst they are waiting to go to local rehab units. The patients may be quadriplegic with conditions such as Guillian Barre. Or there may be patients with early head injury or MND needing ventiliation. Although many do not have cognitive deficits or sensory disturbances (some may have). Please could anybody suggest communication devices that may be appropriate. They need to be simple to operate and be able to use through a single switch or through direct access (as the patient's ability improves).The aim is so that the patients can express basic needs eg: "please move my leg", "I am in pain", "I need a drink", and basic phrases programmed in for communicating with visitors. Please suggest ANYTHING you think might be useful to us (we are planning to purchase a few communication aids so that patients do not have to share). I would also like contact details of companies as I am planning to arrange demos before we make any decisions on what we want to purchase Oh, and if that wasn't demanding enough, has anyone got experience of setting this sort of thing up in either the acute hospital setting or more specifically within an HDU or ICU setting. We have no speech and language therapists to call on. Thanks in anticipation of lots of emails (I hope!!) Kate Heward Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist Neurological Rehabiliation Lower Ground Floor Chancellors Wing St James's University Hospital Beckett Street LEEDS LS7 9TF Tel: 0113 2066819 _______________________________________________ Scanned for all known viruses by Bucks Net in association with NetCleanse. Please consult http://www.bucks.net/av/ for more information. _______________________________________________ Scanned for all known viruses by Bucks Net in association with NetCleanse. Please consult http://www.bucks.net/av/ for more information.