Enabling Technology

NCATP

North Carolina Assistive Technology Program

Lynne Deese

919–850-2787 (voice/TTY)

www.ncatp.org

  • Assistive Technology (AT)
    • “any piece of equipment or device that a person with a disability uses to make everyday living easier and be more independent”
  • NCATP
    • serves all ages
    • serves all disabilities, not just major life changing ones
    • example: repetitive typing injuries
      • Dragon Naturally Speaking 8
      • IBM Via Voice
  • Raleigh NCATP center
    • Microsoft Accessibility Resource Center (MARC)
  • Sony & Olympus voice recorder/dictator
    • talk into recorder, then import file into Dragon NS
  • Office 2003 (not XP) or Vista
    • pretty good error rate
    • dictation separate from correction
  • natural body/neutral position
    • wrists slightly bent, arms in front
    • correct position for typing and for speaking
  • AT solutions typically have slower rate of input than typing
    • better than having no input
    • strategy: rotate several forms of input (type, voice, etc)
  • OrbiTouch keyless keyboard
    • slower rate of input
    • dials with color coding
  • keyboard with travel
    • distance between key press and activation
  • keyboard with trackball on same plane as keys
  • micromini glide pad
    • trackpad built in
  • 3M renaissance mouse
    • amplify mouse movement (like joystick)
  • mac mini keyboard
    • smaller keyboard
    • good for carpal tunnel, cerebal palsay
  • hunter digital no hands mouse/foot mouse
    • use feet to control mouse
    • uses separate pads for cursor and clicking
  • iMate
  • xkeys programmable keyboard
    • macro capable
    • good for programming and coding, ie cut and paste same thing over and over
  • frog pad
    • frogpad.com
    • one hand keyboard
    • good if have one hand or need other hand for phone (ie sales rep)
  • palm mouse
    • good for limited range of motion
    • stop watch like design
  • trailing mouse
    • easier to see mouse
  • altra micro pointing device
    • good for limited range of motion
  • tash star pad
    • tash.com
  • wafer switches
  • pinta
  • microsoft on-screen keyboard
    • scanning style keyboard
  • switches
  • magnification
    • index apps and desktop like google does web pages
      • lunar
      • zoom text
    • google desktop
    • all three have large zoom (5x, 8x, 16x, 32x) and small zoom (between 1 and 2x)
    • custom cursors
  • speaking dynamically
    • scanning system for switch users
  • eye gaze systems
    • very expensive
    • hard to seup
    • natural eye movements aren’t still
    • good for beginning degenerative neuroogical disorders
  • origin head mouse
    • ir system
    • can be interferered with by other infrared devices like cordless mic
    • radio frequency is more flexible
  • jaws
  • window eyes
    • more accessible alternative pricewise to jaws
  • congnitive problems
    • memory problems
    • ptsd (post traumatic stress disorder)
    • head trauma
  • alarm devices
    • timex data link
      • calendar, alarms, synchronization
    • palm and pocket pc
    • fossil watch
    • vibra lite
      • bindependent.com
    • words plus keyboard
      • scanning
      • only allow one button to be pushed
    • attainment step pad
      • steps of task
    • alpha smart dana
    • phone line
      • speaker phone style
    • writing bird
      • arthritis
    • turning lever
      • use for small knobs like stoves
    • minspeak
  • link plus
  • minspeak pathfinder
    • much more rapid for people with degenrative
    • program own words, rather than limited to pre-programmed
  • big keys
    • good for kids
    • good for seniors with vision problems
  • finger works mini
    • gliding keyboard
  • tash winmini