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We're so used to our daily inconveniences, that we become
blind for the unpractical interface that most pc's use ,ms windows. Most
of the time there are many actions necessary to reach a very simple
goal.
For someone for who each action is an effort, that is
a serious impediment to use the word of virtual activity to the full.
Happily there is developed a lot of software that wraps
itself around the interface and makes operations easier, though not
yet easy enough.
There is scanmouse, dragger, saw ( ace
centre )and a few other programs of this
kind that emulate (translate) positioning of the mouse to a way of scanning.
Furthermore there is Hotspots (a.o.) that make it possible
to define certain points on the screen, give them a serial number (1, 2,
3 etc) and make it possible for the disabled user to scan and select
an item in the predefined series.
And you have software like Automate
or QUICkeys that make it possible to make all kinds of macro's (that is
,small programs), that automate a series of repititive actions
Furthermore there is specialized software for all
kinds of disabilities.
In Holland there is for example a very good program for
visual stimulation; allthough developed for children with poor eyesight,
it is really the thing for visual stimulation of the brain, that is ,cortical
disorder of the visus.
For children that have learning difficulties you have
the eminent Laureate
series.
In Holland they developed a very useful program for this
group to help them grab the abstractions that are standard in using
mouse and keyboard interface; it's called BIOBYTES 9( cognitive level3,4years).
Communication software with artificial speech are in an important development; it is possible to put accents in the pronounciation of the word , which makes the sound very natural.Fluent Dutch is an excellent new program, that sets a new standard.
More often then not there are picture symbols used in
communication software : Mayers en Johnson (P.C.S.) picto's are visually
and in content the best .
We use Clicker 4, which is a very easy to use program with many, many
possibilties and Switchclicker+, a program that makes Clicker available to
switch control ,a very open program that you can give the content you want in a very easy
to use environment , they have now the very sympathic possibility to share
content with other users.Clicker can also incorporate Writing with symbols which
is a very good program for children to switch from picto's to language.
Clicker was developed for grade school pupils to learn english.
The last program i will discuss are the very practical
word predictors, for those who can write and read.
By scanning you choose the first letter, a number
of chosen words are then shown; if the right word is not shown, you
choose the second letter and so on.Below a screenshot of EZ. I use Letmetype
that remembers everything you type, is therefore language independent and you
can use different dictionaries for different uses or users.